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GALEN SCOTT
ASSISTANT HEAD COACH & SAFETIES
@CoachGScott
COACH I NG H I GHL I GHTS
• Another longtime colleague of head coach Justin
Fuente enters his second season with the Hokies. Scott’s
association with Fuente dates back to Illinois State when they
both served as assistants on the Redbirds’ staff and shared
an apartment.
• Named the FCS Assistant Coach of the Year at Illinois
State in 2007.
• High-energy coach owns experience as a defensive
coordinator at both Memphis and Illinois State, joining
defensive line coach Charlie Wiles as another member of
Bud Foster’s defensive staff with experience in that role.
• A former All-America linebacker in his own right, Scott
owns 16 years of collegiate coaching and will work with the
Hokies’ safeties for a second season, in addition to duties
assigned by Fuente as assistant head coach.
• The 2005 American Football Coaches Association I-AA
Coach of the Year, Scott served as defensive coordinator for
Fuente at Memphis.
• Played an integral role in helping Fuente resurrect a squad
that finished 2-10 in 2011 and hadn’t posted a winning
campaign since 2007.
• Only 15 FBS squads allowed more points than Memphis in
2011 (35.1 ppg) and only three teams permitted more yards
of total offense than the Tigers (491.0 ypg) that season. Just
a year later, Memphis led Conference USA in total defense in
league games at 331.6 ypg.
• By the 2014 and 2015 seasons, the Tigers registered
back-to-back bowl berths, compiling a 19-7 record that
included a 15-game winning streak that boasted a victory
over No. 13 Ole Miss.
• Despite losing eight starters from the previous season,
the Tigers held four opponents under 20 points in 2015,
including a 63-0 shutout of SMU in the regular season finale.
The Tigers followed up that performance by registering three
interceptions in the Birmingham Bowl vs. Auburn, including
one that was returned for a 53-yard TD.
• With Scott serving as defensive coordinator in 2014,
Memphis ranked 11th in the FBS in scoring defense (19.5
ppg), putting the Tigers ahead of traditionally stout defensive
programs such as Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin
and many others.
• The 2014 squad led the American Athletic Conference and
ranked eighth nationally in opponent passer rating (106.3)
and was 19th among FBS squads in rushing (121.5 ypg).
• The defensive effort by the Tigers in 2014 played a pivotal
role in Memphis claiming the American Athletic Conference
championship, the team’s first league title since 1971. At
10-3, Memphis equaled a school record for victories which
had stood since 1938, capping the season with a dramatic,
double-OT win over BYU in the Miami Beach Bowl.
• Memphis continued its defensive improvement in 2013,
ranking 12th among FBS squads in rushing defense (116.3
ypg) as the Tigers permitted only one individual 100-yard
rusher and contained four teams to under 100 net rushing
yards. Memphis also ranked 39th nationally in total defense
(370.7 ppg).
• Scott guided one of the most-successful linebackers in
school history in 2010 when Jamon Hughes ranked third
nationally with 147 tackles.
• Spent two seasons working under head coach Todd
Graham at Tulsa from 2008-09. • Coached outside
linebackers and safeties in 2008 as the Golden Hurricane
finished the season with an 11-3 record and a 45-13 win
over Ball State in the GMAC Bowl.
• Served seven years at his alma mater, Illinois State (2001-
07) and took on the role of defensive coordinator his last two
seasons.
• In his first season as defensive coordinator in 2006,
Scott directed a Redbirds defense that was the Gateway
Conference’s No. 3 total defense and No. 2 scoring defense,
allowing 19.7 ppg.
• Began his coaching career at Illinois State in 2001.
• Was one of nine minority coaches selected to participate
in the 2016 NCAA Champion Forum in June 2016 where
attendees gained a realistic view of the role of a successful
college head football coach and the preparation necessary
to become one.
PLAY I NG H I GHL I GHTS
• A three-time All-America selection and four-year All-
Gateway Conference pick as a linebacker, helped Illinois
State to its first Gateway Conference title (1999) and a pair
of NCAA Division I-AA playoff appearances (1998, 1999).
• Held the school’s career tackle record with 528 at the time
of his graduation, a mark that was subsequently broken by
one of his pupils, LB Boomer Grigsby (580), but still ranks
third in Missouri Valley history.
• His 27-tackle performance against Southern Utah in 1998
remains an Illinois State record and ranks sixth in conference
annals, while his 175 tackles that season stands as the
eight-best single-season tally in conference history.
• Named to the 1997 All-Gateway Newcomer Team.
THE SCOT T F I L E
Experience:
17th season/2nd at Virginia Tech
Hometown:
Orlando, Fla.
High School:
Evans (1997)
College:
Illinois State (2001)
Playing Exp:
Illinois State (1997-2000)
Family:
Wife – Tashauna, Son – Reid,
Daughter – Ryan
COACH I NG H I STORY
Year
School
Position
2016-17 Virginia Tech
Assistant Head Coach/
Safeties
2015
Memphis
Associate Head Coach/
Defensive Coordinator/
Linebackers
2014
Memphis
Defensive Coordinator/
Linebackers
2011-13 Memphis
Co-Defensive Coordinator/
Linebackers Coach
2010
Memphis
Linebackers Coach
2009
Tulsa
Cornerbacks Coach
2008
Tulsa
Outside Linebackers/
Safeties Coach
2006-07 Illinois State
Defensive Coordinator
2001-05 Illinois State
Linebackers
BOWL GAMES / PLAYOF FS
COACHED ( 6 )
2016
Belk
Virginia Tech
2015
Birmingham
Memphis
2014
Miami Beach
Memphis
2008
GMAC
Tulsa
2006
NCAA I-AA Playoffs
Illinois State (2)
PLAYOF F GAMES PLAYED ( 4 )
1999
Illinois State
NCAA I-AA Playoffs
1998
Illinois State
NCAA I-AA Playoffs
PROMI NENT PUP I LS
S Lonnie Ballentine D7-2014 – Houston
2012 All-Conference USA Honorable Mention
S Chuck Clark D6-2017 – Baltimore
Started 40 career games for Virginia Tech
S Akeem Davis FA-2014 – Washington
Played Safety and LB at Memphis
LB Boomer Grigsby D5-2005 – Kansas City
Three-time Gateway Conference Defensive Player of
the Year; career tackle leader in Illinois State and Missouri
Valley Conference history (580)
LB Charles Harris
American Athletic Conference
Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year
LB Jamon Hughes
All-Conference USA selection –
ranked third nationally with 147 tackles in 2010
LB Tank Jakes
2014 American Athletic
Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year
CB Bobby McCain D5-2015 – Miami
2014 All-American Athletic Conference selection
LB Genard Avery
Two-time All-American Athletic Conference Selection
LB Wynton McManus FA-2016 – San Francisco
Played in 47 career games at Memphis
DB James Lockett
Two-time All-Conference USA selection
LB Cameron Siskowic
2006 Gateway Conference Defensive Player of the Year
S Kye Stewart
2007 All-America selection