Scott Linehan - Bio

The Minnesota Vikings - Coach Detail - Scott Linehan: "The Vikings offense has set numerous records in Linehan's short reign and has dramatically increased its scoring punch"

Scott Linehan returns to the Vikings in 2004 for his third season as offensive coordinator and his 16th season of coaching. The 2003 Vikings became the first unit in franchise history to boast the #1 offense in the NFL following a #2 rank in his NFL debut in 2002. The Vikings offense has set numerous records in Linehan's short reign and has dramatically increased its scoring punch. The 2001 Vikings scored 290 points while the team has exploded for 390 and 416 points respectively under Linehan, an increase from 18.1 points per game before his arrival to 26.0 last season. The Vikings offensive output has improved from 33 TDs in 2001 to 47 in 2003 and yards per game has jumped from 324.1 to 393.4 over that span.

Emphasizing an even run-pass mix in his two seasons with the Vikings, the team has posted two of the top three single-season rushing totals in team history, running for 2,507 yards in 2002 to lead the NFL and ranking 4th in 2003 with 2,343 yards on the ground. In 2003 the Vikings threw 32 TD passes compared to 19 in 2002 and increased time of possession from 31:30 per game to 32:52 along with increasing the team passer rating from 76.1 to 99.0 in that one-year span.

Along with the #1 ranking in the NFL, the Vikings finished the 2003 season with 416 points, the 2nd-highest total in franchise history behind the NFL-record 556 points scored in 1998. The '03 Vikings also set team marks for most net yards (6,294) and average yards per game (393.4). The Vikings 51 TDs on the season ranked 2nd behind the 64 scored in 1998 and Vikings QBs completed passes at a 64.0% clip, topping the old team record of 63.0% set in 1975. Under Linehan's balanced attack in 2003 the Vikings had 4 players top the 400-yard rushing mark for the season and had three different backs break the 100-yard mark, Michael Bennett (1), Onterrio Smith (2) and Moe Williams (1). The Vikings passing game continued to excel under Linehan with Randy Moss posting a career-highs in catches (111) and receiving yards (1,632) and tieing his career-best 17 TDs along while earning his 5th berth in the Pro Bowl in his 6 seasons. Moss became the 1st player in NFL history to post 1,000+ receiving yards in each of his first 6 seasons in the League and set new NFL records for catches (525) and yards (8,375) in the first 6 seasons. Linehan added the QB coaching duties midway through the 2002 season and in 2003 tutored Daunte Culpepper full-time. The 4th-year starter responded with a season that earned his second starting spot in the Pro Bowl. Culpepper also set a new team record by completing 65.0% of his passes, completing 60% of his passes in 10 games and posting the 3rd-highest passer rating in team history at 96.4. Linehan also prepped backup QB Gus Frerotte to step in for an injured Culpepper and go 2-0 as a starter. In his 1st start as a Viking vs. San Francisco (9/28), Frerotte set a Vikings record with a 157.2 passer rating and throw 4 TDs without an INT. Rookie RB Onterrio Smith, a 4th-round draft choice, earned consensus all-rookie honors and ranked 2nd in the NFL for rookie rushing. Smith tied the Vikings rookie record with 5 rushing TDs on the season, set the top rookie rushing marks in a game with 148 yards at Chicago (12/14) and 146 vs. Kansas City (12/20) and set a team record by rushing for 3 TDs vs. Kansas City.

Linehan directed a Viking offense that led the league in several categories and produced several team records in 2002. The Vikings rushed for a team record 2,507 yards on the season, breaking the previous mark of 2,279 set in 1965, and also set a team record with 26 rushing TDs. Under Linehan's guidance the team finished second in the NFL in total yards per game (387.0) and led the league in rushing yards (2,507), rushing yards per game (156.7), and rushing yards per attempt (5.3). Minnesota also set a new team record for first downs in a season with 350, topping the old mark of 343 set in 1981. In Linehan's first year in the NFL, several Vikings set individual marks. Second-year RB Michael Bennett ran for 1,296 yards, which was the 2nd-best single season performance in team history, and was named to his first Pro Bowl. Moss led the NFC with a career-high 106 catches for 1,347 yards and became the first player in NFL history to top the 1,000-yard receiving mark in each of his first five seasons. Moss was also named to his fourth Pro Bowl. Culpepper set team records for rushing yards by a quarterback with 609, breaking his own mark of 470 in 2000, and rushing TDs by a QB with 10, breaking his mark of 7 in 2000. RB Moe Williams set a new Vikings' record by rushing for a TD in 7 consecutive games, breaking Bill Brown's record of 6 set in 1968. Williams' 11 TDs on the season moved him into a tie for 3rd in Vikings' single-season history, matching Brown's total in 1968 and trailing the 13 that Chuck Foreman scored in 1975 and 1976 and Terry Allen totaled in 1993.

