How coach Ruffin McNeill’s presence has become a critical asset for NC State football

By Noah Fleischman

His tan golf cart has become a must-stop spot for every NC State player as they stream onto the program’s natural grass practice fields adjacent to Carter-Finley Stadium each morning. It doesn’t matter if it’s a starter or a walk-on, the man clad in red and white Wolfpack apparel from head to toe sitting in the front seat has the same affection for every player that greets him. 

Some players stop one at a time for a handshake or high-five, while entire position groups surround his electric-powered Yamaha four-seater all at once. No matter who approaches, Ruffin McNeill’s smile grows each and every time one of NC State’s players makes sure to stop by ahead of each practice. 

And while McNeill, the Wolfpack’s special assistant to the head coach, finds immense joy in the brief interactions with nearly all of the Wolfpack’s 125 players on the roster, they gain the same energy from him in return.

“It’s awesome,” graduate linebacker Caden Fordham recently said with a grin. “Every time I go out there, I dap him up. I say I love him before every practice. I love seeing him out there.”

Although the pre-practice interactions are a brief moment for each of the Wolfpack’s players, they serve as a reminder of who’s always there for them. McNeill is on the practice field as much as he can be, watching every move. He can’t escape the grind of football. His golf cart makes moving around the field easier, getting from one end to the other in seconds. The lifelong educator was born to be around the sport, and he’s still looking to help in any way he can. 

The 66-year-old is entering his 46th year in coaching, and his experiences through each of those decades have become his tool kit for helping the next generation. Ever since he joined NC State’s staff in 2020, McNeill has become a critical asset for the Wolfpack. 

“He’s a national treasure, in my opinion, in many ways,” NC State coach Dave Doreren said last year. “Coaching knowledge, the way he just treats people, his humanity, his love for people in general and his loyalty. He wants to help people. It’s personal to him. I love being around him. 

“It’s so awesome for me to be able to go into his office every day and sit on the couch and talk. We’re talking about life, the players, the coaches, the opponent, the families. It’s awesome to have that. It’s like being at your grandpa’s house. I love Ruffin McNeill, and I’m so thankful I get to work with him every day.”

McNeill’s path to Raleigh

It wasn’t long ago that McNeill’s goal was to beat NC State. He spent six seasons leading East Carolina, his alma mater, where he knocked off the Wolfpack in both meetings as he guided the Pirates to a 33-27 overtime win in 2010 and a 42-28 victory during the 2013 campaign. 

But once the ECU moved on from him as head coach after the 2015 season, McNeill went back to being an assistant like he had for the first four decades of his career. He spent a year as Virginia’s defensive line coach before serving as Oklahoma’s associate head coach for three seasons. 

While McNeill enjoyed working for Lincoln Riley, who was once his offensive coordinator at ECU at a ripe 27 years old, his father’s dementia grew worse. He approached Riley and told him he needed to leave to be with Ruffin Sr., who was in a Lumberton-area nursing home.

Riley, who had known McNeill for much of his football career, understood. Family came first, and McNeill believed he was leaving the sport that helped him see the country to be there for his father. 

Doeren, whom McNeill first met in the late 1990s when he was a young graduate assistant at USC, was the first person to call after he announced his departure from Oklahoma. The two had been in touch ever since they met, and the Wolfpack’s coach wanted to plant a seed in McNeill’s mind, just in case he wanted to return to the profession closer to home.

“I don’t know if you’re going to miss ball or want to be around ball,” Doeren recalled telling McNeill, “but if you need that in your life, I would want that here to open the door.”

McNeill talked it over with his wife, Erlene, before taking Doeren up on the offer shortly after. NC State Athletic Director Boo Corrigan created a new position, the one he currently occupies as a special assistant, which allowed McNeill to make a seamless transition to the Wolfpack program. 

He shuttled back and forth between working in Raleigh and being with his father, who died on Nov. 6, 2022 — the day after NC State beat No. 20 Wake Forest, 30-21.

While McNeill moved back to North Carolina to be with his father for his final two years, Doeren and the Wolfpack provided him with the opportunity to continue impacting the lives of college students. It had been his purpose for the four decades before, and continued once he arrived in Raleigh. His role was even sweeter since he was able to do it with Doeren, a man that he feels is closer to being family than as his current boss.

“To have a chance to keep doing that, doing something you love with people you care about, that’s a blessing,” McNeill said in a recent phone interview. “To get an opportunity to come do it with people and to do it with kids again, to stay involved with helping young men with my experiences, whether they were positive or tough ones, they both are very valuable. I try to make sure I share each experience with the guys every time I get the chance. 

“Football, I love every day. There’s want to-get to and have to-got to — those are two different things. I want to do it, and I get to do it. I want to be out there, and I get to be out there. I take that approach every day.”

