Scott Lewis

Scott Lewis, one of the most accomplished defensive players in program history, returned to Saint Francis in January 2021 as the Red Flash defensive coordinator.

Lewis spent the last four seasons at Nebraska-Kearney as the Lopers’ defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach. With the defense under his direction, Lewis helped the Lopers improve from 37 points per game allowed the year before his arrival to an average of 24 per contest in his final two full seasons. Nebraska-Kearney was undefeated in an abbreviated fall 2020 campaign after Lewis helped increase the program’s win total in each of his three full seasons on the staff.

Prior to his time in Kearney, Lewis helped improve the Eastern New Mexico defense in his second stint in Portales. Lewis’ defensive unit in his two seasons as defensive coordinator recorded 47 turnovers and 56 sacks and ranked 15th nationally against the rush. In his final season at ENMU, the ‘Hounds posted their best scoring defense in a decade.

Lewis returns to an alma mater at which he etched his name throughout the program and national record books. His 524 career tackles rank fifth in FCS history, while his 12.2 tackles per game place him third all-time. Lewis ranked in the top 12 nationally in tackles in each of his four seasons in Loretto and was a four-time All-NEC pick, 2007 NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year, and a two-time All-America selection.

The native of South Fork and Bishop McCort grad will begin his second stint on Villarrial’s staff in 2021. Lewis served as the Red Flash’s special teams coordinator and linebackers coach for the 2014 season before accepting the defensive coordinator positions at Eastern New Mexico and Nebraska-Kearney.