Although 2002 marked Linehan's first season coaching in the NFL, he had experience working with NFL-caliber quarterbacks before coming to Minnesota. Five of his proteges, Louisville's Chris Redman and Dave Ragone, Washington's Brock Huard and Marques Tuiasosopo, and Idaho's Doug Nussmeier, went on to be drafted by NFL teams.

Linehan spent the three seasons prior to joining the Vikings at the University of Louisville as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. During his tenure there, the Cardinals went to three straight bowl games, became the first team to win consecutive Conference USA championships (2000 & 2001), and had a Louisville quarterback named as the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year in each season (Dave Ragone - 2000 & 2001; Chris Redman - 1999).

In his first season with the Cardinals, Linehan helped Redman attain the NCAA career record for passes attempted (1679) and completed (1031). Redman also finished third all-time in career passing yards with 12,541 and won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in 1999. Ragone would benefit from Linehan's coaching in 2000 and 2001 as he passed for more than 2600 yards and 23 touchdowns both seasons.

Louisville posted three of the top six passing seasons in school history under Linehan's direction and had three of the top four single-season receiving marks. In his three years at Louisville, the Cardinals produced school records for wins in a season with 11 in 2001, and for wins in a two (20) and three-year (27) span. Linehan led Louisville to a 28-10 victory over BYU in the 2001 Liberty Bowl that helped propel the Cardinals to a top 20 finish in both polls to end the season.

Linehan was a member of John L. Smith's coaching staff during his three years at Louisville. He was reunited with Smith at Louisville in 1999 after serving on Smith's coaching staff during two tenures at Idaho (1989-90 & 1992-93). Linehan's ties to Smith go back to his playing days at Idaho where he lettered as a quarterback while Smith was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.

Prior to his tenure at Louisville, Linehan coached at the University of Washington from 1994-98. He was the Huskies offensive coordinator his final three seasons and had additional duties as quarterbacks coach in 1998 and receivers coach from 1994-97. Brock Huard joined the list of quarterbacks that Linehan has developed as he set career records at Washington for passing yards (5,742) and touchdown passes (91). During Linehan's five seasons with the Huskies the team advanced to four bowl games.

Linehan broke into the coaching ranks as an assistant at his alma mater, Idaho, in 1989. From 1989-90 he worked as receivers coach and from 1992-93 he served as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. Linehan tutored standout quarterback Doug Nussmeier during his second stint with the Vandals and helped Nussmeier earn several accolades between 1992-93. Nussmeier was the recipient of the 1993 Walter Payton Award, which recognizes the NCAA Division I-AA Player of the Year, and was a unanimous Division I-AA All-American as a senior after throwing for a career-high 33 TDs and just five interceptions. He was named Big Sky Player of the Year in 1992 by leading the conference in passing and total offense. Under Linehan, Nussmeier established career records at Idaho for passing yards (10,824), total offense (12,027) and touchdown passes (91).

In his two seasons as offensive coordinator, Linehan helped guide the Vandals to a 20-6 record. Idaho led the nation in scoring (47.5 points per game) and total offense (532 yards per game) in 1993. Linehan spent the 1991 season as the quarterbacks coach at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas before returning to his alma mater in 1992.

Linehan played quarterback at Idaho from 1982-86, guiding the Dennis Erickson-coached Vandals to a Big Sky Conference championship in 1985 and Division I-AA playoff appearances in 1984, '85 and '86. He finished his playing career with a 32-16 record as a starter and was 547-of-947 passing for 7018 yards. Linehan signed as a rookie free agent with the Dallas Cowboys in 1987 before a shoulder injury ended his playing career. During his career at Idaho, Linehan was teammates with current University of Minnesota head basketball coach Dan Monson.

Born in Sunnyside, WA, (9/17/63), Linehan is married to the former Kristen Browitt. They are the parents of three sons - Matthew (11/13/94), Michael (9/24/96), and Marcus (8/22/00).


Information of past play experience:
Idaho 1982-86.

Coaching Information:
Idaho 1988-90, Nevada-Las Vegas 1991, Idaho 1992-93, Washington 1994-98, Louisville 1999-2001, Minnesota Vikings 2002-present.
- Slim Tim