Scott’s record outing lifts Cards
After Incarnate Word’s Kole Wilson hauled in a 32-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline, quarterback Lindsey Scott Jr. dropped to his knees and bowed his head for a few seconds before sprinting to join his teammates in celebration.
Playing his seventh year of college football at his fifth school, Scott knew the scoring throw likely extended his career, giving No. 7 seed UIW a lead with less than two minutes remaining to stave off upset-minded Furman in the second round of the FCS playoffs.
What he didn’t realize was that the score also earned him a place in FCS history, marking his 62nd total touchdown to break a 38-year-old record.
Building on one of the greatest seasons in FCS history, Scott threw five touchdown passes to help UIW hold off Furman’s rally for a 41-38 win to advance to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs for the first time in program history.
“Any time you’ve been on this long ride and your college career is at jeopardy, and you go out and throw a touchdown pass to secure you one more week, it’s pretty emotional,” Scott said. “I just had to drop down and thank God for a second.”
Through the first half, UIW racked up 438 yards and 28 points against a Paladins’ defense that entered ranked sixth in the FCS by allowing just 18.5 points per game. But the Cardinals went cold after halftime, scoring only six points across their next seven drives.
After Furman turned a 14point deficit into a 38-34 fourthquarter lead, UIW took possession at the Paladins’ 43-yard line with less than three minutes to play and scored in just 38 seconds on the connection from Scott to Wilson.
Furman drove to UIW’S 32yard line in search of a game-tying field goal before Elliott Davison snared an interception to secure the Cardinals’ win. UIW will face No. 2 seed Sacramento State in the quarterfinals at 9:30 p.m. Friday at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, Calif.
“It’s definitely emotional,” said senior Darion Chafin, who finished with 166 receiving yards and three touchdowns. “There are a lot of seniors, and we just want to go as far as we can. It’s been a long ride.”
Continuing his pursuit of multiple FCS single-season records in his first year with the Cardinals, Scott completed 33 of 49 passes for 394 yards with five scores and two interceptions.
After embracing a role as a pocket passer and shelving many of the skills that helped him lead the Southland Conference in rushing with 990 yards last season at Nicholls, Scott picked up a season-high 124 yards 23 carries Saturday.
For the season, he has 55 passing touchdowns and seven rushing scores, breaking the record of 61 touchdowns responsible for set by Willie Totten of Mississippi Valley State in 1984.
Scott said he wasn’t aware of the achievement until reserve quarterback Luke Gombert told him in the locker room after the game.
He also stands within reach of a few more marks, trailing the passing touchdowns record of 57 by just two. Saturday’s performance dropped his passing efficiency from 218.12 to 210.62 — still clear of the FCS record of 204.6. His yards per attempt also dipped from 11.56 to 11.10, maintaining a cushion over the previous mark of 10.31.
“I’ve said it all year, the accolades, that’s something I’m going to appreciate after the season is over. Right now, it’s about this team,” Scott said. “When the season is over, we’ll look back and say how remarkable that was. But for right now, I’m just proud of this group.”
The Cardinals were also grappling with Friday’s announcement that coach G.J. Kinne will be leaving after the season to become the head coach at Texas State.
Scott said the senior leaders had to be the “foundation” of the team, alleviating the sense of doubt within the Cardinals’ younger players. Sitting with three freshmen over dinner this week, Scott reassured them they’ll find a coach or situation that feels like home, one way or the other.
“I think the biggest thing was just easing everybody’s hearts and minds to back down to the level we’ve been playing all year, so we could go out and execute like we did today,” Scott said.
“Nothing is different in that locker room” following news of Kinne’s departure, Scott said, and Kinne said the Cardinals had a team meeting Friday to “clear the air.”
The result was an energy level that was “unmatched,” Kinne said, from the time rumors began to swirl on Monday through taking the field Saturday.
“This whole week has been unbelievable,” Kinne said. “Probably our best week of practice all year, and they were able to silence the noise, and go out there, and obviously play a really good game.”
Kinne’s introductory news conference in San Marcos is set for Wednesday, and he said he’ll have to “figure it out” and “be a little bit back and forth,” juggling the demands of his roles at both Texas State and UIW.
Reports tying Kinne to the open job at Tulsa, his alma mater, were also rampant this week, but he said the Texas State job was “the one I wanted,” allowing him to stay in his home state.
While the Cardinals’ playoff run could extend as far as the FCS championship game on Jan. 8, Kinne is tasked with building a staff and recruiting for the Bobcats, with the transfer portal opening Monday and signing day looming Dec. 21.
“I’m a big believer in finishing what you start, and I couldn’t leave these guys, that’s for sure,” Kinne said. “There are a lot of big commitments ahead of me in my next stop, and I’m going to be able to handle that. But it’s about these guys, and this team, and going out there and finishing this thing the right way.”