Houston-Rice Vice President and Director of Athletics Tommy McClelland announced on Tuesday that Scott Abell has been named the new Dunlevie Family Head Football Coach at Rice.
The 20th head football coach in school history, Abell will be formally introduced at a press conference on Wednesday.
Upon his arrival at Davidson in 2018, Abell took over a program that had not won more than two games in a season since 2011 and had gone winless in conference play in four of the previous five seasons. He immediately led the Wildcats to their first winning season in more than a decade on his way to seven consecutive winning seasons. He leaves Davidson as the winningest coach in school history, compiling a 47-28 record in seven seasons (35-18 in the Pioneer Football League). Davidson captured a pair of PFL championships and made three appearances in the FCS playoffs. He was twice named the Pioneer League Coach of the Year, and his .627 winning percentage is also the best in school history.
"After spending time with Scott throughout this process, it was clear that we had found the right leader for our program," McClelland said "He has had an immediate impact on every program he has coached and is passionate about developing winners on and off the field. He is the right person to lead Rice football into a new era of success. I am thrilled to welcome Scott and his family to Rice."
"I am incredibly honored and humbled to be the named the next head football coach at Rice University," Abell said. "I want to thank President DesRoches, Athletic Director Tommy McClelland, and his staff for their trust and confidence in me and my family. I cannot imagine a more ideal time or fit for myself, my family, and the future of Rice Football. Today begins the journey, as we pursue championships. Go Owls!"
During the 2023 campaign, the Wildcats put together one of their most dominant and successful stretches during the Abell era, winning seven straight games by an average margin of 26.9 points per game.
Davidson, which ended the 2023 season 7-4, finished with the nation's top-rushing attack for the fourth consecutive year. In addition, the 'Cats also led all of FCS in scoring offense (40.0), while ranking among national leaders in total offense (463.2 ypg / 5th), passing efficiency (158.37 / 8th), 3rd down conversion defense (13th), red zone offense (7th) and time of possession (33:25 / 4th).
One of just four teams to make three straight FCS Playoffs from the spring of 2021 to the fall of 2022, Davidson finished the 2022 campaign 8-4 overall and 6-2 in league play while leading the nation in rushing offense for the third consecutive season. Along with its ground attack, Abell's squad was once again among the tops in the country in total offense, passing efficiency, scoring offense, total defense, and time of possession.
The 'Cats also closed the 2022 season with an undefeated record at home, running their win streak at Richardson Stadium to 13.
In 2021, Abell led Davidson to its second straight PFL title going 8-3 overall and 7-1 in league play. In addition to their second FCS Playoff appearance in as many seasons, the Wildcats led the nation in rushing offense (348.4 ypg) and 3rd down conversion percentage (54.3%). Abell's offense also ranked among national leaders in time of possession (2nd), passing efficiency (9th) and total offense (460.4 ypg).
Over the course of the 2021 spring (COVID-19) and fall seasons, Davidson put together an 11-2 mark in conference play.
Abell's third season at the helm was pushed to the Spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was worth the wait as the Wildcats captured their first conference crown in 52 years, winning the program's first-ever Pioneer Football League crown and earning Davidson's first postseason berth in 52 seasons and a trip to the FCS Playoffs.
In the unorthodox 2020-21 season, Abell and the 'Cats faced the most daunting schedule in the modern era, opening at nationally ranked Elon and facing another Top-25 foe in San Diego, which the Wildcats would knock off in Southern California to snap the Toreros' FCS record-tying 39-game conference win streak. In addition, it was Davidson's first-ever win over a ranked opponent away from home.
Coming off the program's first winning season in over a decade, year two saw the program take another step forward under Abell's guidance. Along with recording the most FCS wins (6) in a single season, Davidson went 8-4 in 2019, its most successful season in 19 years.
In his first season at the helm, Abell led Davidson to its first winning record since 2007, directing the 'Cats to a 6-5 mark that concluded with a heroic goal-line stand on the final play of the season to secure the successful campaign.
Coach Abell helped lead the Wildcat offense to NCAA FCS statistical championships in total offense (561.9) and rushing offense (442.9), while directing the 'Cats to top-five statistical rankings in third down conversion percentage, offensive red zone, and scoring.
The 2018 Wildcats snapped a 17-game Pioneer Football League losing streak with a 40-35 road victory at Valparaiso and earned national attention for a 91-61 Thursday night shootout victory over Guilford.
Abell's squad rewrote the NCAA FCS history books with a trip west to PFL power San Diego, steering Davidson to a 789-yard rushing performance, shattering a 30-year record set by Missouri State in 1998 (681). Four Wildcats rushed for over 150 yards, including Dugger's 231-yard output, the fifth-best single-game rushing performance in Davidson football's 117-year history.
The Wildcats reset 10 program records, including rushing yards in a season (4765), rushing touchdowns (55), and scoring (494 points).
Under Abell's leadership, the 'Cats have earned 44 all-conference honors with 39 more receiving honorable-mention recognition.
Photo: Alex Slitz / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
Abell joined the Wildcats following a six-year stint as head football coach at Division III Washington & Lee University. While leader of the Generals, Abell posted a 39-24 overall record and won the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championship three times. His conference peers selected him ODAC Coach of the Year on three occasions and he was tabbed the Willy Lanier Virginia State Coach of the Year twice.
Abell served as the Washington & Lee offensive coordinator until 2012 when he was elevated to head coach. Under Abell, the Generals were transformed into a national rushing powerhouse, leading the NCAA Division III in rushing three of his final six seasons. His 2015 squad went undefeated in the regular season, the first to do so in program history, and set records in total yards (5,439), rushing offense (4,773) and points scored (417).
His head coaching career started uphill in 1997 at Liberty High School, near Lynchburg, Va., where he turned an 0-10 program into district champions in three years. He moved to nearby Amherst High School, which had not brought home a state championship in a dozen years and led teams to back-to-back state titles.
Prior to landing his first head coaching gig, Abell served as an assistant at Altavista, Western Albemarle and Albemarle High School. His duties ranged from offensive coordinator to coaching the quarterbacks, defensive backs, and linebackers.
Abell graduated with a bachelor's degree in education from Longwood College in 1992 where he played both football and baseball. A gifted baseball player, Abell was drafted by the Kansas City Royals and spent two years in the minor leagues, hitting a home run in his first at-bat.
Abell then turned his attention back to football and teaching, eventually earning his master's of administration/supervision at Lynchburg in 2007.
Abell and wife Crissie are the parents of a son, Porter, who coached wide receivers and tight ends while coordinating Davidson's passing game and recruiting efforts, and a daughter, Emily.