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NC State Football

Ruffin McNeill: "It Was The Right Opportunity"

July 7, 2020
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NC State football made a big hire Thursday, bringing in Ruffin McNeill, a long time friend and mentor to head coach Dave Doeren, as a special assistant to the head coach. The two met with the media this afternoon and here is a look at their comments.


Opening Statements...
Dave Doeren:
Today’s not about NC State football, it’s about Ruffin McNeill joining our program and our excitement. It’s a pleasure to have him be a part of what we’re doing here. It’s a long time that he and I have known each other; I know that’s been documented already. When you’ve been coaching 20-plus years and you have somebody that you look up to in your tree, and have for a long time like Ruff, and then to be able to come to work everyday and have him be a part of what we’re doing, it’s a blessing. 

I’m very thankful to him Erlene for being part of what we’re doing and the way this all worked out. It’s been a blessing, I think, for him, too, to be able to come home and be around his father and back in the state where I know he’s very loved. There have been such positive responses already with him joining the Wolfpack. I know his presence is going to be felt not just by our athletes but by our staff, our university, our boosters and our fan base. 

Ruffin McNeill: I’m glad to be a part of this. Like [Doeren] mentioned, our friendship and relationship has been well documented. It began a long time ago, I think, in California, with both of us meeting and Dave exchanging film and going through the package with me. We’ve kept in touch for years. Dave has always checked on me when things were in difficult times as friends, and then we got a chance to coach and see each other in competitive situations. 

But the friendship was way above the competitive situation in every instance. When I had the chance to come back and be home, the moment I mentioned that from Oklahoma, Dave didn’t call about a job, he just called to make sure I was alright and my Dad was alright. That’s jut how it’s been. But now, for it to work out where I have a chance to come in and be a part, and be any kind of assistant to Dave, the coaches, the kids, the people in the program, alumni, and assist Dave through whatever means necessary, I’m honored and looking forward to it.

With the opportunity to be back in your home state with your Dad and your family connections, and be in a Power-Five conference in your home State, would you have gone to another school or was it the right opportunity to come back to this State?
McNeill:
It was the right opportunity with the right people. That’s always been a threshold for me, is the program, but then also being with the right people. Being with Dave, like I mentioned, our friendship has been sincere. It hasn’t been anything but that. To have a chance to have him in-state is a double bonus. Dave understood why I was coming home, to check and be around my brother, take care of my Dad and be able to be a son again that way. He and I shared experiences along the same line. 

So he understood exactly why I came home and what I was about. To be able to drive 30 minutes and have a chance to work again for the people I work for and the person I work for, have always been in the forefront of my decision. So this worked out in perfect concert with me being back home in the sate, be able to see my Dad and then have the chance to work for Dave. 

More from Dave Doeren on the hire: For me, when the season ended and going through the months of thinking about ways to improve what I do and improve our program, it’s always great as a head coach to have someone on your staff that has sat in your chair. I had that availability when Ted Roof was on our staff. I think every assistant, every person that works for me, comes in and gives me ideas. The timing was kind of perfect. I talked to Jerry Kill, who had done this last season at Virginia Tech and is now doing it at TCU for coach Patterson. I asked him about it, talked to [Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente] about what it did for him. To me, it was just a no-brainer and it was just about finding the right person. 

I came up with the idea prior to Ruff being out there. I had been going through it with our administration. [NC State Senior Associate AD Fred Demarest] had seen this happen at Florida on the basketball side with Billy Donovan and thought it was a great idea for me to have someone that I can go to. As the head coach, a lot of times you don’t get to coach. There’s a lot of things that pull you out of your chair. Having that somebody that knows how to deal with those things like Ruffin, for me, is going to allow me to be more present when I want to be, and just really have a sounding board. I don’t think you can list off the number of things that a head coach has to do. But having a confidant that can stand next to you and be a part of those decisions, whether he agrees with me or doesn’t, I know he’s going to be honest with me and give me feedback that I can listen to, absorb and marinate on. I look forward to those conversations.

Coach Ruff, have you talked to coach Doeren about how to put 70 on the Tar Heels yet? 
McNeill:
We’ve been talking about other ideas and whatever he needs from me, but we haven’t discussed any strategic type thoughts yet.

How’s your Dad doing? 
McNeill:
He’s doing better. I say he’s better, but talking through glass, talking through a door, has been great. Erlene enlightened me last time about how happy he was to see us drive up. The nurses have been great. The quarantine is still there, but to be able to drive an hour and be at the rehab center to see him has been a blessing.

That just correlates with the job. Dave understood that. Like I said before, with Dave, it wasn’t about this job, Dave just called when he heard everything about me coming home about that, about how is my Dad? It’s been that way the whole time. Then as we got around to the next move and the next position came available, and Dad was great, but what helps with that is Dave understood the exact reason I was coming back to North Carolina. 

