Twitter: @CoachSWach
Entering his eighth season as VMI’s head football coach, Scott Wachenheim has taken VMI Football back to championship level play and guided the program toward football prominence on the FCS level.
The 2021 fall season brought more accolades on the gridiron as Wachenheim guided VMI Football to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1961-62. The Keydets contended for the SoCon crown through week 10 and also posted five wins for the third straight season for the first time in almost 60 years and produced its first four-victory home season since 2008. The Keydets won three consecutive October games for the first time since 2002 and attained a national ranking during part of the 2021 fall season marking the second straight year VMI had cracked the FCS polls. Twelve cadet-athletes earned spots on the 2021 Southern Conference postseason squads.
In the spring football season of 2021, Wachenheim led the Keydets to a 6-2 season mark and the Southern Conference football championship after going 6-1 in league play – securing the Institute’s first title since 1977 and first outright league championship since 1974. VMI also attained its first FCS national ranking and completed the year ranked 12th in the polls while also earning its first ever FCS playoff appearance. The season was VMI’s first winning campaign since 1981. The Keydets also successfully defending the Silver Shako award for the first time since 1995-96.
The spring 2021 football season was highlighted by an undefeated 3-0 road record in the regular season – the program’s first since 1922.
For his leadership in a historic year, Wachenheim was named FCS national coach of the year by Stats Perform which presented him the prestigious Eddie Robinson Award. He also was named FCS National coach of the year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). Wachenheim was also a consensus Southern Conference Coach of the Year by both the media and coaches and was tabbed top Division I coach in the Commonwealth of Virginia by both the Virginia Sports Information Directors and Touchdown Club of Richmond.
The historic 2021 spring season was a story in the making as Wachenheim laid the foundation for success by implementing the “Air Raid” offense and an aggressive defensive system.
In 2019, Wachenheim guided the football team to five wins overall – then the most since 2003 when VMI posted a 6-6 mark. The Keydets closed out the regular season with a 31-24 win over Chattanooga to finish with a 4-4 mark in SoCon play which then marked the first time since 1979 that the VMI had secured four conference wins in a season. The Keydets also reclaimed the Silver Shako trophy for the first time in 13 meetings after an October win over The Citadel in the Military Classic of the South. The 2019 squad established a new VMI school single season mark with for total offense (4,887) and passing yards (3,429) and the 370 points scored was the second highest in Institute history.
Wachenheim was voted 2019 Southern Conference Coach of the Year by the league coaches and became the first VMI coach to achieve the honor since Cal McCombs in 2002. He was also named one of 15 finalists to the STATS FCS 33rd annual Eddie Robinson Award which honors the FCS Coach of the Year.
Wachenheim received a three-year contract extension following the 2019 campaign and was also awarded the Distinguished Coaching Award bestowed annually among Institute coaches. In 2021, that contract was extended through the 2025 season.
Since his debut season in 2015, Wachenheim has transformed expectations and attitudes within the VMI football program and has shown that sustainable success can be attained with enthusiasm, hard work, resilience, and dedication. The program’s motto “Grit, Purpose, Brotherhood” defines its character.
Off the field, Wachenheim’s cadet-athletes have excelled thanks to better execution of their daily activities and the results have fostered an improved team GPA, better retention rates, and a full commitment to “winning the VMI way.”
Recent VMI Football accolades under Wachenheim include the most improved APR score among SoCon football programs in 2018, defensive back A.J. Smith named Google Cloud/CoSIDA Academic All-America second team, and defensive back Greg Sanders '17 awarded the 2017 Defender of the Nation honor by the Charlotte Touchdown Club.
A 1984 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and veteran coach with nearly 30 years of experience in the college ranks, Wachenheim came to VMI from the University of Virginia where he had served for five seasons, including being the Cavaliers offensive line coach since 2011.
Prior to his tenure in Charlottesville, Wachenheim was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Liberty University for three seasons (2006-08).
