GREENVILLE — When East Carolina parted ways with Ruffin McNeill over a week ago, there was concern about the players’ reactions. McNeill was a father figure to every player that was a part of the football program over the last six years. To some of those young men, he was the only father figure in their lives.

Those concerns subsided when ECU Chancellor Steve Ballard and Director of Athletics Jeff Compher introduced Scottie Montgomery as the 21st head football coach. He still has to fulfill his obligations to Duke as offensive coordinator at the Blue Devils’ Dec. 26 showdown with Indiana in the Pinstripe Bowl, but said that winning over the players is his top priority over the coming weeks.

“The most important thing for me over the next 2-to-3 weeks is the men that already play for us,” he said in Monday’s press conference. “We’re going to recruit them like they’ve never been recruited over the next 2-to-3 weeks.”

Montgomery made sure to express his no-nonsense attitude, too. He said that there are two languages he speaks: character and production. He values academic production above everything, with on-field performance following closely behind.

“You want me to show you some love,” he asked. “Produce on the field. It’s simple. Come to work every day. Bring your hardhat. Don’t complain. Don’t look for excuses. Find solutions and you’ll be fine and we’ll be fine. Anything I can do to help you players, I’m here for you. Everybody needs to understand one thing: when it comes to me, the players are absolutely first.”

That loving but demanding approach is one of Montgomery’s tools to success at the helm of Pirate football, but it’s far from his only. He enters the position with quite the loaded résumé for a first-year head coach. He played for Duke from 1996 to 1999 as a wide receiver. He ranks second in career receptions (171) and third in receiving yards (2,379).

As a coach, he has played a part in developing some of football’s top talent. He returned to Duke in 2006 as a receivers coach. He stayed there until 2010 when he was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers as a receivers coach. He worked with the likes of Pro Bowler Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and current Carolina Panther Jericho Cotchery.

He returned to Duke and has been there since. He had a strong influence on the Blue Devils’ offense as the offensive coordinator. He helped develop quarterback Thomas Sirk succeed stud Anthony Boone and also helped develop receiver Jamison Crowder into a fourth-round pick in this past NFL draft.

All of Montgomery’s past experiences with pro-level talent have set the bar high, even for ECU’s prolific offense. He will build the offense around the personnel. That will start at quarterback.

“No matter what quarterback we had that came through our system, we’ve been consistent in producing at that position,” Montgomery said of his time at Duke. “We’re just going to try and take the quarterback’s best talents and put them to the forefront … We’re going to be flexible enough and nimble enough to fit in what we need to fit in.

“I look forward to some big-time offense and I look forward to some of these skill guys, too. I’ve watched them on tape. The skill position is going to be something to watch. I can’t wait.”

ECU has made a name for itself on the success of its quarterbacks and receivers. Montgomery’s proven past coaching those positions means the Pirates’ skill players could tap some hidden potential that will take the offense to another level.

Montgomery is unproven as a head coach. He’ll be baptized by fire when ECU hosts N.C. State and then travels to South Carolina and Virginia Tech in the first four weeks of the season.

On paper, though, there’s a lot of potential there. McNeill had never been a head coach when he accepted the job at ECU and he went on to accomplish great things. Montgomery has a ton of experience on the offensive end that should fit right in with the Pirates.