Defensive Backs

Scott Lakatos begins his fourth season at Connecticut, coaching the Huskies’ defensive backs.

In 2004, the Huskies ranked first in the BIG EAST, and in the top 20 nationally, in passing defense, yielding just 190.0 yards per game. The low sum helped UConn also lead the BIG EAST in total defense in 2004. Leading the unit was first-team All-BIG EAST selection, and Kansas City Chiefs signee, Justin Perkins, who made five interceptions on the year and tied for 14th in the nation in passes defended. In 2005, UConn again led the BIG EAST in total defense. The major reason was its passing defense, where the Huskies ranked fourth nationally in least yards allowed per game and seventh in passing efficiency defense. UConn was 25th nationally in passing defense last fall.

Lakatos came to Storrs in 2004 after spending the previous three seasons as the secondary coach at Rutgers. His ties to Connecticut and the northeast run deep as UConn is the seventh school which he has coached in the region, including his third in the BIG EAST Conference and his third in the Nutmeg State.

Lakatos was a part of a Scarlet Knights program at Rutgers which improved from 2-9 in 2001 to 5-7 in 2003, including a narrow loss to the Huskies, 38-31, on Nov. 8 at Rentschler Field. In 2003, Rutgers ranked second in the BIG EAST in passing defense, yielding 216.42 yards per game, a total surpassed in the conference only by national-leader Miami. Meanwhile, the Scarlet Knights’ passing efficiency defense improved each of the three years under his tutelage before jumping up sharply in 2004 following Lakatos’ departure for UConn. The 2003 season saw corner back Nate Jones earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors for the second year in a row, while Lakatos also helped free safety Shawn Seabrooks to a spot on the All-BIG EAST second team in 2002. Lakatos’ recruiting territory at Rutgers included Connecticut, New York State and northwestern New Jersey, along with northeastern prep schools, areas he has scoured for years in search of talented student-athletes for several universities.

Lakatos graduated from Western Connecticut in 1988 after earning four varsity letters on the gridiron, three of them under the tutelage of former Syracuse head coach Paul Pasqualoni. The 1985 Colonial squad went 10-2 and advanced to the NCAA Division III Playoffs. Immediately after earning his degree in Justice & Law Administration from WCSU, Lakatos began his coaching career at the Danbury school, working with the Colonials’ defensive backs during the 1988 and 1989 seasons.
 
Just before the start of the 1990 season, Lakatos left his alma mater for Boston University where he coached the Terriers’ outside linebackers from 1990-91, a role that was especially important in the 3-4 defensive scheme run by BU during those years under head coach Dan Allen. Lakatos left Boston to reunite with Pasqualoni as Syracuse’s defensive graduate assistant during the 1992 and 1993 seasons, working mainly with the team’s safeties. In Lakatos’ first season with the Orangemen, the team went 10-2 and defeated Colorado, 26-22, in the 1993 Fiesta Bowl to finish the season ranked sixth in the nation. Current UConn running backs coach Terry Richardson played for the Orangemen during Lakatos’ time at SU. The 1994 season saw Lakatos serve as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of New Haven. At UNH, Lakatos installed an eight-man front and implemented the team’s defensive game plans.

Lakatos spent the 1995-2000 seasons at Maine, serving first as secondary coach for the 1995 season before adding the title of special teams coordinator for the 1996-99 campaigns. In 2000, Lakatos was named the Black Bears’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. A Maine defensive back earned All-Conference honors in each of his five years coaching that position group and, in 1998, Aaron Dashiell was named an All-American after he finished 11th in the nation in interceptions. During the 2000 campaign, his only one as defensive coordinator in Orono, Maine’s defense improved drastically during the season. After allowing 36.6 points per game in its first five games against Division I-AA opposition, Maine yielded just 14.6 points per game in its final five contests. His special teams work was also strong as Maine set school punt return records in two of his final three seasons with the Black Bears.

A native of Long Valley, N.J., Lakatos graduated from West Morris Central High School in 1983 where he played both linebacker and fullback, earning All-County honors on defense. He and his wife, Amanda, have a daughter, Sarah Bailey (6), and a son, Cole (5).