On naming Wachenheim to the post on Dec. 14, 2014, former VMI athletics director Dr. Dave Diles stated, “VMI football is a historically important program, and the search began focused on getting three things right. First, we needed a coach with great leadership attributes and skills. Second, given the uniqueness of the Institute, and the learning curve of working within our system, we needed someone with high intelligence and the vision to utilize our systems as assets; and, finally, finding someone who understands and respects the varied experiences of cadet athletes was paramount. In Scott Wachenheim, we have found all of these things.”
While at Virginia, Wachenheim helped the Cavalier offense in 2011 amass the most rushing yards (2,107) in seven seasons and his offensive unit finished the year ranked no. 24 in the nation in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.23) as UVa advanced to the Chick fil-A Bowl. In 2012, the Cavalier offense passed for over 3,000 yards for the third consecutive season - the first time that had ever been accomplished in school history. Four starters from his 2011 offensive line unit at UVA were on 2014 Opening Day NFL rosters. In 2013, the offensive line paved the way for UVa’s Kevin Parks, the school’s first 1,000 yard rusher since 2004.
At Liberty, Wachenheim helped the Flames attain a 10-2 record in 2008 and a second straight Big South Conference championship while averaging 33.7 points and 446.7 yards per game. The offensive unit ranked ninth nationally in the Football Championship Subdivision and led the Big South Conference in total offense for the second consecutive season as they averaged 429.6 yards a game and 42.6 points per contest in 2007.
Wachenheim was elevated by then Liberty head coach Danny Rocco to assistant head coach prior to the 2007 season. Wachenheim also helped develop three-year starting running back Rashad Jennings – a consensus All-America selection and Walter Payton Award finalist who rushed for a Big South record 3,633 career yards, 633 attempts, and 42 touchdowns. Jennings was a seventh-round selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2009 NFL draft. Wachenheim also recruited and coached Flames offensive standout and two-time Big South offensive player of the year Mike Brown.
Wachenheim also spent the 2009 season in the NFL ranks as the tight ends coach with the Washington Redskins and helped with the development of tight end Fred Davis who had 48 catches for 509 yards and six touchdowns while filling in for All-Pro Chris Cooley who sustained a season-ending injury.
Prior to his tenure at Liberty, Wachenheim spent 12 seasons (1994-2005) on the staff of Ken Hatfield at Rice University and served the last five seasons as the Owls offensive coordinator. Wachenheim helped Rice build a dominant ball-control offensive attack and in 2004, the Owls led the nation in rushing offense (306.5 yards per game) after gaining a school record 3,800 yards the previous season which ranked second in the country. In 2001, Rice broke the school single season record for points and total offense (4,846 yards).
Wachenheim also served as recruiting coordinator and coached offensive tackles and tight ends coach at Utah State from 1992-93 and was part of the 1993 Big West Championship staff that claimed the Las Vegas Bowl.
Wachenheim graduated from the Air Force Academy with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and was a four-year starter from 1980-83. He earned first team All-WAC and honorable mention All-America honors his senior year. The 1983 Falcons posted a 10-2 record and were ranked second in rushing offense and attained a 13th team ranking overall.
Wachenheim began his coaching career at Air Force in 1984 when he served as offensive coordinator of the Air Force Academy junior varsity squad before embarking on his active duty commitment.
After serving as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, Wachenheim returned to the college coaching ranks at Arkansas in 1989 and spent two years on the Razorback staff that won a Southwest Conference Championship and Cotton Bowl title. Wachenheim earned his master’s degree in athletic administration at Arkansas in 1991. He later served one season at Colorado under head coach Bill McCartney and helped the Buffaloes win the Big 8 title and a Blockbuster Bowl bid.
A native of Woodland Hills, California, Wachenheim and his wife, Karla, have two sons; Kyle, who serves as a pilot in the U.S. Air National Guard, and Tyson, who is on the football coaching staff at Belhaven College.
