UNION, NJ — A smooth transition into the 2024 football campaign was sought when Union High School moved in the direction of hiring from within for its next head coach.
Shortly after Lou Grasso Jr. stepped down to become the athletic director at his native Colonia High School, one of his assistants was promoted.
Jason Scott, a 2005 Central Regional High School graduate and a key member of Grasso’s staff since 2016, has been named Union’s interim head coach.
Before the season opener Friday, Aug. 30, at Seton Hall Preparatory School, this is what Scott, who played collegiately and also coached at Montclair State, has in store for the Farmers, who are coming off a 5-6 showing in 2023: “Right now, it’s all team mentality,” Scott said.
“We want to be bigger, faster and stronger,” Scott continued. “We will be installing some new plays and working on a variety of different schemes. We can’t wait to get started.”
Scott played varsity for three years at Central Regional for head coaches Dan Duddy and Dean Helstowski, starting at tight end and on the defensive line. He then played at Montclair State University for Rick Giancola and, beginning in 2009, began coaching running backs and fullbacks for the Division 3 program.
Scott was an assistant coach at Montclair State for seven years.
“That was a really good time for me and it molded my career for what I wanted to do,” said Scott, who has also been a math teacher at Union for the past 14 years.
Scott then transitioned to Union’s staff in 2016. Grasso became the head coach at Union in 2013.
“I was initially special teams coordinator at Union and then worked with the running backs and defensive backs,” Scott said. “After COVID and beyond, I worked with the quarterbacks and the offense with Lou and the defense with Dan Grasso.”
Scott, 36, said that he did apply at other places, but is glad that things didn’t work out if it meant he would ultimately become the head coach at Union. Scott turns 37 on Thursday, June 20.
“I’m really excited about this opportunity and the direction the team is going,” Scott said. “It’s both exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time.”
Scott experienced the joy of victory along with Grasso and the rest of Grasso’s staff in 2019, when the Farmers won North 2, Group 5 for the first time for Union’s first state championship since 1993.
“That team was really special,” Scott said. “We were locked in and really focused for the 2019 season, once the 2018 season came to an end.”
That 2019 team had senior quarterback Andrew Sanborn at the controls, who turned out to be one of the best quarterbacks to ever play for the Farmers.
This year’s squad has senior Omalley King, a three-year varsity starter, behind center to help lead Union in its quest for another title.
“He’s gone through some growing pains, but he has a lot of talent,” Scott said of King. “We have a pretty strong senior class, including three returning offensive linemen.”
Scott will have Union running a multiple formation and spread stuff on offense, while he will keep the defense at its 4-3 scheme.
“Right now, the focus is our first game against Seton Hall Prep,” Scott said.
Union opens with three straight road games before its home-opener on Friday, Sept. 20, against Westfield High School.
Union Farmers 2024
• Friday, Aug. 30, at Seton Hall Preparatory School
• Friday, Sept. 6, at Hillsborough High School
• Saturday, Sept. 14, at St. Joseph High School, Metuchen
• Friday, Sept. 20, Westfield High School
• Friday, Sept. 27, Hunterdon Central Regional High School
• Friday, Oct. 4, at Ridge High School
• Friday, Oct. 11, at South Brunswick High School
• Friday, Oct. 18, Phillipsburg High School
• Friday, Oct. 25, Elizabeth High School–Frank J. Cicarell Academy
Photo Courtesy of Jason Scott