Source: East Carolina to name Nichol offensive coordinator, make other moves

Published Jan. 15, 2015 10:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

After notching 18 wins in the last two seasons, East Carolina head coach Ruffin McNeill is opting to make a series of staff promotions in the wake of losing rising star offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley to the same position at Oklahoma.

A source tells FOX Sports that McNeill will promote outside receivers coach Dave Nichol to Riley's old offensive coordinator/play-caller role. In addition, offensive line coach Brandon Jones will now also serve as the Pirates' run game coordinator. Riley's younger brother Garrett Riley, who was on staff as a graduate assistant, now becomes ECU's wide receivers coach.

In 2014, ECU was No. 3 in the nation in passing, No. 5 in total offense and No. 18 in third-down conversion rate. The Pirates were also No. 37 in the nation in rushing yards per play at 4.84.

The 38-year-old Nichol had spent five years on the Arizona staff before being hired at ECU.

Nichol, Jones and the younger Riley are all Texas Tech grads and are products of the Air-Raid system.