Photo by: WVU Athletic Communications
Scott Embracing New Offensive Coordinator Role
March 22, 2023 11:50 AM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Thumb back through West Virginia football's official Twitter account to a Jan. 16 posting when Neal Brown informed his players that Chad Scott was going to coordinate the Mountaineer offense.
The short video snippet posted that evening captured the pure excitement, enthusiasm and joy of the moment.
"It was a promotion he earned," Brown said in late January. "Last year, he had the title of run game coordinator, and it wasn't just a title, he really coordinated our run game and I thought he showed a lot of growth. If you look at his position room, from 2020 on his guys have really exceeded expectations in the way they have produced. He has been our most consistent recruiter, not only positionally, but from an area standpoint.
"He's dynamic in front of a room and guys want to follow him. He is really well-liked; he is really well-respected, and he's earned that opportunity to lead that unit on the offensive side."
Scott, speaking to reporters Tuesday afternoon for the first time as offensive coordinator, admitted that he was caught off-guard a little bit when Brown told the players during that team meeting.
"First of all, I had no idea until about 30 minutes beforehand, so that was exciting," he said. "One of the guys said, 'Coach, I've never seen you like that' after I went with the offense after the team meeting all jittered up. It was like a little bit of disbelief and excitement at the same time. It was awesome to see their reception when coach named me."
As Brown indicated, Scott's promotion was well-earned. Last year, West Virginia averaged 171.5 rushing yards per game in an Air Raid attack. It was the most consistent aspect of the Mountaineer offense, particularly during the last month of the season when WVU won two of its last three regular season games against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State – two teams WVU has struggled to defeat since joining the Big 12 a decade ago.
The run game generated 203 yards in a 23-20 upset victory over Oklahoma and accounted for all 24 points in WVU's five-point road victory at Oklahoma State. A consistent running game in November when the weather turns cold can lead to great things in December when championships are won.
Considering what West Virginia has returning in the backfield and up front, not to mention two mobile quarterbacks, it makes lots of sense for Brown to go that route at coordinator with Scott.
"We can do some different things in the run game with zone reads, taking advantage of their mobility and creating more space in the run game," Scott explained.
At some of the other places Scott has been, particularly North Carolina and Kentucky, quarterbacks were a part of the running game, and he believes quarterback mobility can make a big difference offensively.
Think back through the years to some of West Virginia's most effective offenses. Having a mobile quarterback contributed greatly to that success.
"Once those guys start pulling the ball, it keeps (defensive ends) honest," Scott admitted. "That creates a lot of space for us and is tough to defend."
Since taking over the offensive coordinator role, Scott said he's had to make many adjustments, starting with practice preparation.
In the past, he was one of the guys offering play-call suggestions. Now, he's managing them.
"Calling plays is a big deal, but one of the most important aspects is just the organizational part of (managing) all of the ideas put forth before we actually put in the script to run the plays," he said. "Heck, I've been in this offense for a while, and it was a late Sunday and a late Monday just to run (Tuesday's) practice in terms of putting all of the ideas and plays together to actually be able to run and execute the practice."
"Telling the signal guy what to signal was a whole lot easier than putting all of the plays together on the script to actually run the practice," he added.
Another adjustment is tempering the enthusiasm and excitement that he displays on the field. Whenever a Mountaineer running back busts off a big run, Scott is usually following them down the sideline.
His excitement, emotion and enthusiasm is contagious and something his players have come to expect, and he admitted Tuesday's first practice was a little unusual when Jaylen Anderson broke free for a big run at one point.
"One of the guys said, 'When Jaylen broke that big run, I was used to you running next to him. That was kind of weird because I didn't see you down there with him.' I told (one of the assistants), 'If I get too excited and run down the field, one of y'all better stay here and keep signaling in the plays until I get back.' That's going to be a big adjustment because I've got to be in it."
Which leads to another question: Will Scott remain on the sideline, or will he move up top to the press box to get a full view of the football field? That's yet to be determined, although Scott admitted he is a heavy lean toward staying down below.