What does somebody with McNeill’s character and personality bring to your locker room?
Doeren:
Every time I talk to him, I smile. I think that was the one thing for me is the power of positivity and surrounding myself with people that generate that in people. I know Ruffin does that. There’s nothing that’s not genuine about him. I think that’s exactly what our staff needs, it’s what our players need, I’m sure every team could say the same. He’s in my opinion, one of the most positive, and he’s also one of the most honest [people].

Whether you want to hear it or not, he’s going to tell you the truth. I think those things are great for staff members; they’re great for young people. For me to have someone else that I know is going to help young people be the best versions of themselves that they can be and give himself to them, I know Ruff will do that. That’s what I want. There wasn't any agenda that came along with this, it’s just me trying to get a great human being to be a part of our program and help us be better at what we do. It’s a win-win.

What can coach McNeill bring to the recruiting aspect, especially with his ties in North Carolina? 
Doeren: I’ve always felt like recruiting is about relationships. Obviously that’s a strength of Ruff’s. I know he’s going to have thousands of relationships he’s already got with high school coaches that are out there. More than anything, I think when people are allowed to start visiting our campus again, that’s one of the things I’m most proud of, is the type of people that we have at NC State on our staff. Ruff adds to that mix and allows a mother, a father, a mentor, a recruit to sit down with a great human being that works for our university and talk about the advantages it breaks. For him to be a native of the state and have worked at so many universities not just here but in the country, I just think he gives them a great point of reference to ask questions to. 

McNeill: I agree with Dave. The fact that I’m from North Carolina and had a chance to work here, work throughout the state and played high school and college football within the state, having the chance to meet people when they come on campus, which will be the first time I have a chance not to go visit but to be in place when they do come, to be a reference. I mentioned how our relationship carries on, I think our philosophy of taking care of young men and making sure they reach the highest possible goals and more are both our goals and that’s what makes us unique. 

I’ve always felt that a parent’s most prized possession is their child. I’m able to help Dave and his staff, and young men come and see the real side, the truth. That’s what we’re going to provide, the truth part of it. I’m looking forward to that challenge. I’m looking forward to that opportunity, to be a part of it. I’m looking forward to attacking it. 

How are you both feeling about the COVID pandemic and the likelihood of the season starting on time?
Doeren:
To be honest, I’m not an expert on what’s going to happen next with COVID-19. We’re doing everything we can do to help these players and staff members be ready for whatever comes our way, but right now on the calendar, we play Louisville, and that’s what we’re preparing to do until they tell me we’re not.

What are you most excited for about coaching in the ACC? 
McNeill: I believe in controllables and uncontrollables. I focus on the controllable things more than anything else, even avoiding the uncontrollables. That’s getting to know our staff, getting to know our players, how they feel, how they think. Assisting Dave with whatever he may need, being a sounding board.

That chair, like Dave mentioned, I’ve sat in that chair before. It’s a three-legged stool. It’s not four-legged. It rocks back and forth awkwardly. If you’ve ever tried to sell a three-legged stool, that’s what it is. So I hope I’ll be a balancing leg for that stool for him. So from that point on, I think if everybody thinks that same way, which I know they do, as far as staying focused on what’s at hand, the controllables, how good can we get? How well can we keep our team concept and develop, and stay focused on that? I think that’ll be some key factors that will help me.

Did you have to think about it or did you get on board right away with NC State? 
McNeill:
When you are dealing with someone and you have conversations with people you’ve known, friends, dear friends; one of the very first calls when I was coming home was from Dave. It’s been that way in other situations in jobs I’ve left. He’s always reached out. This was a personal one. It was something that both of us could identify with, coming home. When he offered it, it was something we both felt was the right time. He knew my main goal coming home was to be a son again. I’ve been coaching for 39 years. That’s a long time. We talked about that and about other things. Dave offered the chance to work with not just a friend but a dear friend. We both have known each other. Trust is not just one way; there’s trust and there’s verification of trust. I think Dave and I have a reputation of trust between each other. It’s a whole different thing. That was major for me and I know for Dave. 

Have you taught Dave any of your “Ruffin-isms” or acronyms? 
McNeill:
He knows I’m as country as a row of corn. Every time I talk to him he’s probably laughing at my accent. A lot of times our conversations were serious, when it came to my Dad and how Sarah and his kids were doing. He knows Erlene and my family. But then it was always something funny. Most of the time it was me saying something with my accent. He’s probably heard a few of them. I’m sure he’ll get a chance to get a couple of them here pretty soon. 

