Twitter: @CoachFuchs
Scott Fuchs will begin his 25th season as a college coach in 2018 and his fifth season coaching the offensive line at Wyoming.
Fuchs helped coach a Wyoming offense in 2017 that was extremely efficient in the red zone, scoring on 33 of 34 red-zone opportunities to rank No. 2 in the nation. The offense also did an excellent job of protecting the ball, committing only 14 turnovers to rank No. 19 in the country. UW’s offense combined with its defense (38 turnovers forced) to rank No. 1 in the nation in turnover margn, with a +24 turnover margin.
In 2016, Fuchs coached USA Today Second Team All-America center Chase Roullier. Roullier went on to be invited to the 2017 NFL Draft Combine, and was selected in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He earned a starting role at center for Washington as a rookie in 2017. Roullier also earned First Team All-Mountain West honors, and was named to the Outland Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award Watch Lists.
Fuchs brings a great deal of knowledge coaching offensive linemen with him to Wyoming as 23 of his previous 24 years of coaching experience have been as an offensive line coach. In 12 of his previous 24 seasons as a college coach, Fuchs has helped coach his teams to postseason play.
Fuchs offensive line played a key role in blocking for Cowboy running back Brian Hill, who set the Wyoming career and single-season rushing records during his three-year career at Wyoming that ended in 2016. Hill concluded his career with 4,287 rushing yards, and in 2016 he set the Wyoming single-season rushing record of 1,860 yards. He ranked No. 3 in the nation in rushing yards in 2016 (1,860), ranked No. 4 in the NCAA in rushing touchdowns (22) and was 23rd in the nation in all-purpose yards (139.57 yards per game). Hill averaged 9.4 points per game to rank No. 12 in the nation, and he scored a total of 132 points to rank No. 7 nationally. Hill was one of only 10 national semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, honoring the nation’s premier running back each season, and was selected in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
Fuchs helped coach the 2016 Cowboy offense that averaged 35.9 points per game to rank No. 2 in the Mountain West and No. 25 in the nation. The passing game, averaged 15.3 yards per completion to rank No. 8 in the NCAA, and in red-zone offense the Pokes converted 90.6 percent of their red-zone opportunities into scores to rank 14th in the country. Wyoming’s offense ranked No. 1 in the MW and No. 22 in the NCAA in first downs (312), was No. 32 in the nation in time of possession (31:34), ranked No. 33 in the country in passing efficiency (143.82 rating) and No. 36 in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 205.4 yards per game.
The 2015 season saw Fuchs coach junior offensive lineman Roullier, who earned Second Team All-Mountain West Conference honors. The Wyoming offensive line blocked for running back Hill, who ranked No. 8 in the nation in average rushing yards per game (135.9) and No. 9 in total rushing yards (1,631). Hill was named one of 11 semifinalists for the 2015 Walker Award.
In 2014, Fuchs coached senior offensive tackle Connor Rains, who signed as a free agent with the Denver Broncos following his senior season. Fuchs also coached 2014 Honorable Mention All-Conference offensive guard Roullier.
An outstanding offensive lineman himself, Fuchs was named to the 1993 Kodak/American Football Coaches Association First Team All-America squad as a senior offensive guard at North Dakota State. NDSU won three consecutive North Central Conference rushing titles during his three years as a starter. He was part of three North Central Conference Championship teams at NDSU in 1990, ‘91 and ‘92. The 1990 Bison captured the NCAA Division II National Championship.
Fuchs coached the offensive line at North Dakota State, his alma mater, the previous five seasons (2009-13) before coming to Wyoming.
From 2011 through 2013, Fuchs helped NDSU to a 43-2 (.956) overall record and a 22-2 (.917) Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) mark on way to its three consecutive FCS national titles. The 2013 NDSU squad became the first undefeated (15-0) FCS National Champion since Marshall went 15-0 to win the 1996 title. That 15-0 record by the Bison also set a North Dakota State school record. NDSU extended its winning streak to 24 consecutive games with the 2013 FCS Championship. That tied both the FCS and NDSU records for consecutive victories. The University of Pennsylvania set the FCS record of 24 consecutive wins from 1992-95. Montana later tied the record from 2001-02. The NDSU record was originally set from 1964-66.
In 2012 and 2013, Fuchs coached Consensus First Team All-America offensive tackle Billy Turner. Turner was selected in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. In 2011, Fuchs coached Consensus All-America offensive tackle Paul Cornick, and center Joe Lund, who was selected as the FCS Rimington Award winner, which is presented to the top center in the nation each season. All total, Fuchs has coached nine All-Americans and 32 All-Conference performers during his career.
Fuchs has been on coaching staffs that have won nine conference titles during his college coaching career.
In 2013, the North Dakota State offense ranked No. 10 in the nation in scoring offense (38.7 points per game), No. 7 in rushing offense (257.3 yards per game), No. 14 in total offense (457.5 yards per game), No. 1 in third-down efficiency (55.4%), No. 3 in passing efficiency (164.9) and No. 6 in red-zone offense (89.2%). The 2013 NDSU offense also was one of only 12 FCS teams to average 200+ yards rushing and 200+ yards passing per game. The 2012 Bison offense ranked No. 7 in the nation in third-down efficiency (50.7%) and No. 16 in red-zone offense (89.2%).
Fuchs offensive lines helped pave the way for North Dakota State to have a 1,000-yard rusher for 11 consecutive seasons. In 2011, ‘12 and ‘13, the NDSU offense featured a pair of 1,000-yard rushers each season. The 2011 season was the first time in NDSU school history that the Bison offense featured two 1,000-yard rushers and a 1,000-yard receiver in the same season. Sam Ojuri rushed for 1,105 yards, and DJ McNorton tallied 1,020, while receiver Warren Holloway had 1,003 receiving yards. In 2012, Ojuri (1,047 yards) and John Crockett (1,038) each rushed for 1,000 yards. The 2013 season saw Ojuri (1,398) and Crockett (1,277) duplicate their 1,000-yard seasons of the previous year, while the 2013 offense also featured 1,000-yard receiver Zach Vraa (1,191 receiving yards).
Prior to returning to his alma mater, Fuchs coached one season at Southern Illinois in 2008. That team tied for the conference title and advanced to the First Round of the FCS Playoffs. He also coached at Grand Valley State (2007), Nebraska-Omaha (2003-06), Minnesota-Crookston (2000-02), Wisconsin-Eau Claire (1999) and Valley City State (1997-98). The only school he did not coach the offensive line was his one season at Wisconsin-Eau Claire when he coached the defensive line.
Fuchs’ first position as a college coach was as a graduate assistant at NDSU working with the tight ends from 1994-96.
Fuchs earned his bachelor of science degree from North Dakota State in physical education and social science education in 1995 and his master of education degree with a specialization in physical education and athletic administration in 1997.
Scott and his wife, Emily, have three boys, Hank, Jack and Gus.