App State Hires Scott Satterfield

By Southern Pigskin Staff
SouthernPigskin.com

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Scott Satterfield has been named the 20th head coach in Appalachian State football history, director of athletics Charlie Cobb announced on Friday.

BOONE, N.C. — Scott Satterfield, who has spent 17 of the last 22 years at Appalachian State University as a student-athlete and coach, has been named the 20th head coach in Appalachian State football history, director of athletics Charlie Cobb announced on Friday.

“It is with great pride that we announce that Coach Satterfield has agreed to lead Appalachian State’s football program into a new era,” Cobb said. “Scott has been successful in every role that he has filled during his 15-year coaching career and obviously has great familiarity and love for Appalachian State. His enthusiasm, energy and ability to coach young men in both football and life is second to none. During the interview process, he impressed the search committee with his vision for Appalachian State football and his plan to implement that vision on and off the field. I am confident that with Coach Satterfield leading our football program, Appalachian will maintain its unrivaled success for years to come.”

Satterfield has enjoyed success at every stop of his 20-year playing and coaching career, most notably in his 17 seasons at Appalachian State. In his 17 seasons as a player (1991-95) and coach (1998-2008, 2012), he has helped lead the Mountaineers to three national titles, eight Southern Conference championships and played a large role in virtually re-writing the program’s offensive record book.

Most recently, Satterfield has also proven to be a coach that can make a big impact in a short time. After a three-year stint away from his alma mater, Satterfield returned to Appalachian State in January as the Mountaineers’ assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Despite inheriting a unit that managed just 390.2 yards per game in 2011 (Appalachian’s lowest production in eight seasons), lost three players that would go on to play in the NFL this season and returned only five starters, the Mountaineer offense flourished under Satterfield’s direction in 2012. Appalachian State ranked among the nation’s top 25 in total offense (ninth – 464.0 ypg), passing efficiency (ninth – 152.03 rating), passing yardage (293.8 ypg) and scoring (32.9 ppg) and, for the first time in school history, produced a 3,000-yard passer (Jamal Jackson – 3,278 yds.), 1,000-yard rusher (Steven Miller – 1,368 yds.) and 1,000-yard receiver (Sean Price – 1,196 yds.) in the same season.

Prior to his return to Appalachian, Satterfield spent one season as the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Toledo (2009) and two as the offensive coordinator at Florida International (2009-10).

In his only season at Toledo, the Rockets ranked 20th nationally in passing (278.5 yards per game) and 14th in total offense (438.3 ypg), averages that were 89 and 104 yards better than the season prior to his arrival.

In two seasons at FIU, Satterfield helped lead the Golden Panthers to the first two bowl appearances in school history, including a victory over Toledo in the 2010 Little Caesars Bowl. After going 3-9 and averaging 321 yards of offense the year prior to his arrival, FIU won 15 games and averaged 380 yards in Satterfield’s two seasons as offensive coordinator.

Prior to his three seasons in the NCAA Division I FBS ranks, Satterfield spent the first 11 seasons of his coaching career at Appalachian State, mentoring the Mountaineers’ wide receivers (1998), running backs (1999-2002) and quarterbacks (2003-08). He was an integral part of Appalachian’s transition from a power-I to a spread offense in 2004 and the five record-setting offensive campaigns that followed. With Satterfield serving as the Mountaineers’ primary play-caller, Appalachian ranked among the nation’s top 20 in the five major offensive statistical categories (scoring, rushing, passing, passing efficiency and total offense) 17 out of a possible 25 times from 2004-08, highlighted by an explosive 2007 campaign when the Mountaineers led the nation with a school-record 488.3 yards of total offense per game.

As Appalachian State’s quarterbacks coach, Satterfield has overseen the development of the most prolific signal-callers in school history. In addition to being Jackson’s mentor for only the third 3,000-yard passing season in school history, Satterfield also coached both Richie Williams (2003-05) and Armanti Edwards (2006-08) to all-America recognition and was Edwards’ mentor for the first of his back-to-back Walter Payton Awards (NCAA Division I FCS Player of the Year) in 2008. Prior to coaching the Mountaineers’ quarterbacks, Satterfield also mentored a 1,000-yard rusher (Jimmy Watkins — 2001) and the 11th-leading rusher in school history (Jerry Beard — 2000-02).

As a player at Appalachian, Satterfield made 27 starts at quarterback from 1992-95 after redshirting as a true freshman in 1991. He earned first-team all-conference recognition as a senior in 1995 after passing for 1,461 yards and rushing for 649 more to help lead the Mountaineers to the only undefeated, untied regular season in school history (11-0) and a 12-1 final record. He graduated from Appalachian State with a B.S. in physical education in 1996.

Satterfield is the sixth alumnus to serve as Appalachian State’s head football coach, joining Graydon Eggers ‘24 (1928), Francis Hoover ‘40 (1945), Press Mull ‘47 (1951), Bob Broome ‘40 (1956-58) and Carl Messere ‘61 (1965-70).

“I am thrilled to receive the opportunity to be the head coach at Appalachian State,” Satterfield said. “It’s an honor, a privilege and the culmination of a dream that I have had since I came to Appalachian as a walk-on player in 1991. My goal is to carry on the championship tradition that Appalachian has established on the field, in the classroom and in the community over nearly nine decades, especially in the last 24 years
under my mentor, Jerry Moore. I’m going to hit the ground running and can’t wait to get started. It’s great to be a Mountaineer!”

APPALACHIAN STATE HEAD COACH SCOTT SATTERFIELD AT A GLANCE

Coaching Experience

1998: Appalachian State (Wide Receivers)

1999-2002: Appalachian State (Running Backs)

2003-08: Appalachian State (Quarterbacks)

2009: Toledo (Passing Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks)

2010-11: Florida International (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)

2012: Appalachian State (Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)

2013-: Appalachian State (Head Coach)

Playing Experience

1991-95: Appalachian State (QB)

Alma Mater: Appalachian State, 1996 (B.S., physical education)

Hometown: Hillsborough, N.C.

Birthdate: Dec. 21, 1972 (39 years old)

Wife: Beth (Burleson)

Sons: Bryce and Isaac

Daughter: Alli

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT SCOTT SATTERFIELD

“One of the things that stood out from the very beginning with Scott was his leadership ability. There’s no question he was a special football player, but the respect and command he earned among his teammates and coaching staff set him apart. Scott has played an integral role in helping build Appalachian State’s championship foundation and I’m confident he will carry on that tradition. He’s paid his dues, worked his way up and I’m not sure anyone can represent the core values of the Mountaineer program better than Scott — simply, a great hire.”
— East Carolina head coach Ruffin McNeill

“Scott is a great Xs and Os technician of the game of football but an even better leader of men. He has landed his dream job and I know that he and Beth are excited for the opportunity. I don’t think that it will take long for Scott to lead Appalachian State to more championships.”
— Toledo head coach Matt Campbell

“I am proud to know that the time and energy that Scott has put into Appalachian State over the past two decades has paid off and that a member of the family will lead the next phase of Mountaineer football. Scott is an outstanding coach and leader. I wish him all the best leading the Mountaineers.”
— South Carolina co-offensive coordinator Shawn Elliott

“I am definitely excited and I know that the guys on the team will be excited that Coach Satterfield has the opportunity to lead the team. He brought a whole new vibe to the program when he came back last year. He has a great deal of passion and I really enjoy playing for him. I never knew him prior to him coming back but it didn’t take long for me to buy into what he was doing and I am confident that will be the case for the whole team going forward.”
— Appalachian State quarterback Jamal Jackson 

Courtesy of Appalachian State Sports Information