Austin Scott

1 Biography
2 References
3 Related Articles
- 3.1 Recent Austin Scott ArmchairGM Stories

[edit] Biography

Like an understudy in a Shakespeare play, Austin Scott learned his lines and knew them well. The curtain went up on the highly-anticipated 2006 FedEx Orange Bowl but, the play’s lead at running back, Tony Hunt, went down in the first series with an ankle injury. Like any good understudy, Scott was ready in the blink of an eye to take his place on center stage and make sure the show did not skip a beat. He did not disappoint, as the only thing skipping beats were the hearts of Nittany Nation watching the thriller. Scott ignited the offense, carrying five times for 57 yards on Penn State’s second drive and skipped untouched off left tackle two yards for the first score of the game. He demonstrated his multiple skills by rushing for a game-high 110 yards on 26 carries and scoring twice in the pulsating 26-23 triple-overtime win over Florida State. His second touchdown came from one yard out in the second overtime, giving the Lions a 23-16 lead. Scott compiled his third career 100-yard effort and became the 11th Nittany Lion to gain 100 yards in Penn State’s illustrious bowl history. The opportunity to perform and excel was an affirmation for Scott, who has worked hard to gain more playing time behind starter Tony Hunt. Scott came out of spring drills posting a serious challenge to Hunt, putting the Lions in an excellent position at tailback. Scott, the Lions’ leading rusher as a true freshman in 2003, battled back after a broken ankle in March 2005 slowed his progress. A tremendously skilled and speedy athlete, Scott also may be in the mix on the kickoff return unit. One of three talented tailbacks that came to Happy Valley in 2003 and again are expected to play significant roles for the offense, Scott should be a strong contender for substantial carries this year. A Parade All-American and Maxwell Football Club High School Player-of-the-Year after leading Parkland HS to the 2002 Pennsylvania Class AAAA state title, Scott is a tremendous athlete whose speed, quick cuts and ability to read the field make him a dangerous weapon. A strong and highly-skilled runner and receiver who usually has a big smile, Scott will be counted on for continued improvement, consistency and bigger contributions this fall. Scott was one of the nation’s most highly-recruited young men after breaking state records with an amazing 3,853 rushing yards, 53 touchdowns and 322 points during his senior season at Parkland.

2005 Junior Season Playing in 11 games, Scott gained 273 yards on 66 carries (4.1), with three touchdowns, and a long run of 24 yards against Minnesota. In the 2006 FedEx Orange Bowl, Scott jump-started the Nittany Lion offense after a first-series ankle injury to Tony Hunt, carrying five times for 57 yards on Penn State’s second drive and skipping untouched off left tackle two yards for the first score of the game. Scott showcased his skills and versatility by rushing for a game-high 110 yards on 26 carries and scoring twice in the pulsating 26-23 triple-overtime win over Florida State. His second touchdown came from one yard out in the second overtime, giving the Lions a 23-16 lead. Scott recorded his third career 100-yard effort and became the 11th Nittany Lion to gain 100 rushing yards in Penn State’s illustrious bowl history. The effort against Florida State also made him the 36th Nittany Lion to rush for 1,000 yards in a career. He also had three receptions for 27 yards, including a 23-yard catch at Illinois, and a 15-yard kickoff return. Scott gained 32 yards on 10 carries with a touchdown against Cincinnati, tallied 52 yards on nine attempts against Minnesota and gained 57 yards on 14 carries at Illinois. Scott saw action on 222 snaps, led by 78 in the Orange Bowl win.

2004 Sophomore Season Scott posted a team-best 5.7-yard average, gaining 312 yards on his 55 carries and scoring twice. He also made five receptions for 37 yards and was second on the squad in rushing yardage and third in all-purpose yardage (505), having returned eight kickoffs 156 yards (19.5). Scott was strong in the opening win over Akron as he posted a career-best 116 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries to join Hunt (137 yards) as the first Penn State duo to rush for more than 100 yards in a game since Ki-Jana Carter and Mike Archie at Maryland in 1993. Included in the Akron game was a career-long 47-yard scamper. Scott also had six carries for 47 yards and three catches for 18 yards in a win over UCF. He capped off the year with a 14-carry, 74-yard performance in a win at Indiana and a 42-yard day in a victory over Michigan State. Scott saw action on 111 snaps.

2003 Freshman Season Scott made an immediate impact in his true freshman season. He quickly broke into the lineup and led the Nittany Lions with 436 yards rushing (4.4 avg.) and five rushing touchdowns on 100 attempts, despite starting only four games and missing one game with illness. He also added seven receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown and posted 483 yards of offense. In Penn State’s opening win over Temple, Scott carried the ball 12 times for 69 yards, including runs of 11 (twice) and 18 yards. He followed that outing by leading the team in rushing with 60 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, including a season-long 24-yard dash against Boston College. He scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 10-yard scamper in the second quarter against the Eagles. Scott earned his first career start in the victory over Kent State and responded with 100 yards on 21 carries (4.8 avg.) and three touchdowns. He became the first Penn State freshman to rush for 100 yards since Eric McCoo had 206 against Michigan State in 1998 and the first Lion freshman to score three touchdowns since Curtis Enis in 1995. Scott started against Minnesota the following week and posted an impressive 95 yards and a TD on 20 carries. He missed the Purdue game with an illness. He had 14 yards on three carries against Iowa and added his first collegiate receiving touchdown, breaking several tackles on a 24-yard pass from Zack Mills. Scott also had 42 yards on four carries, including a 16-yard gain, in the 52-7 Senior Day win over Indiana. He was on the field for 203 snaps, topped by 51 plays against Kent State and 45 against Minnesota.

High School Scott was a highly-acclaimed standout for Coach Rob Melosky at Parkland HS, leading his team to the 2002 Pennsylvania Class AAAA Championship. Scott broke three state season records with an incredible 3,853 rushing yards, 53 touchdowns and 322 points as a senior. He rushed for 251 yards and five touchdowns in the 34-12 state title game victory over Woodland Hills. The 251 yards set a record for all Pennsylvania state championship games. A knee injury prevented Scott from playing his junior year, but he rushed for 1,918 yards as a sophomore, the state sophomore season record. Scott was selected a Parade All-American and a second-team All-American by USA Today. The Associated Press named him first-team all-state and Big School Player-of-the-Year. Scott received the prestigious Jim Henry Award from the Maxwell Football Club as the Philadelphia area high school Player-of-the-Year and won the Allentown Morning Call Player-of-the-Year Award.