Pirates Complete Fall Camp, Turn Focus To N.C. Central
August 23, 2014 | Football
Coach McNeill End of Camp Interview
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina Head Football Coach Ruffin McNeill officially completed his fifth fall camp Saturday as the Pirates wrapped up the NCAA-recognized preseason period with a 90-minute organizational game-day walk-through inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
"I feel really good about camp and the way we progressed this year," McNeill said. "BT (Brian Overton) and I set the schedule up last February, and through the summer, the coaches would tinker with it a little bit, but the model and the skeleton of the schedule were still the same."
McNeill and his staff guided the Pirates through a game-like workout focusing on all phases of the game, while polishing up substitution patterns and communications from the sideline and the coach's box.
"We get the most out of every day going in the mornings and throwing in some two-a-days," McNeill added. "The kids have really tuned in to what we have been preaching since day one, which is commitment towards the team concept, the vision, the focus and the mission.
"Having a leadership core like we do, it makes our jobs as coaches easier. I like the way they attacked the process in camp since Aug. 5th and the way they have bought in to making the team the top priority, while getting better individually. So with those things in mind, I think camp went very well. Now we are officially in game week mode and we will be back on the practice field Sunday night."
McNeill also indicated the program's initial depth chart of the season is still being discussed and formalized, and will be released prior to his first press conference of the season next Monday.
The Pirates will open the 2014 campaign at home against North Carolina Central inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on August 30 with an 8 p.m. (EDT) scheduled kickoff.
