Scott Satterfield - Football Coach - University of Louisville Athletic

Scott Satterfield

Title:
Head Coach
Phone:
852-7775

Scott Satterfield has changed the culture and his imprint is all over the accomplishments of the University of Louisville football program since taking over as head coach prior to the 2019 season.

The native of Durham, N.C., initiated his rebuilding plan and laid the groundwork by petitioning his team to give the two things his players could control “Attitude and Effort.”

It didn’t take long for the team to warm up to Satterfield’s disposition and leadership, guiding the Cardinals to the top turnaround in 2019 and its first bowl win since 2015 thanks to Satterfield’s leadership.

The 2019 campaign saw many milestones with Satterfield leading the way.

On the field, the Cardinals snapped a nine-game league losing streak with a win over Boston College and won on the road versus a ranked opponent for the first time since 2011 with a 62-59 win over Boston College.

The Cardinals were one most explosive teams in the country in 2020, averaging 445.9 yards per game of total offense and 206.9 yards on the ground. Louisville led the country in 2020 with nine plays of over 60 yards, six of over 70 and one 90 or more yards. They also recorded four rushes of 70 or more yards, the most in the country.

Known as one of the nation’s top offensive minds, Satterfield’s presence saw the Cardinals go from being one of the worst offensive teams in the nation to ranking 24th in both total offense and rushing offense in his first season.

Individually, a pair of Cardinals posted the best statistical seasons in school history. Running back Javian Hawkins and wide receiver Tutu Atwell became only the third players to record 1,000-yard rushing and receiving seasons in the same year. Hawkins broke the school record for rushing yards by a running back and a freshman in school history with 1,525 yards, which included eight 100-yard rushing games.

Atwell set the school record for receiving yards in a year with 1,276 yards and equaled the school mark with 12 touchdown receptions. The 5-foot-9 speedster led the ACC in receiving yards and was second in touchdown receptions as a sophomore. He totaled seven 100-yard receiving games and averaged a solid 18.2 yards a reception.

In 2021, with Satterfield calling the plays, the Cardinals averaged 31.6 points per game, 212.9 yards on the ground and 448.4 yards of total offense.

Last season also saw Malik Cunningham put up Lamar Jackson type numbers totaling almost 4,000 yards of total offense and 39 touchdowns — 20 coming on the ground. Cunningham became only the second quarterback in school history to rush for 1,000 yards, finishing with 1,031 yards.
The Cardinals averaged over 200 yards on the ground and over 200 yards through the air, becoming the only school in the country to reach that status over a three-year span.

In his first three seasons, Satterfield’s teams have reached a pair of bowl games and instituted an explosive offensive attack and physical rushing game.

Under Satterfield’s guidance, the Cardinals have averaged more than 200 yards on the ground and over 30 points per game, including 33.1 points per game during his first season.

His teams have averaged better than 440 yards per game, including 448.4 yards per game in 2021 and ranking in the top 30 in total offense in each of the first three seasons. The Cards also ranked 18th nationally in rushing offense in 2021 and 24th in 2019.

Taking over a program that won two games during the previous season, the Cardinals six-game improvement was tops in the nation amongst Power 5 programs.

Before accepting the Louisville job, Satterfield built Appalachian State into a powerhouse.

He guided his teams to three consecutive Sun Belt Conference championships and a remarkable 51-24 record with the Mountaineers, including a 38-10 conference mark in six seasons. His conference record of 34-6 in five Sun Belt seasons is the best in the league over that span.

Notably, he became the first coach to lead a school from the FCS level to FBS and immediately earn three-consecutive bowl wins.
In a short period of time, Satterfield directed Appalachian State to three-straight conference titles and led the program to four straight bowl appearances.

Hosting the first Sun Belt Conference Championship Game in league history, Appalachian State won 30-19 against Louisiana to claim its third straight league title and earn an automatic bid to face Middle Tennessee of Conference USA in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

In 23 seasons at Appalachian State, including five as a quarterback (1991-95) and 12 as an assistant coach (1998-2008, 2012), the Mountaineers secured three NCAA Division I FCS national titles and 11 conference championships.

In his final season at Appalachian State, the Mountaineers were 10-2 and captured the East Division title behind a 7-1 league record. The team has compiled five straight wins heading into its bowl appearance, outscoring opponents 157-60.

Defensively, the Mountaineers were sixth nationally in total defense, yielding only 279.3 yards per game and sixth allowing 15.7 points per contest. On offense, Satterfield’s team averaged 36.7 points per game, which was 20th in the country, and 15th in rushing offense behind 241.0 yards per game on the ground.

In 2017, Appalachian State registered a 9-4 mark that included a 7-1 record within the league and a 34-0 win over Toledo in the Dollar General Bowl. The Mountaineers ranked among the top 20 teams nationally in fewest sacks allowed (No. 2 with eight), first downs allowed (No. 20 with 222), fewest passes picked off by opposing defenses (No. 8 with six), defensive interceptions (No. 12 with 18), sacks per game (No. 17 with 2.92), and turnover margin (No. 11 with 0.92).

In 2016, the Mountaineers completed a 10-win season, winning nine of their last 10 contests to finish at 10-3 overall – capped by a 31-28 win over Toledo in the Camellia Bowl. The Mountaineers’ two losses came at the hands of ranked opponents, opening the season with a 20-13 overtime loss to No. 9 Tennessee and a defeat to No. 25 Miami two weeks later.

They put together one of the most statistically complete seasons in league history, allowing less than 12 points per game in Sun Belt action. Overall, the Mountaineers led the conference in scoring defense (17.0 points per game), total defense (326.0 yards per game), rushing offense (245.6 yards per game), turnover margin (+8), and time of possession (33:25). In conference games, Appalachian State led the league in total offense (452.5 yards per game).

The 2015 season, saw Satterfield’s team post an 11-2 record. It was the highest win total by an FBS program in its first season of bowl eligibility after completing the transition. The Mountaineers ranked among the Sun Belt’s top two in 19 of the league’s 33 statistical categories.

Known as an innovative offensive mind, Satterfield’s team that season scored over 28 points in 11 games. To add to that success, the Mountaineers finished 11th in the nation in total defense, yielding only 314.5 yards pers game, and 14th in the country in scoring defense at 19.1 points per game. Appalachian State held seven opponents to 14 points or less, including a pair of shutouts.

In 2014, Satterfield’s squad captured a 7-5 mark, winning its final six games to close out its first season as an FBS member.
The Hillsborough, N.C., native spent the first 11 seasons of his professional career in Boone, coaching the Mountaineers’ wide receivers (1998), running backs (1999-02) and quarterbacks (2003-08), and was an integral part of Appalachian State’s transition from a Power-I to a Spread offense in 2004.

With Satterfield serving as the Mountaineers’ primary play-caller, Appalachian State ranked among the nation’s top 20 in five major offensive statistical categories (scoring, rushing, passing, passing efficiency and total offense) from 2004-08. In 2007, the season in which Appalachian State took down Michigan, the Mountaineers led the nation with a school-record 488.3 yards of total offense per game.

As Appalachian State’s quarterbacks coach, Satterfield coached both Richie Williams (2003-05) and Armanti Edwards (2006-08) to All-America recognition. He was Edwards’ mentor for the first of his back-to-back Walter Payton Awards (FCS Player of the Year) in 2008.

Prior to his return to Appalachian State as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator in 2012, Satterfield spent one season as the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Toledo (2009) and two as the offensive coordinator at Florida International (2010-11).

Satterfield is married to the former Beth Burleson, a star on the Appalachian State track team in the mid-90’s. They have a daughter, Alli, and two sons, Bryce and Isaac.