Football: Napier Names Scott Defensive Coordinator

By: Jeff Schneider, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications

LAFAYETTE, La. – New Louisiana head football coach Billy Napier added another key piece to his coaching staff on Tuesday, announcing the hiring of Karl Scott as defensive coordinator.
 
Scott’s addition comes after Napier named the hires of Rob Sale and Mike Desormeaux to his staff last week.
 
"We are pleased to announce the addition of Karl Scott to our staff," Napier said. "He is a tremendous teacher and has a great track record of developing players. He fully understands our recruiting footprint with ties in Louisiana as well as being a Houston native. He is one of the bright young minds in this profession and most importantly a man of principle who will work tirelessly to invest in his players. Karl, Taron and their daughter Kina Bailey will be a great addition to our community here in Lafayette."
 
Scott comes to the Ragin’ Cajuns from Texas Tech where he spent two seasons coaching the Red Raider secondary. 
 
In his second year with the program, Texas Tech boasted one of largest defensive improvements in the country as the Red Raiders forced 29 turnovers, their most in a season since 2008. The Red Raiders finished plus-11 in the turnover margin, which was one shy of the school single-season record and was Tech’s highest turnover margin since the 1997 season.
 
Scott mentored two All-Big 12 selections in 2017 in Jah’Shawn Johnson and Justus Parker. Parker is a former walk-on from Texas Lutheran who ultimately became one of the nation’s premier ball-hawks with four interceptions, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery (that went for a TD vs. Kansas). Parker pushed Tech to its win over Texas with a last-minute interception that set up the go-ahead touchdown.
 
In his first season at Texas Tech, Scott mentored both Johnson and senior Justis Nelson to impressive seasons while also incorporating several true freshmen into the rotation. Tech utilized three true freshmen – Douglas Coleman, Kevin Moore and Desmon Smith – in the secondary during the 2016 campaign, led by Coleman, who totaled 26 tackles and an interception while breaking up six passes. He also returned a fumble a school-record 100 yards against Texas.
 
Prior to Texas Tech, Scott spent one season as the safeties coach at Louisiana Tech under head coach Skip Holtz. Scott helped lead the Bulldogs to a 9-4 record in 2015 which was good enough for a second-place finish in the Conference USA West Division and an appearance in the New Orleans Bowl.
 
Louisiana Tech topped Arkansas State, 47-28, to claim the New Orleans Bowl trophy, capping a season where the Bulldogs ranked eighth nationally in defensive touchdowns after forcing 22 turnovers, 13 of which that came via an interception.
 
Prior to his stint at Louisiana Tech, Scott served three years on the Southeastern Louisiana staff as defensive coordinator in 2014 and linebackers coach from 2012-13. During his tenure with the Lions, Scott helped lead the program to back-to-back Southland Conference championships in 2013 and 2014, two NCAA Division II playoff appearances and No. 12 and No. 14 respective national rankings in the final FCS Coaches and Sports Network polls (2014).
 
As defensive coordinator in 2014, Scott guided a Lions unit that concluded the year leading the Southland Conference in total defense, while ranking seventh in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Lions also led the nation in passing deficiency (94.30), ranked fifth in red zone defense (.667 percentage), eighth in scoring defense (17.7 points per game) and ranked 11th nationally in turnovers gained (28).
 
Isiah Corbett and Harlan Miller, two mainstays on Scott’s defense, both earned All-America honors in 2014 while seven other defenders – Denzel Thompson, Jacob Newman, Tyler Stoddard, A.J. Bowen, Drew Misita, Jordan Batiste and Micah Eugene – joined the pair on the All-Southland Conference teams.
 
Scott’s linebacker corps was a key factor in Southeastern’s 2013 Southland Conference championship campaign. Scott’s unit benefited from the emergence of Cqulin Hubert, who was named Southland Defensive Player of the Year after recording a team-leading 90 tackles, including 11.0 of which that went for a loss.
 
Before he arrived in Hammond, Scott served as recruiting coordinator, defensive backs coach and linebackers coach in a four-year stint (2008-11) at Tusculum College, an NCAA Division II institution in Greeneville, Tennessee.
 
Scott made an immediate impact in his first season at Tusculum as he mentored two All-Conference selections in Justin Scott and Jarvis Littlejohn. Scott collected All-America honors following the season after establishing new school records for single-season (22) and career (51) tackles for loss. He also wrapped his career with a school record seven forced fumbles.
 
Scott and Littlejohn each recorded over 100 tackles to lead a Tusculum program that claimed the South Atlantic Conference championship with a 9-4 record. the Pioneers advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs before ending their season with a No. 16 final national ranking.
 
Prior to Tusculum, Scott served one season as a graduate assistant at Delta State where he helped lead the Statesmen to a 10-2 record, a No. 10 final national ranking, a Gulf South Conference title and a NCAA Division II playoff appearance.
 
Scott was part of a Delta State staff that built one of the top defenses in the nation that was built around All-American linebacker Michael Eubanks. Eubanks was a national finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy which recognized the Division II National Player of the Year. He finished third in the Harlon Hill balloting after ending his college career as the NCAA Division II leader in sacks (39) and third all-time in career tackles for loss (67.5).
 
Delta State led the nation in pass efficiency defense (77.9) in 2007 and was second in the country in total defense (227.4 yard per game), scoring defense (13.9 points per game) and team sacks (4.0 sacks per game). The Statesmen were also third nationally in rushing defense after surrendering just 67.3 yards per game on the ground.
 
During his five seasons coaching at both Tusculum and Delta State, Scott was part of staffs that helped win two conference championships and earn two national rankings while also making a pair of trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs.
 
A Houston native, Scott played his collegiate career at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, where he graduated in 2007 with a degree in Exercise and Sports Studies. Shortly after his graduation, Scott joined the staff at nearby Hardin-Simmons University as linebackers coach.
 
Scott and his wife Taron have a daughter, Kina Bailey.
 
Scott’s hiring is pending approval by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors.
 
SCOTT AT A GLANCE
Alma Mater: McMurry University, 2007
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Wife: Taron
Children: Kina Bailey
 
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2016-17 – Texas Tech Assistant Coach (Secondary)
2015 – Louisiana Tech Assistant Coach (Safeties)
2014 – Southeastern Louisiana (Defensive Coordinator)
2012-13 – Southeastern Louisiana (Linebackers, Travel Coordinator)
2008-11 – Tusculum (Recruiting Coordinator, Defensive Backs, Linebackers)
2007 – Delta State (Graduate Assistant)