ISUMatt
February 15th, 2006, 05:26 PM
http://goredbirds.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/021506aaa.html
After working with the Gateway Football Conference's leading tackler for the last four seasons and mentoring three of the league's last four defensive players of the year, Galen Scott will now tackle a new challenge as head coach Denver Johnson named Scott Illinois State's defensive coordinator on Wednesday.
Scott, who was named the 2005 I-AA Assistant Coach of the Year by The American Football Coaches Association, will begin his sixth year on the coaching staff at Illinois State after finishing his playing career as one of the most decorated players to ever wear a Redbird uniform. He will fill the void left by Ron Lambert, who took a similar position at Tennessee State in January.
"With the departure of Ron there was an opportunity to elevate Galen to the defensive coordinator position, one that he has been grooming himself for for years," Johnson said. "Galen is a bright, young, highly intelligent and highly respected coach, not only among our staff and players, but nation-wide as evidenced by his I-AA assistant coach of the year honor last season.
"Even though Galen will carry the coordinator title, we have a strong collection of coaches on the defensive side of the ball and this will truly be a staff effort."
Until 2004, Scott owned the career tackles record at Illinois State, but his protegé, Boomer Grigsby, claimed the mark under his guidance. Scott helped mold Grigsby into an unprecedented three-time Gateway Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year award winner and a consensus all-American. In 2005, Scott helped pass the torch to Cameron Siskowic, who followed Grigsby's lead by posting the highest tackle total in the conference and claiming all-America honors.
During Scott's four-year playing career (1997-00), he set ISU records for tackles in a game, season and career. He also helped the Redbirds to their first Gateway Football Conference championship (1999) and a pair of appearances in the NCAA I-AA playoffs (1998, 1999).
"I'm excited about the opportunity and I'm looking forward to the challenges and responsibilities of being a defensive coordinator," Scott said. "I love Illinois State. This is where all of my opportunities have been and this is another one. I'm just going to go out there and do the best that I can. We will stay with the basics of the 4-3, but we will do some minor variations. It was pretty good for us last year and our personnel dictates what we do."
Scott was named to four all-America teams and was only the fifth player in school history to earn all-America status in three different seasons. He also snagged All-Gateway Football Conference honors in each of his four seasons and was a member of the 1997 All-Gateway Newcomer team.
An honor roll student during his career, he set the Illinois State single-game tackle record of 27 and the season tackle record at 186. He was the first Illinois State player to exceed 500 tackles and his final figure is 109 more than that posted by previous record holder, Wilbert Brown.
Scott's single game mark ranks No. 5 in Gateway Conference history as does his season total. His career number ranks No. 3 in the conference.
Scott, who received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Illinois State, hails from Orlando, Fla., where he was an all-state selection for Evans High School as a senior
After working with the Gateway Football Conference's leading tackler for the last four seasons and mentoring three of the league's last four defensive players of the year, Galen Scott will now tackle a new challenge as head coach Denver Johnson named Scott Illinois State's defensive coordinator on Wednesday.
Scott, who was named the 2005 I-AA Assistant Coach of the Year by The American Football Coaches Association, will begin his sixth year on the coaching staff at Illinois State after finishing his playing career as one of the most decorated players to ever wear a Redbird uniform. He will fill the void left by Ron Lambert, who took a similar position at Tennessee State in January.
"With the departure of Ron there was an opportunity to elevate Galen to the defensive coordinator position, one that he has been grooming himself for for years," Johnson said. "Galen is a bright, young, highly intelligent and highly respected coach, not only among our staff and players, but nation-wide as evidenced by his I-AA assistant coach of the year honor last season.
"Even though Galen will carry the coordinator title, we have a strong collection of coaches on the defensive side of the ball and this will truly be a staff effort."
Until 2004, Scott owned the career tackles record at Illinois State, but his protegé, Boomer Grigsby, claimed the mark under his guidance. Scott helped mold Grigsby into an unprecedented three-time Gateway Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year award winner and a consensus all-American. In 2005, Scott helped pass the torch to Cameron Siskowic, who followed Grigsby's lead by posting the highest tackle total in the conference and claiming all-America honors.
During Scott's four-year playing career (1997-00), he set ISU records for tackles in a game, season and career. He also helped the Redbirds to their first Gateway Football Conference championship (1999) and a pair of appearances in the NCAA I-AA playoffs (1998, 1999).
"I'm excited about the opportunity and I'm looking forward to the challenges and responsibilities of being a defensive coordinator," Scott said. "I love Illinois State. This is where all of my opportunities have been and this is another one. I'm just going to go out there and do the best that I can. We will stay with the basics of the 4-3, but we will do some minor variations. It was pretty good for us last year and our personnel dictates what we do."
Scott was named to four all-America teams and was only the fifth player in school history to earn all-America status in three different seasons. He also snagged All-Gateway Football Conference honors in each of his four seasons and was a member of the 1997 All-Gateway Newcomer team.
An honor roll student during his career, he set the Illinois State single-game tackle record of 27 and the season tackle record at 186. He was the first Illinois State player to exceed 500 tackles and his final figure is 109 more than that posted by previous record holder, Wilbert Brown.
Scott's single game mark ranks No. 5 in Gateway Conference history as does his season total. His career number ranks No. 3 in the conference.
Scott, who received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Illinois State, hails from Orlando, Fla., where he was an all-state selection for Evans High School as a senior