Football
- Title:
- Cornerbacks
- Phone:
- 205-348-3600
Karl Scott is in his third year as Alabama’s cornerbacks coach.
Scott tutored a pair of future NFL corners in 2019 with senior Trevon Diggs on one side and sophomore Patrick Surtain II on the other while senior Shyheim Carter manned the star position. Diggs picked off three passes and recorded 37 tackles and eight pass breakups. Surtain II made 42 stops with two interceptions, three forced fumbles and eight deflections, while Carter added 43 tackles and seven pass breakups. Under Scott’s direction, Alabama ranked fourth nationally and first in the SEC in pass efficiency defense (109.75), finishing with 17 interceptions and 50 pass breakups.
In 2018, he was charged with replacing five starters in the defensive secondary from the Tide’s 2017 national championship team with Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ronnie Harrison, Anthony Averett, Levi Wallace and Tony Brown all off to the NFL. The completely overhauled secondary turned in a quality season, ranking 26th nationally in pass efficiency defense (115.79) and 33rd in pass yards allowed (198.3). Led by consensus All-America safety Deionte Thompson, the Tide allowed just 22 passing touchdowns while intercepting 15 passes. Thompson was second on the team in tackles with 79 while picking off two passes and breaking up six more. Xavier McKinney also excelled at safety with 73 stops, six tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions. At cornerback, true freshman Surtain II earned freshman All-America honors with 37 tackles and an interception while Carter played the nickel and added 44 tackles, two interceptions and 3.5 tackles for loss.
Scott spent the previous two seasons as the secondary coach at Texas Tech before being named the defensive coordinator at Louisiana-Lafayette in late December of 2017. His secondary at Texas Tech in 2017 posted an impressive turnaround, helping produce 29 turnovers, including 14 interceptions. He mentored two All-Big 12 selections in Jah’Shawn Johnson and Justus Parker.
Prior to his time at Texas Tech, Scott spent one season as the safeties coach at Louisiana Tech under head coach Skip Holtz. He helped the Bulldogs to a 9-4 record in 2015 and a second-place finish in the Western Division of Conference USA. Louisiana Tech defeated Arkansas State in the New Orleans Bowl as the Bulldogs finished eighth nationally in defensive touchdowns after forcing 22 turnovers, including 13 interceptions.
Scott worked at Southeastern Louisiana for three years, serving as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 2014 and linebackers coach in 2012-13. During his tenure with the Lions, he helped lead the program to back-to-back Southland Conference championships (2013-14) and two NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoff appearances.
His 2014 defense at Southeastern led the Southland Conference in total defense while ranking seventh in the FCS. The Lions also led the nation in pass efficiency defense (94.3) and ranked fifth in red zone defense, eighth in scoring defense (17.7 ppg) and 11th in turnovers gained (28).
Isiah Corbett and Harlan Miller were two mainstays on Scott’s defense at Southeastern Louisiana, both earning All-America honors in 2014, while seven other defenders – Denzel Thompson, Jacob Newman, Tyler Stoddard, A.J. Bowen, Drew Misita, Jordan Batiste and Micah Eugene – joined the pair on the All-Southland Conference teams.
Scott’s linebacker unit was a key factor in Southeastern’s 2013 Southland Conference championship campaign. His corps benefitted from the emergence of Cqulin Hubert, who was named Southland Defensive Player of the Year after recording a team-leading 90 tackles, including 11.0 that went for a loss.
Before his time at Southeastern Louisiana, Scott served as recruiting coordinator, defensive backs coach and linebackers coach for four years at Tusculum College from 2008-11.
He made an immediate impact at Tusculum, as he mentored two all-conference selections in Justin Scott and Jarvis Littlejohn. Scott collected all-region honors following the 2008 season, establishing new school records for single-season (22) and career (51) tackles for loss while finishing the season with 113 tackles and 277 for his career.
Scott’s coaching career began at Delta State as a graduate assistant in 2007. He coached with Pete Golding, who joined the Tide’s staff in December of 2017, at Southeastern in 2012-13 and at Tusculum from 2008-09.
A native of Houston, Texas, Scott played at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, where he earned his degree in exercise and sports studies in 2007. Scott and his wife Taron have a daughter, Kina Bailey.
