SPORTS

 

DAVIDSON, N.C. – For the second consecutive season and the second time in 2021, Davidson football head coach Scott Abell was named Coach of the Year in the Pioneer Football League, announced by the conference Monday. 

Abell is Davidson’s first PFL Coach of the Year since Tripp Merritt, who shared the award with San Diego’s Jim Harbaugh in 2006. Abell is also the first PFL coach since Harbaugh (also 2005) to win the award in back-to-back seasons. 

“Congratulations to Coach Abell on back-to-back PFL Coach of the Year awards,” Davidson athletic director Chris Clunie said. “This honor is a testament to not only the great coach that Scott is but also the incredible person that he is. His values and winning culture have transformed Davidson Football and we are blessed to have him and his family as part of our community.”

Following Davidson’s league championship-clinching game against Drake, Abell became the tenth Head Coach with 40 career games at Davidson. His career winning percentage of .650 ranks as the best among head coaches with 40 career games and is the only one in the group with a winning percentage above .500. He is also the only Head Coach in Davidson history with a win percentage over .600 who has coached more than 10 games.

Abell has led a team, that over the spring and fall seasons of 2021, has gone 11-2 in PFL play, the best record of any Pioneer Football League team over that time. They also became one of ten teams to qualify for the FCS playoffs in both the spring and fall 2021 seasons. The ‘Cats finished the regular season ranked first in the country in rushing offense (348.4 ypg) and 3rd down conversion percentage (54.3%). In his four seasons at Davidson, Head Coach Scott Abell‘s offenses have finished best in the nation in rushing three times, and best in 3rd down conversion percentage two times. He has never finished outside of the top two in rushing or top five in 3rd down conversions.

The 2021 PFL Major Award Winners were announced on Monday as part of a three-day rollout of conference awards. The All-PFL First and Second Teams will be announced tomorrow, followed by All-Academic PFL First and Second Teams on Wednesday. 

2021 Pioneer Football League Major Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year: BJ Byrd, Morehead State
Defensive Player of the Year: Vaughn Taylor Jr., Morehead State
Special Teams Player of the Year: Mekhai Johnson, Marist
Freshman Offensive Player of the Year: Hope Adebayo, St. Thomas
Freshman Defensive Player of the Year: Luke Herzog, St. Thomas
Coach of the Year: Scott Abell, Davidson

SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can connect directly with Davidson Football on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Davidson-Football), Twitter (@DavidsonFB) and Instagram (@DavidsonFootball). Head coach Scott Abell is on Twitter and can be found at @Scott_AbellFB.