Ultimately, Neal Brown will make that call.
"I don't know, that's tough. That's something we're kind of working towards. That is going to be a big adjustment because I've got to be in it," Scott said.
"I've always been this way – I've always had an ability to connect with the guys at every position since I've been here. Me being able to impact those guys on and off the field is huge for me. I don't know if that will be good for me to go up there," he continued. "You ask me right now and I don't want to go up, but we'll see."
Scott said the strength of the offense right now is a running game that returns all but 13 yards from last season, an offensive line that is intact, and two athletic quarterbacks who can move the football with their arms and their legs.
Yet, he also knows that having a one-dimensional attack is not a recipe for success.
"We've got to play to our strength, and our strength right now is those guys up front and those guys behind them," Scott said. "But those guys (at wide receiver) have got to continue to do what they did (Tuesday). They made some phenomenal catches and when their number is called, they've got to make plays.
"Now we can't hand the ball off on every snap, so those guys are going to have to contribute for us and stretch the field vertically to keep those safeties from sticking their hats in the box," he said, adding, "the biggest thing we've got to do right now is get back to learning the concepts of the pass game. We weren't as involved in the pass game last year (when Graham Harrell was the offensive coordinator) as in previous years."
Scott indicated 6-foot-3, 215-pound NC State transfer Devin Carter did some good things in the pass game on Tuesday, and Uniontown, Pennsylvania, sensation Rodney Gallagher is going to provide a big boost to the passing attack when he arrives later this spring.
Scott admitted a Gallagher plan is already forming in the back of his mind.
"No doubt. You can't ever have enough playmakers, that's for certain," he said. "We do have a plan for Rodney Gallagher when he gets here. Rodney will be around at times this spring to see what's going on, but absolutely, we will get him (involved) when he gets here."
For now, though, Scott said he is focusing on the small details that can lead to much bigger things down the road.
"We've had some time together for them to see the things that I expect, and more so about doing the little things right. If we can do the little things right, it will make the big things happen. We are a very talented, experienced team outside of the receiver spot right now," he concluded.
The short video snippet posted that evening captured the pure excitement, enthusiasm and joy of the moment.
"It was a promotion he earned," Brown said in late January. "Last year, he had the title of run game coordinator, and it wasn't just a title, he really coordinated our run game and I thought he showed a lot of growth. If you look at his position room, from 2020 on his guys have really exceeded expectations in the way they have produced. He has been our most consistent recruiter, not only positionally, but from an area standpoint.
"He's dynamic in front of a room and guys want to follow him. He is really well-liked; he is really well-respected, and he's earned that opportunity to lead that unit on the offensive side."
Scott, speaking to reporters Tuesday afternoon for the first time as offensive coordinator, admitted that he was caught off-guard a little bit when Brown told the players during that team meeting.
"First of all, I had no idea until about 30 minutes beforehand, so that was exciting," he said. "One of the guys said, 'Coach, I've never seen you like that' after I went with the offense after the team meeting all jittered up. It was like a little bit of disbelief and excitement at the same time. It was awesome to see their reception when coach named me."
As Brown indicated, Scott's promotion was well-earned. Last year, West Virginia averaged 171.5 rushing yards per game in an Air Raid attack. It was the most consistent aspect of the Mountaineer offense, particularly during the last month of the season when WVU won two of its last three regular season games against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State – two teams WVU has struggled to defeat since joining the Big 12 a decade ago.
The run game generated 203 yards in a 23-20 upset victory over Oklahoma and accounted for all 24 points in WVU's five-point road victory at Oklahoma State. A consistent running game in November when the weather turns cold can lead to great things in December when championships are won.
Considering what West Virginia has returning in the backfield and up front, not to mention two mobile quarterbacks, it makes lots of sense for Brown to go that route at coordinator with Scott.
"We can do some different things in the run game with zone reads, taking advantage of their mobility and creating more space in the run game," Scott explained.
At some of the other places Scott has been, particularly North Carolina and Kentucky, quarterbacks were a part of the running game, and he believes quarterback mobility can make a big difference offensively.
