The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Colgate loses Scott, record-setting RB
The Colgate community mourns the loss of their former standout running back after the news broke that Jordan Scott lost his life Friday while he overseas in Thailand on vacation with friends.
HAMILTON, N.Y. » The Colgate community is in mourning following the sudden death of a former standout running back overseas.
Jordan Scott 09’, the alltime leading rusher in Colgate and second-all time in Patriot League history, was confirmed dead by officials on Tuesday after he was reported missing on Friday during vacation in Thailand.
According to Friday’s edition of the Bangkok Post, the 31-year-old failed to surface after jumping into the water at the Ratchaprapa Dam, near Surat Thani in the Ban Ta Khun district. That area is located about an hour’s flight south of Bangkok.
Scott hailed from Washington, D.C., and he was visiting the area with five friends. It was Scott’s second jump into the water, which is estimated at 150 feet deep at that point next to the dam. The structure spans 2,500 feet and was built in 1987.
Tuesday’s edition of the Bangkok Post stated that the owner of the Ploenprai resort had reportedly taken out accident insurance of more than $31,000 per customer, and that money would go to Scott’s family.
A GoFundMe account also has raised more than $35,000 – twice the original goal – to help the Scott family with the search and expenses. According to the family, excess funds will go toward a Jordan Scott tribute to be determined.
Scott in his career amassed 5,621 rushing yards on 1,240 attempts, averaging 4.5 yards per carry over four seasons and scoring 57 rushing touchdowns. Just this past season, Fordham’s Chase Edmonds surpassed Scott in the Patriot League records book in both yards and touchdowns.
Scott remains the Division I and conference leader in attempts. He stands second in the Patriot League in both yards and touchdowns 10 years after his last game.
“Jordan was one of the best players we’ve ever had here but also one of the better people,” Colgate head coach Dan Hunt said. “He made everybody around him better and made everybody feel welcome.”
Hunt was Colgate’s offensive coordinator during Scott’s playing days, and the Raiders won the 2008 Patriot League title to cap Scott’s career. Scott returned from an injury to rush for 82 yards and a score in the clinching 28-27 win over Holy Cross, and then scored three TDs in Colgate’s NCAA playoff game at Villanova.
“The greatest thing about him was of all the running backs we had, you could give him the ball on a Saturday for 33 or 34 carries and then Monday he was ready to practice like nothing ever happened,” Hunt said. “That will forever be the standard by which we judge running backs moving forward.
“He’ll be missed, and you will see in the next days and weeks to come the strength that is Colgate Football. We will rally behind him and his family. To have a career like that and to leave marks like he did kind of gives you a little bit of immortality. He will be remembered forever.”