An impactful presence

When NC State quarterback CJ Bailey found out he was going to finish last season as the Wolfpack’s starting quarterback, the freshman knew who to talk to. He walked into McNeill’s office inside the Murphy Center, and sat down on his couch, looking for advice. 

Bailey, a freshman at the time, had big shoes to fill. He knew there would be pressure as a starting signal-caller in the ACC, so he sought advice and guidance from one of the most experienced coaches inside the facility. 

McNeill, who drew from experience after watching Heisman Trophy winners Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts during his time at Oklahoma, stressed to Bailey that he was ready for the moment. He turned into the quarterback’s biggest cheerleader, always telling him, “You got this, you’re going to lead this team to victory.”

That helped take some of the pressure off Bailey’s shoulders, instead allowing him to compete the rest of the season. It worked as the signal-caller threw for 2,413 yards with 22 total touchdowns and posted a 64.9-percent completion rate, the program’s freshman record, in his nine starts. 

While McNeill was able to help Bailey in a crucial time for the program, his door is open for every player inside the building. He can be a sounding board for those who need to vent their frustrations, while others know they can get a smile on their face by seeing the veteran on a daily basis. Coaches, meanwhile, are more than welcome to stop by with any questions they may have, from how to deal with a certain situation within the locker room or what McNeill may see on practice or game film.

McNeill’s office — and the couch located just inside of it — has become a rallying point for several inside the Murphy Center, whether it’s a good day for them or not.

“Coach Ruff is for the players,” Fordham said. “He’s someone that players feel comfortable going to and speaking about hard stuff to. Having that, it’s huge for a lot of us. The mental aspect of the game is something that goes unseen. Guys do have mental problems that they go through during the season if they’re not playing well, injuries, things of that nature, so having someone like that is a huge help.”

Bailey nearly echoed Fordham’s sentiment.

“Coach Ruff is an amazing guy,” Bailey said. “When Coach Doeren isn’t there, Coach Ruff is the guy. I talk to him almost every day because he’s got a lot of knowledge. He’s been around for a very long time. Dealing with a guy like Coach Ruff is really big.”

McNeill has helped some work through their injuries, while he has been integral in assisting with changing their mindset. Senior defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland pointed to McNeill as reinforcing that he needs to “stay where your feet are,” while senior tight end Justin Joly learned to control his emotions through talking with the old-school football mind. 

The veteran assistant has proven to be a resource that nearly every player in the program has called upon at one point or another. Every member of the Wolfpack knows that he will be honest whenever someone comes looking for advice or guidance, which has led to the team’s success in avoiding locker room fiascos and has helped others keep a level head. 

Through his guidance, McNeill has become one of the program’s most valuable assets in Raleigh.

“He’s like an elder owl that we all look up to,” Joly said. “We all love Coach Ruff. He’s probably one of the best people to ever walk through the facility. I’m actually so happy that I have Coach Ruff in my life. He’s taught me so many things. He’s talked to me so many times. He’s made me, not only a better player, but a better person.”

An ‘honor’ to change lives at NC State

McNeill was practically born to teach. He hails from a family of educators and grew up in a boarding home for teachers. His father taught and was a football coach. His brothers did, too. 

Impacting the lives of young people is in McNeill’s blood, and NC State has provided another outlet for him to do just that.

“I find tremendous joy, tremendous honor is a better word. It’s an honor that they feel comfortable sharing,” McNeill said. “They know I want nothing from them but to be successful. Trust is earned between both. They have to earn my trust, but I also have to earn their trust. When that happens, we’re able to share and learn from one another.” 

McNeill has plenty of past experiences he has been able to use to his advantage when it comes to giving advice to the Wolfpack’s players and coaches. He calls it a “blessing” to be able to continue to be around football, while doing what he loves most: helping others. 

And as he operates at NC State, he is fully immersed in the day-to-day routine. He tries to watch the Pack’s players as often as he can, from the weight room to every practice. Just look for his black and tan golf cart each day. He’s usually posted up in the end zone behind the defense with a play sheet, ready for what’s to come next.

Once he returns to his office after practice, McNeill turns on the film to study the team more. 

He might not have a specific position group to coach, and he isn’t running players through drills anymore, but McNeill’s desire to help the players improve each day hasn’t left his heart. Instead, it might have only grown stronger since he arrived in Raleigh ahead of the 2020 season. 

“It’s a joy and an honor to work with somebody that you really care about a lot,” McNeill said. “That part is ungradable, it’s unspeakable, at times. It’s a joy to be able to come. It’s not work if you love what you’re doing. Not many people have that blessing, but I’ve been able to do that and learn along the way. I’m able to still share and have some input in shaping a young man’s life or his path a little bit.”

And the joy that NC State’s players have when they see McNeill before every practice, crowding his golf cart with love, all but confirms he’s still making an impact. He wouldn’t want it any other way.