Ruffin McNeill Ruffin McNeill ( born October 9 , 1958 ) is the head football coach for the East Carolina Pirates . Before being named head coach , McNeill served the Texas Tech Red Raiders as an interim head coach , assistant head coach , special teams coordinator , and linebackers coach . On December 28 , 2009 , he was named interim head coach of the Red Raiders , following the suspension and later firing of head coach Mike Leach . He served in the position until the hiring of Tommy Tuberville , who subsequently released him as defensive coordinator . Playing career . McNeill was a defensive back for the East Carolina Pirates for four years under then head coach Pat Dye . Three of his years at ECU he was a starter and two he served as team captain . In his first year with the Pirates , McNeill helped East Carolina to the 1976 Southern Conference Championship and a berth to the Independence Bowl two years later . McNeill graduated from East Carolina University in 1980 . He later went on to Clemson where he earned a master ' s degree in counseling . Coaching career . In addition to coaching at the high school level and spending a summer as an intern with the Miami Dolphins under Jimmy Johnson , McNeill has coached 23 seasons at the college level , including seven seasons at Appalachian State , his first job as defensive coordinator . In total , he has been on the coaching staffs at Clemson , Austin Peay State , North Alabama , Appalachian State , UNLV , Fresno State , and Texas Tech . Texas Tech . McNeill began his tenure at Texas Tech in 2000 as a linebackers coach . In 2003 , he accepted the role of assistant head coach as well as taking duties of linebackers coach . In 2007 , then - defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich stepped down due to " personal reasons " after a 49 – 45 loss to Oklahoma State in which the Texas Tech defense allowed over 600 yards of total offense and three 100 yard rushers . Head coach Mike Leach named McNeill interim defensive coordinator shortly after with eight games remaining in the season . On December 28 , 2009 , Leach was suspended , and fired two days later , by Texas Tech University over the alleged inappropriate treatment of an injured player . McNeill was named interim head coach , and led the team to a 41 – 31 victory over the Michigan State Spartans in the 2010 Alamo Bowl before being replaced as head coach by Tommy Tuberville . On January 13 , 2010 , McNeill was removed from the Texas Tech coaching staff by Tuberville and replaced with James Willis . Defensive improvements . With McNeill at the defensive helm , the Red Raiders ' defense improved in every defensive category . Under Setencich , Tech ranked seventh in pass defense , ninth in total defense , and tenth in scoring defense in Big 12 Conference play . In nine games with McNeill , Tech improved to first in pass and total defense and fourth in scoring defense . The Red Raiders forced more punts and allowed fewer rushing and passing yards than they did to begin the season . These vast improvements in the defense led Leach to drop the interim tag and make McNeill the full - time defensive coordinator . East Carolina . On January 21 , 2010 it was announced that Ruffin McNeill would be named head football coach at his alma mater , East Carolina , replacing Skip Holtz , who had recently left for head coaching job at the University of South Florida . External links .