Matt Scott was appointed as the defensive coordinator at the University at Albany on January 2, 2026.
Scott arrived back in the Capital Region following a highly decorated 2025 season as the head coach at PennWest Edinboro. In his lone season leading the Fighting Scots, he orchestrated a dramatic turnaround, guiding the program to its first seven-win campaign since 2018 and a share of the PSAC West Division title. His immediate impact on the program earned him PSAC West Coach of the Year honors and solidified his reputation as one of the premier defensive minds in the region.
Prior to his head coaching stint, Scott spent eight seasons as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at the University of New Haven from 2017 to 2024. During his tenure with the Chargers, he commanded one of the most dominant defensive units in NCAA Division II, consistently ranking near the top of the national leaderboards in scoring defense, total defense, and red zone efficiency. His leadership helped propel the Chargers to a 56–21 overall record, three Northeast-10 Conference championships, and five NCAA Playoff appearances. Before his time at New Haven, Scott worked alongside Tom Perkovich as the defensive coordinator at Susquehanna University from 2015 to 2016, where he coached three All-Conference performers and helped the River Hawks rank among the best passing defenses in the Centennial Conference.
Scott’s history with UAlbany dates back to the Bob Ford era, as he served on the Great Danes' staff from 2010 to 2014. During this initial five-year stretch, he held various roles including cornerbacks coach, outside linebackers coach, and special teams coordinator. He was an integral part of the coaching staff that guided UAlbany to back-to-back Northeast Conference titles in 2011 and 2012, as well as an appearance in the FCS Playoffs. His professional growth during this period was further highlighted by his selection for the NFL’s Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship with the Buffalo Bills in 2013. Scott began his coaching journey in 2008 at his alma mater, Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), as a student assistant, followed by a season coaching safeties at New Haven in 2009.
As a student-athlete, Scott was a standout nose tackle at Indiana University of Pennsylvania from 2004 to 2007. He was a three-time All-PSAC West second-team selection, finishing his collegiate career with 162 tackles, 42 tackles for loss, and eight sacks across 39 games. He played a pivotal role in leading IUP to a PSAC West championship in 2006 and an NCAA playoff berth in 2007. Scott earned a Bachelor of Science in physical education and sport from IUP in 2008 and later obtained a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of New Haven. A native of Imperial, Pennsylvania, he was a graduate of West Allegheny Senior High School.
