Davidson football enjoyed an unprecedented run of success during Scott Abell’s seven years as head coach.
The Wildcats never had a losing season, captured two Pioneer Football League championships and made three trips to the FCS playoffs. The program built an off-the-field reputation as a high-academic, high-character destination for ballers and an on-the-field identity as a shotgun triple-option juggernaut, leading the nation in rushing yards most seasons.
It was no surprise other schools came calling, and Abell made the jump to the FBS ranks in late November, agreeing to become the next head coach at Rice University.
Davidson football turned the page from the Abell era late last week, introducing 33-year-old Saj Thakkar as its next leader. He’s one of the youngest coaches in all of Division I football and already has a resume of success as head coach at Division II Bentley University the past two years and as an assistant in the D2, D3 and FCS levels before that.
“We’re going to win here,” Thakkar said during his introductory press conference Friday morning. “We’re going to play an exciting brand of football. Offensively, we’ll run the football downhill, we’ll throw it downfield, we’ll use the width of the field – 53 and a third – and we’ll use tempo to our advantage.
“We’ll find ways to be explosive and put the ball in the end zone. Defensively, we’ll force turnovers. We’re going to be an attack-style defense. We will force turnovers. We’ll make quarterbacks extremely uncomfortable, and we’ll keep teams out of the end zone. Special teams, we’re going to be extremely aggressive, but not reckless.”
The near month-long search to replace Abell brought “one of the deepest and strongest candidate pools this program has ever seen,” according to Chris Clunie, Davidson director of athletics. The search ended after search committee members heard Thakkar’s vision to continue the Wildcats’ trajectory of excellence.
“We wanted somebody committed to an incredible scholar-athlete experience, understanding that it’s the next four years to set you up for the next 40. We want to develop leaders and servants for our world,” Clunie said. “Number two, we wanted somebody who could help us clear the bar. And for us, the bar for Davidson football is as high as it’s been, probably since the late 1960s.
“We’ve built a championship competitive foundation, but we want to sustain it. We’ve won PFL championships, made it to the FCS playoffs, but we want to advance in it. And for us, why not try to become one of the best FCS programs in the country, right?”
Thakkar joined the Bentley University staff in the spring of 2023 as offensive coordinator. He was elevated to head coach for the season and led the Massachusetts school to a 6-4 record, 5-2 in the Northeast Conference – tying for second place. This past season, Bentley went 8-2, 6-2 – finishing second outright.
During those two seasons, 24 Bentley players earned all-conference recognition. The Falcons finished first or second in most major offensive and defensive statistical categories.
Before Bentley, Thakkar coached running backs at Harvard from 2018-22 and served as offensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, defensive backs coach and quarterbacks coach at SUNY Maritime (Division III) from 2015-17.
His first coaching experience came at his alma mater, Fitchburg State (Division III) from 2013-14. Thakkar played quarterback and wide receiver for Fitchburg from 2010-12 after starting his collegiate career at D3 Western New England in 2009.
In 2022 and 2023, Thakkar participated in the NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship, getting valuable exposure and training with the Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans.
Thakkar mentored Ivy League rushing champions Aidan Borguet and Aaron Shampklin during his time at Harvard.
Davidson officials believe they have found a rising star.
“He’s innovative, he’s versatile, and he’s a student of the game of football,” Clunie said. “We believe he has the ability to build deep connections, not only just within the team, but across the campus community and beyond. And he has a proven capacity to win, not just on the field, but off the field as well, with a deep commitment to academic excellence and community service.”
Thakkar (pronounced thuh-CAR) used words and phrases like “high character,” “relentless competitors,” and “mental and emotional toughness” when describing his vision for Davidson. He pledged to hire a stellar staff and said alumni, family of alumni and former coaches would be welcome around the program.
“We’re going to create an outstanding environment here,” he said. “Great coaches attract great players, so we’re going to bring in a great staff who provide an outstanding environment that student-athletes want to be a part of.”
Thakkar called Davidson a “brand that is national – which is awesome” and believes the Wildcats will continue to seek out players from across the nation. “But I think any successful program has to do a great job in their backyard, and for us that’s North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia,” he said. “Making sure the people that fit us and that we want in those states we get. We don’t want to let them leave the region or go anywhere else.”
What about the Davidson offense?
Davidson recruited well to its unique offensive style, which resembled what Army and Navy use (or Georgia Tech when Paul Johnson was head coach). Thakkar didn’t address specifically what type of offense the Wildcats would run under his command, but it’s unlikely the shotgun triple option will remain the school’s go-to approach.
Abell brought four former staff members to Rice with him, including Vince Munch (offensive coordinator/offensive line), Austin Eisenhoffer (run game coordinator/inside receivers) and Porter Abell (pass game coordinator/quarterbacks).
Bentley had a high-octane attack this past season, averaging 389.8 yards per game (second in the Northeast 10) and 29.9 points per game (third). But the Falcons’ calling card was the aerial game, throwing for 280.1 yards per game and a league-best 24 touchdowns. Bentley was more balanced in 2023, rushing for 174.4 yards and passing for 173.6 yards per game.
Davidson’s official athletics Web site still lists Jon Berlin as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (he had been the interim head coach after Abell’s departure). Other assistants still named on the coaches’ roster at DavidsonWildcats.com as of Dec. 22 include Bryce Perry-Martin (assistant defensive line), Chris Watts (safeties), Coy Williams (offensive assistant), Quinn Suber (defensive assistant), Alex Shields (director of football operations) and Evan Simon (head strength and conditioning).
Davidson secures strong high school recruiting class
Despite the uncertainty of the coaching search, Davidson was able to sign a high school recruiting class of 20 players in early December. That included five players from North Carolina – quarterback Lane Albright from Winston-Salem (Mount Tabor), linebackers Ryan Bassani of Denver (North Lincoln) and Ayden Bell of Cornelius (Hough), offensive lineman Braxton Grace of Marshville (Forest Hills) and kicker/punter Breyson Palmer of Raleigh (Millbrook).
Other recruits hail from Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Ohio, West Virginia, New York and California.
“We are extremely excited to welcome this impressive group of young men to the Davidson Football Family,” Berlin said after National Signing Day. “This group represents some of the best scholar-athletes from across the country who have chosen Davidson College as their home and we are incredibly excited for them to join the program.”
At the same time, the Wildcats could lose a substantial number of players to the transfer portal this cycle. After Abell departed, a number of prominent players announced intentions to transfer, including 1,000-yard running back Mari Adams, tight end Christian Berry, cornerbacks Amare Hill and TJ Magee, linebacker Cam’rom Willis and kicker Adam Zouagui.
Berry announced recently that he has committed to Kent State, an FBS program.
“People are going to go test the portal and see what’s out there.” Thakkar said. “I know some of the guys were able to land some great opportunities, full scholarship opportunities.”
Thakkar said he sees Davidson as somewhat immune to the struggles that other smaller programs have in keeping talented players from being poached by bigger schools.
“I always told myself if I had the opportunity to be a head coach, I wanted to be at a place where you’re not just selling flashy uniforms in a great facility,” he said. “The good thing about here is we do have that, but we also have a tremendous education that you can’t really get in many other places in the country, so you are really giving up a lot to leave Davidson, and that’s the message to a lot of these guys.”
Davidson has not released its full 2025 schedule yet, but the Wildcats do know they will play Elon in a non-conference game on Sept. 6. The Pioneer Football League schedule usually includes eight games against other non-scholarship FCS opponents.
“We will win here, okay, but we’ll do it the right way, our way, the Davidson way,” Thakkar said. “Our family is so excited to be here. We’re thrilled.”
