After leading the Pirates to bowl eligibility in consecutive seasons, Mike Houston returns as the head coach at East Carolina for the 2023 college football season. Who makes up the rest of the East Carolina coaching staff for the upcoming campaign?
East Carolina Pirates Coaching Staff 2023
Head Coach, Mike Houston
Houston took control of the East Carolina coaching staff ahead of the 2019 college football campaign. Entering the fifth season of his tenure with the program, his Pirates teams have gained a reputation for swashbuckling offensive football and ferocious defenses that have fueled a resurgence of the team in the AAC.
Prior to his arrival, the Pirates had won three games in each of the previous three seasons. In his debut campaign, Houston’s team won four games, and while they dipped back to three wins in the disrupted 2020 campaign, he led them to bowl eligibility in 2021 and 2022. His 22 wins rank as one of the most successful initial four-year periods of any East Carolina head coach.
MORE: AAC QB Rankings 2023
Houston has a history of success as a head coach, leading James Madison to a school record 14 single-season wins in 2016 and 2017 — including 26 consecutive wins. He was named the CAA Coach of the Year and FCS Coach of the Year for his accomplishments. Houston also has a conference title with the Citadel on his college coaching résumé, which can be found below.
- Brevard (DC, 2006)
- Lenoir-Rhyne (DC, 2007-2010; HC, 2011-2013)
- The Citadel (HC, 2014-2015)
- James Madison (HC, 2016-2018)
- East Carolina (HC, 2019-2023)
Offensive Coordinator, Donnie Kirkpatrick
In his second stint on the East Carolina coaching staff, Donnie Kirkpatrick serves as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach for the Pirates. He returned to the program in 2019 and has helped establish ECU as a highly productive offensive unit with prolific passers and potent pass catchers mixed in with some rare running back talents.
Under his tutelage, the offense has registered some of the most prolific single-seasons in program history. In fact, seven of the top-10 scoring averages in East Carolina football history have been engineered by Kirkpatrick. Furthermore, multiple players have earned all-conference accolades under his watch, while QB Holton Ahlers set 10 program and six conference records.
A former quarterback and wide receiver at Lenoir-Rhyne, Kirkpatrick got his first coaching gig at Appalachian State in 1984. His full college coaching résumé — which includes stints at multiple levels of the game — can be found below.
- Appalachian State (graduate assistant, 1984-1988)
- South Carolina (QB coach, 1989-1992)
- Eastern Michigan (WR coach, 1993; QB, RB coach, and assistant head coach, 1994)
- Louisville (QB coach, 1995-1996; OC and QB coach, 1997)
- Chattanooga (OC, 1998-1999; HC, 2000-2002)
- Western Carolina (WR coach, 2003-2004)
- East Carolina (WR coach, 2005-2015; assistant head coach, 2015)
- James Madison (OC and QB coach, 2016-2018)
- East Carolina (OC and QB coach, 2019-2023)
Defensive Coordinator, Blake Harrell
Blake Harrell was named the defensive coordinator for the Pirates ahead of the 2020 college football season. In addition to his role as coordinator, he also serves as the inside linebacker coach on the East Carolina coaching staff. His appointment reunited him with head coach Houston, a relationship that had previously produced multiple conference titles.
In addition to his defenses helping propel East Carolina to bowl eligibility in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2013-2014, Harrell also oversaw a sensational 2021 season where Ja’Quan McMillian led the nation in passes defended.
MORE: AAC RB Rankings 2023
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)
Special Teams Coordinator, Tim Daoust
Tim Daoust joined the East Carolina coaching staff ahead of the 2021 college football season. In addition to serving as the special teams coordinator, the veteran coach also works with the Pirates’ defensive ends and outside linebackers. Daoust has extensive coaching ties to the MAC but also spent time at Syracuse, where he worked with Chandler Jones and Riley Dixon.
Tight End Coach, Aaron Auer
After serving as a graduate assistant and offensive analyst on the East Carolina coaching staff since 2020, Aaron Auer was promoted to inside wide receiver and tight end coach for the Pirates ahead of the 2023 college football campaign. He came to East Carolina after serving as a scout and student assistant coach for the University of Georgia.
Running Back Coach, Re’quan Boyette
A two-time rushing leader for Duke as a player, Re’quan Boyette got his first coaching gig with his alma mater as a graduate assistant in 2012. Earning promotion to RB coach in 2013, he left the Blue Devils to join the East Carolina coaching staff in 2022. Boyette spent 2022 as the wide receiver coach for the Pirates but transitions to RB coach for the 2023 campaign.
Offensive Line Coach, Allen Mogridge
A new addition to the East Carolina coaching staff for the 2023 college football season, Allen Mogridge joins the Pirates after spending the previous three seasons with USF. A well-traveled and experienced coach, he has spent time at Buffalo, Western Carolina, North Carolina, UCF, Temple, FIU, and Georgia Southern. As a player, he spent time as TE, FB, OT, and DE.
Cornerback Coach, Jules Montinar
Jules Montinar joins the East Carolina coaching staff for the 2023 college football season as the cornerback coach and defensive pass game coordinator. Although he started his coaching career at Eastern Kentucky, he spent two years at Alabama from 2012-2013 — learning under renowned head coach and secondary savant Nick Saban. He arrives at ECU after a season at Temple.
Outside 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 joins the East Carolina coaching staff as the outside wide receiver coach for the 2023 season. He also played under Frank Beamer for the Hokies.
Defensive Tackle Coach, Roy Tesh
A longtime associate of 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 also a four-year, all-conference offensive lineman while studying at Greensboro College.
Safety Coach, Tripp Weaver
Another member of the East Carolina coaching staff with ties to head coach Houston, Tripp Weaver spent four years at James Madison and The Citadel before becoming the Western Carolina defensive coordinator in 2018. He became the safeties coach ahead of the 2020 college football season, returning to the program where he began his coaching career as an assistant.
