Grambling State University made headlines with the firing of Coach Hue Jackson, shocking the college football community. Leading this significant change at Grambling was Dr. Trayvean Scott, the vice president of Intercollegiate Athletics at the university.

Jackson went 8-14 in two seasons at Grambling and the Tigers improved their wins total from three in 2022 to five in 2023, but still finished with a losing record for the fourth straight season. Then, they lost to Southern 27-22 on Nov. 25 in the Bayou Classic. It marked the end for Jackson.

Grambling is now seeking its next head football coach to lead the Tigers back to their position as one of the top programs in the country.

“We want to thank Coach Jackson on his contributions to the GSU football program,” athletic director Dr. Trayvean Scott said in a statement, ESPN reported. “We wish him well in all his future endeavors. This was not an easy decision to make but one that we felt was necessary to move our program forward. The goal at GSU is to compete for championships every year. As we move forward, we will be intentional in finding the right person to lead this program back to its rightful place as one of the top programs in the country.”

But who is Dr. Scott?

Scott took on his role as vice president of Intercollegiate Athletics at Grambling State University on July 1, 2021. His arrival marked a turning point for the institution.

Before joining Grambling State, Dr. Scott spent a decade at Southern University, where he held the role of deputy athletic director/chief operating officer. He was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of Southern University’s athletic programs. Dr. Scott also served as the sport administrator for multiple sports, including football, women’s basketball, and softball as well as men and women’s track and field, both indoor and outdoor, according to Gambling‘s website.

He graduated from the NCAA Leadership Institute for Ethnic Minorities in 2016 and completed the Sports Management Institute in 2018.

He contributed to academia as well, serving as an adjunct faculty member in the College of Business at Southern University. He taught courses in Business Administration, Management, and Sports Marketing. Dr. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management, earned in 2003 and 2005, respectively, along with a master’s degree in Communications obtained in 2005, all from Southern University. He completed a Ph.D. in Education/Sport Management in 2018 from Northcentral University.

Dr. Trayvean Scott , Grambling State University website, https://gsutigers.com/staff-directory/dr-trayvean-scott/275#:~:text=Trayvean%20Scott%20was%20hired%20as,University%20on%20July%201%2C%202021