GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina Head Football Coach Mike Houston has announced that offensive line coach Steve Shankweiler will transition to the Director of High School and Alumni Relations at ECU effective immediately. 

“I’m super excited that Steve will continue to be a part of our program as the Director of High School and Alumni Relations,” Houston said. “Steve’s credentials on the field and in recruiting will help him thrive in this new role as he helps strengthen the relationships with high school coaches and our football alumni.”

“Transitioning into this position will allow me to continue to aid in the growth of East Carolina football and support Mike Houston in his goal to bring a conference championship back to Greenville,” Shankweiler added.

Shankweiler, who has 48 years of collegiate coaching experience with 40 at the Division I level, recently completed is 19th year at ECU helping the Pirates to a 53-29 win over Coastal Carolina in the 2022 TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl. During his four stints with the program (1987-91, 1998-02 and 2005-09, 2018-present) he has been a part of nine bowl games and four wins including the Peach Bowl title in 1991 which resulted in a No. 9 final ranking. 

Since returning to ECU in December of 2018, he has mentored an offensive line group that paved the way for 2,218 yards in 2022 – the program’s highest total since 2007 (second most since 2000) and provided running lanes for Keaton Mitchell’s second straight 1,000-yard season with his 1,452 ground yards which were the most by a Pirate since Scott Harley’s 1,745 yards in 1996. The Pirates averaged 170.6 rushing yards per game, while the line protected Holton Ahlers who had a career year after passing for 3,708 yards with 28 touchdowns. His line unit played a key role in producing 79 “big plays” (20-plus yards), the second-highest single-season total in program history (93/2014).

A year ago, he developed a cohesive line that enabled ECU to rack up 1,949 rushing yards – the program’s fifth-highest total since 2000 (and most since 2014) after directing a unit that played a key role for a 2020 squad that averaged 173.8 ground yards per game, the Pirates’ highest clip since 2007, despite utilizing five first-time starters throughout the shortened season. In all, he aided an offense that eclipsed the 400-yard total mark 27 times, which included 12 games of 500-plus and two 600-plus performances.

Shankweiler’s coaching career includes collegiate stops at James Madison (2018), NC State (2017), FIU (2013-16), South Florida (2010-12), South Carolina (2004), Cincinnati (2003), Georgia Tech (1992-94), Western Kentucky (1984-86) and The Citadel (1980-83). He has also spent time as a high school head coach in the state of Georgia – Redan (1976-79, state championship), Glynn Academy (1995) and Griffin (1996-97).