GREENVILLE, N.C. - After a nearly two decade career as an assistant coach, former East Carolina receiver extraordinaire Jason Nichols returns to Greenville as the new running backs coach at his alma mater under head coach Scottie Montgomery.

"Not only does Jason bring a wealth of coaching experience to East Carolina, he knows first-hand of the special bond that exists between Pirate Nation and our program," Montgomery said. "To have the opportunity to impact young men on the same campus and playing field where he earned his degree and competed is immeasurable. From a recruiting standpoint, I'm not sure if there's anyone else who could tell a more compelling story of what it means to be a Pirate."

The 1998 Pirate graduate finished his four-year playing career as ECU’s all-time leading pass catcher with 152 receptions. Nichols played a big part in consecutive Liberty Bowl appearances against Stanford and Illinois under memorable Pirate football Coach Steve Logan.

Nichols is highly regarded and returns to Greenville with a proven track record in evaluating, developing, and coaching players both on and off the field . His most recent stop was at Western Carolina where he served last season as the Catamount’s running backs coach.

Before heading to Cullowhee , Nichols spent six years at Louisiana-Monroe as a noted wide receivers coach and eventually their passing game coordinator under former ECU offensive coordinator and ULM head coach Todd Berry who currently serves as the American Football Coaches Association Executive Director.

In 2013, Nichols was named the nation’s best mid-major recruiter by Rivals.com.

Nichols was a part of two different coaching MAC conference staffs.. He spent 2005-08 at Kent State before moving to Toledo in 2009. At Kent State, Nichols was a part of one the better turnarounds in college football in 2006, taking a one-win 2005 squad to a six-victory season in 2006. He mentored wide receiver Najah Pruden, who finished as Kent State's second-leading receiver in program history, generating 2,131 yards and 15 touchdowns.

While at Toledo for one season, Nichols guided a pair of receivers to a thousand yards of receptions and All-Mid-American Conference honors. Eric Page led all freshmen in the NCAA with 82 catches for 1,159 yards and seven touchdowns and senior Stephen Williams had 79 catches for 1,065 yards and five touchdowns. Williams finished his career as Toledo's career leader in receptions and receiving yards. He then signed a free agent deal with the NFL's Arizona Cardinals.

The former Pirate receiver spent three years at Appalachian State from 2002-04. He guided one of the top receiver units in Mountaineer football history. It included Walter Payton Award finalist, Davon Fowlkes, who set school and Southern Conference records for both receptions, receiving yards and all-purpose yards in 2004 while also leading the FCS in all three categories. Nichols mentored a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in 2003 with his 2002 unit combining for over 190 receptions.

Nichols has done a pair of NFL internships with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 1998 he signed as a free agent with the Hamilton Tiger Cats in 1998 and spent one season in Arena Football with the Carolina Cobras. He spent one year as a grad assistant at ECU.

His first full time coaching job was at Sacred Heart. There he coached Deveron Johnson, who was named Football Gazette's I-AA Mid-Major Receiver of the Year and was named a I-AA Mid-Major All-American. Johnson became the first player drafted out of the Northeastern Conference (NEC) when he was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2002 draft. Sacred Heart posted an 11-0 record in 2001.

Nichols is married to the former Nikki Howard and the couple have two children, Jayden and Amaya.