East Carolina picks Duke OC Montgomery as head coach

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) East Carolina has hired Duke offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery as its head coach. Athletic director Jeff Compher announced

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) East Carolina has hired Duke offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery as its head coach.

Athletic director Jeff Compher announced Montgomery's hiring Sunday night, saying the new coach will be formally introduced Monday and will start his new job Jan. 1.

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The 37-year-old Montgomery has served two stints at Duke with a three-year run on the Pittsburgh Steelers' staff in between.

He returned to his alma mater in 2013 and has spent the last two seasons in charge of Duke's offense, which ranked third in the Atlantic Coast Conference last season with 431 yards per game.

His hiring caps a 10-day search for the replacement for Ruffin McNeill, a former East Carolina player who was fired six days after the Pirates completed a 5-7 finish to their second season in the American Athletic Conference.