Is there a specific position group you’re looking forward to working with in your new role? 
McNeill:
My first priority will be to be there for Dave and the staff. Dave knows that my next primary goal will be to get around those kids in the safest way possible, and to get around the entire team. Offense, defense, special teams, first team to fourth team. It doesn’t matter. I want to be around those kids in that type of position, to be a listening ear. When they want to hear experiences that I’ve been through when needed, experiences that maybe will handle something outside of football. I’ll just make sure I’m a sounding board for the youngsters as well. My first duty will be to be there for coach Doeren and to help balance that three-legged stool for him. 

Is there a specific story about your time together that sticks out? 
Doeren:
I don’t know if there’s one that I can tell that I want you to write. Most of the things that we’ve done are things that you would expect coaches have done. To me, there’s just certain people you meet in this business, and Ruffin is one of those for me. When I was a GA at Southern Cal, you’re kind of the lowest man in the building. Visiting staffs come and go; some of them treat you like you are the lowest and some of them treat you like you are an up-and-coming coach. The whole staff at Fresno that Ruffin was on, their defense came in and just treated me like gold. I’ve always tried to stay in touch with people that showed me that kind of respect when I really didn’t deserve it. It really showed who he was. 

As I got into the Big 12 and he was at Texas Tech, I immediately saw him in recruiting and again just smiled and talked about where I’ve come from and what I’ve done. Then watching him from afar at Northern Illinois and then all of a sudden I’m competing against him while he was at ECU, doing what he did there. I don’t have a single story. It’s really just a collection of what a great person he’s been to me and somebody I’ve looked up to. 

What a great day for me and for NC State football, for the University to be able to celebrate bringing Ruffin in to be a part of this. That’s what it’s about. It’s who you go to work with, who you go to battle with. The players, you recruit them and you coach them and you love them, but there’s just so many really, really special memories you have with the people that you work with. Knowing that I have a sounding board, a confidant, a friend, an established person, husband and father like Ruffin working with me, it’s a great day. I’m really excited about what is happening here right now. 

McNeill: Too many years have passed by and the stories seem to be so endless. I go back, and I’m sure Dave had a lot of staffs come through, and I remember it was down, not in the basement, but the room at Southern Cal was downstairs. I said “This coach has seen a lot of staffs,”because it was just us. You knew that was one of his duties. My first impression was “Hey, he’s a ball coach.” He understood it and we started talking ball. He understood systems, schematics. Like Dave said, it’s a day where we get a chance to work with each other. I get to be there for Dave, the staff and the young people and just do the best job I can and make sure that anything I can control I control it, and do that to the best of my ability. I’m looking forward to that, and I’m excited about the opportunity.

Has there been any former player or person you worked with that reached out that stood out to you? 
McNeill:
Dave and I were talking about it, it’s going to be a busy day. I knew that when it was being announced. I’ve heard from players, I think that’s what you get into and you know my background, players from past teams that I coached in the ‘90s to different states, to Texas Tech. All different teams have said nothing but positive things. I’ve got about 70 texts that I’ve got to return. I’m going to return each one. 

I’ve gotten a bunch of phone calls, and they taught this old guy how to get on Twitter a little bit so I’m trying to make sure I do a good job of messaging people back. It’s been a lot of excitement. The former players are excited no matter where I’ve coached them. They’re excited about my opportunity. A lot of those guys may have thought that I’ve been out of football and retired. I did not retire. To have the opportunity to be back home in state and get a chance to work for not just a great football coach, but a great person and man in Dave and get around some kids and get a chance to generate any kind of positive growth that I can upon them. 

What was your family’s reaction to you coming back to NC?
McNeill: 
I’ve got all girls. They want me to be happy. They know that I love coaching. I love being around the young people. They know I enjoy it. That’s really what they care about. And now it’s staying safe during this pandemic. That was a concern, but knowing that we are happy. We knew that we were going to live in this area. Erlene made sure we were going to live in this area four years ago. The house that we have was already here. Being back just made it better because now we are at home. We have rooms designated for the girls. They have rooms here already, so they’re happy. Then my dad, I think he’ll be happy when I tell him. I’ll have to yell it because he’s behind a window. But, I’m looking forward to getting around him and letting him know. 

Are you looking forward to getting to experience the Carter-Finley atmosphere as an NC State coach? 
McNeill: 
I know it’s going to be an exciting venue. Everyone is dealing with the pandemic that we have right now. I think a lot of people will be anxious to get out and support their team. I’m sure the excitement will be at a high level. I’m looking forward to that part. That’s a part that never gets old for you as a coach. Going to the arena, going to the coliseum, going to the stadium.

Is your father in Lumberton? 
McNeill: 
He’s in Lumberton at a rehabilitation center there. This move and where we live was really a blessing. I’m in Lumberton in no time. I can be there at the facility in just the blink of an eye, really. It’s really been a blessing to be honest with you. I can’t say it any other way.

Tags: Football
 
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