GREENVILLE -- Like the stands in the east end zone of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, East Carolina's football team is a work in progress.

That much was clear to the 7,125 fans on hand Saturday with a walk-on at starting quarterback, several dropped passes and a rash of penalties during the Pirates' first spring game under new coach Ruffin McNeill.

GREENVILLE — Ruffin McNeill made his future intentions clear in the first minute of his introductory press conference as East Carolina's new football coach.

After 24 seasons as a college assistant, the previous 10 at Texas Tech, he called his first head coaching job, and the return to his alma mater, his "destination" job.

"This is a dream come true for an East Carolina country boy," McNeill
said. "This is where I want to be until they tote me away from here."