Think back through the years to some of West Virginia's most effective offenses. Having a mobile quarterback contributed greatly to that success.
"Once those guys start pulling the ball, it keeps (defensive ends) honest," Scott admitted. "That creates a lot of space for us and is tough to defend."
Since taking over the offensive coordinator role, Scott said he's had to make many adjustments, starting with practice preparation.
In the past, he was one of the guys offering play-call suggestions. Now, he's managing them.
"Calling plays is a big deal, but one of the most important aspects is just the organizational part of (managing) all of the ideas put forth before we actually put in the script to run the plays," he said. "Heck, I've been in this offense for a while, and it was a late Sunday and a late Monday just to run (Tuesday's) practice in terms of putting all of the ideas and plays together to actually be able to run and execute the practice."
"Telling the signal guy what to signal was a whole lot easier than putting all of the plays together on the script to actually run the practice," he added.
Another adjustment is tempering the enthusiasm and excitement that he displays on the field. Whenever a Mountaineer running back busts off a big run, Scott is usually following them down the sideline.
His excitement, emotion and enthusiasm is contagious and something his players have come to expect, and he admitted Tuesday's first practice was a little unusual when Jaylen Anderson broke free for a big run at one point.
"One of the guys said, 'When Jaylen broke that big run, I was used to you running next to him. That was kind of weird because I didn't see you down there with him.' I told (one of the assistants), 'If I get too excited and run down the field, one of y'all better stay here and keep signaling in the plays until I get back.' That's going to be a big adjustment because I've got to be in it."
Which leads to another question: Will Scott remain on the sideline, or will he move up top to the press box to get a full view of the football field? That's yet to be determined, although Scott admitted he is a heavy lean toward staying down below.
Ultimately, Neal Brown will make that call.
"I don't know, that's tough. That's something we're kind of working towards. That is going to be a big adjustment because I've got to be in it," Scott said.
"I've always been this way – I've always had an ability to connect with the guys at every position since I've been here. Me being able to impact those guys on and off the field is huge for me. I don't know if that will be good for me to go up there," he continued. "You ask me right now and I don't want to go up, but we'll see."
Scott said the strength of the offense right now is a running game that returns all but 13 yards from last season, an offensive line that is intact, and two athletic quarterbacks who can move the football with their arms and their legs.
Yet, he also knows that having a one-dimensional attack is not a recipe for success.
"We've got to play to our strength, and our strength right now is those guys up front and those guys behind them," Scott said. "But those guys (at wide receiver) have got to continue to do what they did (Tuesday). They made some phenomenal catches and when their number is called, they've got to make plays.
"Now we can't hand the ball off on every snap, so those guys are going to have to contribute for us and stretch the field vertically to keep those safeties from sticking their hats in the box," he said, adding, "the biggest thing we've got to do right now is get back to learning the concepts of the pass game. We weren't as involved in the pass game last year (when Graham Harrell was the offensive coordinator) as in previous years."
Scott indicated 6-foot-3, 215-pound NC State transfer Devin Carter did some good things in the pass game on Tuesday, and Uniontown, Pennsylvania, sensation Rodney Gallagher is going to provide a big boost to the passing attack when he arrives later this spring.
Scott admitted a Gallagher plan is already forming in the back of his mind.
"No doubt. You can't ever have enough playmakers, that's for certain," he said. "We do have a plan for Rodney Gallagher when he gets here. Rodney will be around at times this spring to see what's going on, but absolutely, we will get him (involved) when he gets here."
For now, though, Scott said he is focusing on the small details that can lead to much bigger things down the road.
"We've had some time together for them to see the things that I expect, and more so about doing the little things right. If we can do the little things right, it will make the big things happen. We are a very talented, experienced team outside of the receiver spot right now," he concluded.
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
WR
/ FootballRich Rodriguez | Dec. 3
Wednesday, December 03
Reid Carrico | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
Jeff Weimer | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
Rich Rodriguez | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
