Prairie View A&M University Athletics

Joe Scola is in his second season as the linebackers coach at Prairie View A&M. Scola arrives at PVAMU with a wide variety of experience which includes stints in the NFL, SEC, ACC and Ivy League.

In his first year on The Hill, Jalon Leviege had a career season, ranking second on the team in tackles, and was third on in tackles for loss along with two sacks and two forced fumbles. Jalan Coleman battled through injuries to rank fifth on the team in tackles.

Scola spent the 2015 season as an offensive quality control coach for the San Francisco 49ers. He had a hand in the team's game planning and worked closely with the coaching staff in addition top having a plethora of on and off-field duties.

Prior to his stint in the NFL, Scola spent two seasons in the SEC at the University of Kentucky as the team's Director of Player Development. At UK, Scola helped develop a pair of future NFL defensive linemen in Bud Dupree and Za'Darius Smith along with linebacker Avery Williamson. He also assisted in securing record-setting recruiting classes and changing the culture of Wildcat football.

Before Kentucky, Scola had a three-year stint at Florida State as he spent two seasons as a graduate assistant and one as a quality control assistant for defense. During his final season at FSU, he helped guide the Seminoles to the 2012 Rose Bowl and had two members of his linebacking unit drafted by the NFL in Nick Moody and Vince Williams. In Scola's first season as a graduate assistant with the Seminoles in 2011, he worked with the secondary and defensive coordinator/secondary coach Mark Stoops. FSU finished the season ranked fourth nationally in total defense and No. 20 in pass defense in 2011 and defeated Notre Dame in the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl. 

Scola came to Florida State in 2010 as a quality control assistant for defense where he worked with the linebackers. FSU won the ACC Atlantic Division that season, advanced to the 2010 ACC Championship and defeated South Carolina in the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl.

He joined the Dartmouth staff as an assistant coach in 2007 while completing his degree requirements as a sociology major. He worked with the defensive secondary while also being responsible for film breakdown, running the scout teams and preparing scouting reports for the punt team.

A sociology major from Punta Gorda, Fla., Scola had a hand in five tackles as a senior, a season curtailed by an ankle injury. In 2005 he racked up 31 tackles including 19 unassisted. He also had an interception in 2005.

Scola was a three-year starter at Charlotte High in Punta Gorda. He was a running back and wide receiver on offense, a corner and safety on defense, and also returned punts and kickoffs. As a senior, he was captain of a Tarpons team that finished 13-1 (best in school history), won a regional championship, and was ranked 20th in the nation by USA Today. He was an all-area most valuable player and honorable mention all-state as a senior. Scola also earned four letters in track in the sprints and long jump.