• Galen
• Scott

• Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach

COACHING HIGHLIGHTS

• 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.

PLAYING HIGHLIGHTS

• 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.

PROMINENT PUPILS

• 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