After a difficult start to the 2024 college football season, the East Carolina Pirates parted ways with head coach Mike Houston. Stepping up to replace him is defensive coordinator Blake Harrell, but who makes up the rest of the East Carolina coaching staff?
East Carolina Pirates Coaching Staff 2024
Interm Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator, Blake Harrell
Blake Harrell was named the Pirates’ defensive coordinator ahead of the 2020 college football season and will continue to perform those duties while serving as the interim head coach. Wearing many hats, he also serves as the team’s linebackers coach.
Harrell’s defenses helped propel the Pirates to bowl eligibility in consecutive seasons (2021 and 2022) for the first time since the Ruffin McNeill era. Meanwhile, he has helped develop multiple defensive backs to a high level, including Shavon Revel, who has earned first-round hype ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.
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Harrell joined the East Carolina coaching staff after serving as the Kennesaw State defensive coordinator for the 2019 college football season, with the Owls setting four school records while leading their conference in 10 separate metrics. His full college coaching résumé can be found below.
- Lenoir-Rhyne (defensive run game coordinator, special teams coordinator, LB coach, recruiting coordinator, 2007-2013)
- The Citadel (LB coach, 2014-2015; DC and LB coach, 2016-2018)
- Kennesaw State (DC and LB coach, 2019)
- East Carolina (DC and LB coach, 2020-2023; interim HC, 2024)
Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach, John David Baker
John David Baker joined the East Carolina coaching staff ahead of the 2024 college football season, where he holds the title of offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. He arrived in Greeneville after three years helping direct one of the most potent offenses in the country at the Ole Miss Rebels.
A record-setting quarterback at Abilene Christian, Baker has used his playing nouse to develop into one of the top offensive coaches in the country. After a stint with the North Texas Mean Green where Mason Fine set single-season records amidst a stretch of bowl-eligible campaigns, he was named to 247Sports’ 30Under30 in his first season with the USC Trojans.
As the passing game coordinator at Ole Miss in 2021, Baker helped Matt Corral achieve his single-season career-high passing yardage. Meanwhile, as the co-offensive coordinator, he helped the Rebels establish themselves as a dominant rushing offense behind Quinshon Judkins. Baker’s full coaching resume is below:
- Abilene Christian (graduate assistant, 2014-2015)
- North Texas (offensive quality control coach, 2016-2018)
- USC (offensive quality control coach, 2019-2020)
- Ole Miss (passing game coordinator, 2021; TE coach, 2021-2023; co-offensive coordinator, 2022-2023)
- East Carolina (OC and QB coach, 2024)
Tight End Coach, Hunter MacKay
Another Ole Miss convert, Hunter MacKay, joined the East Carolina coaching staff ahead of the 2024 season. While he will serve as the Pirates’ tight ends coach, his coaching journey has been heavily focused on the offensive line. MacKay has spent time with the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, at Samford, and joined Ole Miss after serving as the OL coach at Saint Anselm.
Running Back Coach, Rodney Freeman II
A 13-year coaching veteran, Rodney Freeman II joined the East Carolina coaching staff for the 2024 season after helping direct the Utah State Aggies’ potent ground game last fall. A conference title winner at Abilene Christian during his playing career, Freeman also coached at Western State Colorado, Missouri Southern, West Texas A&M, Colorado Mesa, and Michigan State.
Offensive Line Coach, Matt Mattox
Following his appointment to the East Carolina coaching staff in December 2023, Matt Mattox brings former Power Five experience to the Pirates. He coached the Texas Longhorns offensive line in 2016, while also acting as run game coordinator.
He also has extensive Group of Five experience with stops with the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, UTSA Roadrunners, South Florida Bulls, and the Bowling Green Falcons.
Cornerback Coach, Jules Montinar
Jules Montinar joined the East Carolina coaching staff for the 2023 college football season as the cornerback coach and defensive pass game coordinator, retaining that role in 2024.
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Although he started his coaching career at Eastern Kentucky, he spent two years with the Alabama Crimson Tide from 2012-2013 — learning under renowned head coach and secondary savant Nick Saban. He arrived at ECU after a season with the Temple Owls.
Wide Receiver Coach, Dyrell Roberts
After coaching several top FCS WRs across stints with Western Illinois and Norfolk State, a three-month sojourn with his alma mater Virginia Tech, and a year as the pass game coordinator and WR coach at Eastern Michigan, Dyrell Roberts joined the East Carolina coaching staff as the wide receiver coach ahead of the 2023 season. He also played under Frank Beamer for the Hokies.
Defensive Tackle Coach, Roy Tesh
A longtime associate of former head coach Houston, Roy Tesh joined the East Carolina coaching staff as the special teams coordinator in 2019 before switching to defensive tackle coach in 2020. Tesh also worked with Houston at James Madison, The Citadel, Lenoir-Rhyne, and Brevard. He was a four-year, all-conference o-lineman while studying at Greensboro College.
Safety Coach, Damon Magazu
The East Carolina coaching staff welcomed a familiar face back to the Pirates ahead of the 2024 season as former captain and two-time All-CUSA defensive back Damon Magazu took over the role of safeties coach. He arrives back in Greenville after a successful stint with the UNLV Rebels. In addition to Power Five experience with the Oklahoma Sooners, he was on the ECU staff from 2016-2017.
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