PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football head coach
Greg Schiano has named
Scott Vallone tight ends coach. A former standout defensive lineman for the Scarlet Knights, the Central Islip, New York, native has been on the offensive staff since returning to RU in 2020.
"I'm really excited about Scott taking over as tight ends coach," Schiano said. "He has worked hard for this opportunity and is a great representative of Rutgers. He understands our culture and cares deeply about the success of the players on and off the field."
Vallone served as a quality control coach the last three seasons after spending 2020 as an offensive graduate assistant for the Scarlet Knights. Focusing on the offensive line, Rutgers saw two from the unit earn honorable mention All-Big Ten in 2020.
Then in 2023, RU capped the season with a 31-24 victory over Miami in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl to secure the program's first winning season since 2014. The Scarlet Knights finished as the most improved team in the Big Ten by total offense (+24.1), led the league and ranked No. 11 nationally with just 1.08 sacks allowed per game and placed fifth in the conference with 168.7 rushing yards per game, posting 2,193 rushing yards for the team's best total since 2007. Three offensive linemen were honored in the All-Big Ten voting, the most for the program at the position group in a year since joining the Big Ten. That included OL
Hollin Pierce being rated as the No. 6 tackle in the conference by
Pro Football Focus, with OL
Bryan Felter (guard) and OL
Gus Zilinskas (center) also claiming recognition.
As a player, Vallone was part of three RU teams that claimed bowl championships in five seasons (2008-12) with the program. A four-year starter for the Scarlet Knights at defensive tackle, he was a First Team All-Big East selection and the school's Best Rush Lineman Award winner as a senior after posting a team-high 12.5 tackles-for-loss. He finished his career with 195 tackles and made 51 consecutive starts. A
Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America selection in 2009, he scored a touchdown against North Carolina Central after recovering a fumble in the end zone in the first game of the 2011 season.
Vallone finished his collegiate career holding the program record for games played (53). Following graduation, Vallone had professional stints with three NFL teams, including the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions and New England Patriots. He also spent time in the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes.
Before coming back to RU in 2020, Vallone served as defensive line coach at Fordham for two seasons (2018-19). That included serving as associate head coach in 2019. In his first year with the Rams, Vallone guided a line that helped the defense lead the Patriot League and rank 20th in the NCAA FCS in tackles-for-loss (7.5/game). The team then placed 36th nationally with 2.42 sacks per game in 2019.
Vallone joined the Fordham staff after spending two years at St. Lawrence University as the team's defensive coordinator (2016-17). He also coached the linebackers in 2017 and the defensive line in 2016. In 2017, Vallone saw linebacker Skyler Williamson earn Liberty Conference Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Region honors along with three other players who earned All-Liberty Conference accolades. The St. Lawrence defense led the Liberty Conference in fourth down conversions (seventh in the NCAA), tackles-for-loss (12th in the NCAA), first downs defense (41st in the NCAA), third down conversions and sacks.
In 2016, the Saints' defense finished as one of the most dominant seasons in program history. St. Lawrence was the top-ranked team in the Liberty League in 13 defensive categories and ranked in the top 10 in the nation in five categories, including scoring defense (second, 11.0 points allowed per game), defensive touchdowns (third, six in 10 games), first downs defense (seventh overall and third among teams that played more than eight games, 129 allowed), red zone defense (seventh, .500) and tackles-for-loss (ninth, 9.1 per game). Among the Saints' defensive leaders was Chyron Brown-Wallace, the most decorated St. Lawrence football player in nearly 35 years. He earned the highest vote total among NCAA Division III athletes for the Cliff Harris Award, which recognizes the best small college defensive player in the nation. A two-time American Football Coaches Association First Team All-American, Brown-Wallace was the 2016 Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year and earned
D3football.com All-American honors.
Vallone started his coaching career as St. Lawrence's defensive line coach in 2014 before spending 2015 as Rutgers' assistant defensive line coach.
Vallone graduated from Rutgers in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in economics. He attended St. Anthony's High School on Long Island and earned
New York Daily News Player of the Year as a senior. The Friars went 31-2 with a CHSFL AAA Championship each season during Vallone's scholastic playing days.
Hometown: Central Islip, N.Y.
Alma Mater: Rutgers, 2012
Wife: Laura
Children: Daughter, Madison
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2024-present: Rutgers (tight ends)
2021-23: Rutgers (quality control)
2020: Rutgers (graduate assistant offense)
2019: Fordham (associate head coach/defensive line)
2018: Fordham (defensive line)
2017: St. Lawrence (defensive coordinator/linebackers)
2016: St. Lawrence (defensive coordinator/defensive line)
2015: Rutgers (defensive line assistant)
2014: St. Lawrence (defensive line)
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