RECRUITING AREAS: New England (Mass., Maine, N.H., Vt.), New York
Scott James is in his sixth season on the Holy Cross football coaching staff in 2023, serving as the defensive coordinator.
James has helped guide Holy Cross to four straight Patriot League championships and NCAA football championship subdivision berths.
In 2022, the Holy Cross defense ranked atop the Patriot League in total defense and scoring defense. Linebacker Liam Anderson and cornerback Devin Haskins earned All-America honors, with the Crusader defense earning seven All-Patriot League nods. As a team in 2022, Holy Cross went 11-0 during the regular season for the third time in program history and first time since 1991. The 2022 Crusaders (12-1) recorded the most single-season wins in program history and advanced to the NCAA FCS quarterfinals for the first time since 1983; their lone loss on the campaign was a hard-fought playoff contest to top-seeded South Dakota State, the eventual national champions. Holy Cross finished the year with a No. 6 ranking among all FCS teams as a result of numerous marquee wins, including a Hail Mary victory against FBS foe Buffalo and an overtime win over nationally ranked Fordham; the Crusaders also earned their first win at Harvard since 2000 and defeated Harvard and Yale in the same season for the first time in program history.
In 2021, Holy Cross owned the nation's top defense, holding opponents to an FCS-best 254.5 total yards per game. Junior linebacker Jacob Dobbs was an All-American and the Patriot League's Defensive Player of the Year; of the Patriot League's 14 All-Patriot League first team selections on defense, seven played for Holy Cross.
During the Spring 2021 season, delayed from the fall of 2020 due to COVID-19, the Crusaders' defense held Patriot League opponents to 13.3 points per game during the spring en route to winning the first-ever Patriot League football championship game.
In 2019, James helped the Crusaders to their first Patriot League championship in 10 years, and just the third NCAA football championship subdivision berth in program history. Holy Cross allowed just 24.3 points and 379.0 yards per game, while placing five defensive players on the All-Patriot League teams. Previously in 2018, James led a unit that ranked third in the Patriot League in scoring defense (26.0 points/game).
Prior to joining the Crusaders, James spent five seasons as the safeties coach at the University of New Hampshire from 2013-2017. During that time, he helped the Wildcats to an overall record of 46-22 with five trips to the NCAA playoffs. New Hampshire won the Colonial Athletic Association championship in 2014, while advancing to the NCAA semifinals in 2013 and 2014. James also coached a pair of All-CAA selections in Manny Asam (2013) and Pop Lacey (2016).
Previously, James served as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at the University of New Haven from 2009-2012, with the team posting an overall record of 34-10 during that time. In 2012, he helped the Chargers to an undefeated regular season, as they beat all of their Division II opponents for the second-straight year and claimed a third-consecutive Northeast-10 Conference championship. James’ defense ranked third nationally in total defense (274.4 yards/game), fourth in scoring defense (14.0 points/game) and fourth in rushing defense (81.7 yards/game). His defense previously ranked first in the Northeast-10 in passing defense in 2011 (192.6 yards/game) and sacks in both 2010 and 2011.
Other coaching stops for James include time at Northeastern (2005-2007 / outside linebackers), Boston College (2003-2004 / defensive graduate assistant), Holy Cross (2002 / defensive line), Albany (2001 / defensive tackles) and Norwich (1999-2000 / defensive line).
James is a 1999 graduate of Norwich with a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine. He went on to earn master’s degrees from Albany in 2002 and Boston College in 2005. James and his wife, Rebekah, reside in South Berwick, Maine, with their son, Caiden, and daughter, Lincoln.
