By Ted Allen

Published: March 19, 2008

Scott Abell, who coached Amherst’s football team to back-to-back Group AA, Division 4, state championships in 2006 and 2007, announced his resignation Wednesday to take the offensive coordinator post at Washington & Lee University.

“It was a very difficult decision, a decision that my family and I prayed over for some time,” Abell said. “Amherst County has been great for us (but) this is a great opportunity for me and for my family. It was really an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

He plans to commute to Lexington for the time being.

“It was a big bonus in that I don’t have to uproot my family,” he said.

When Abell broke the news to the Lancers, he was surrounded by a flood of emotions.

“It was a very emotional moment for both myself and the players,” said Abell, who coached at Amherst for six seasons. “They were excited for me and happy for me and sad at the same time.”

“I was in there when he told the kids and it was extremely tough on him,” Amherst athletic director William Gouldthorpe added. “Amherst County is still his family. He’s like a son to us and will always be.”

Abell had told Gouldthorpe that Amherst was the last high school team he would coach. He served in the same role at Liberty for four seasons, turning an 0-10 team in 1998 into a Seminole District champion in 2001.

“If I was going to be a high school coach forever, I’d have been at Amherst until then,” Abell said.

“He was very happy, very satisfied,” Gouldthorpe added.

He said Abell’s resignation is expected to be approved by the county’s board of supervisors tonight. He will start taking applications Friday with plans to have his replacement announced in April.

He will be hard to replace.

The Lancers went 27-1 over the past two seasons, with quarterback Peter Rose and wide receiver Derrick McCoy landing scholarships to Virginia Tech this year after running back Jonathan Rose went on to JMU last year.

“It was such a special run for us, as a team and a coaching staff,” Abell said. “I told the kids they had a lot to be proud of. They’re proud of the fact that I’m moving on to coaching at the college level.”

Moving up the coaching ranks is “always in the back of every coach’s mind, even though they say it’s not,” he said, adding, “When you’re in a situation I’m in at Amherst, don’t think about it very often.”

But after turning down an offer from W&L six weeks ago, Abell changed his mind when he was offered a second time.

“The college came after him and kept coming after him,” Gouldthorpe said, noting Abell put his family first in making the decision. “Scott is a visionary. He sees into the future. He really was looking out for his family.”

He is confident Abell will be able to carry over the success he’s experienced at Amherst to the Generals.

“Scott’s an excellent coach and when you have the qualities and the traits he has, he’s going to be successful,” he said. “He is very intelligent, he works hard and he’s dedicated to what he’s doing. Whatever adaptations Scott needs to make … that system will be as efficient as the one at Amherst.”

Abell intends to install the same triple-option attack that he employed with Amherst, and is now run at Navy, in Lexington.

“The option game will be a little new to Washington & Lee football,” said Abell, who will work under Generals 12th–year coach Frank Miriello, who guided the Generals to a 7-4 overall record, their first ODAC title in 21 years and first-ever NCAA Tournament berth in 2006. “(We) have the vision to implement a good part of what we’ve been successful with at Amherst and combine that with throwing the football. He thinks it’s a good fit for their program and good fit for me as well.”