Rice hires Davidson’s Abell as new head coach

Rice hired Davidson football coach Scott Abell as its next coach, the university announced Tuesday.

Abell is 47-28 since arriving at Davidson in 2018 and has seven consecutive winning seasons there. He has shown an ability to win big at academic schools that have not won traditionally, which sources said made him an attractive candidate to the Rice brass.

Abell went 39-24 at Washington & Lee before arriving at Davidson, showing an affinity for turnarounds and handling recruiting at schools with high academic standards.

Abell reached three consecutive FCS playoffs before the 2023 season. During his career, he has shown an ability to put together formidable offenses.

“After spending time with Scott throughout this process, it was clear that we had found the right leader for our program,” Rice vice president and athletic director Tommy McClelland said in a statement. “He has had an immediate impact on every program he has coached and is passionate about developing winners on and off the field. He is the right person to lead Rice football into a new era of success. I am thrilled to welcome Scott and his family to Rice.”

In 2023, Davidson led the FCS in scoring offense and was among the nation’s leaders in many categories. He also enjoyed success as a high school coach in Virginia, with multiple state championships.

“He’s a proven winner everywhere he’s been, high school and college,” per a source familiar with the hire. “He brings a high-octane and unique offense. He knows what it takes to be successful at high academic institutions and is a leader of men.”

He also has a strong history recruiting players from Texas to Davidson, which was important for Rice.

Abell replaces Mike Bloomgren, who was fired this season after going 24-52.