GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado School of Mines football has added experienced defensive coordinator Scott McLaughlin to its staff, head coach Bob Stitt has announced.

McLaughlin will serve as Mines' defensive coordinator and also work with linebackers. He comes to Golden after a long and successful tenure as the defensive coordinator at Wayne State College in Nebraska.

McLaughlin spent 19 years at Wayne State, where he held a number of positions including defensive coordinator (2014-25) and special teams coordinator (2008-13), while working primarily with the linebackers as a position coach. Over the past five seasons, the Wildcats won seven or more games each year, including nine wins in 2022 and eight in 2023. In 2025, the Wildcat defense ranked among the national leaders in NCAA Division II in total defense (8th), rushing defense (3rd), and scoring defense (11th) while intercepting 17 passes, which ranked eighth in the country. His 2024 team posted two shutouts in a season for the first time since 2006, and his 2023 unit was third in NCAA D-II in turnover margin (+18) thanks to 19 interceptions, which was fifth in D-II. 

In 2022, the Wildcats earned the program's first NCAA Division II playoff berth since 2008 behind McLaughlin's defense as they won their first-ever NSIC championship. Wayne State led the NSIC in passing defense and defensive pass efficiency that season, going 9-3 overall. 

McLaughlin is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Omaha and played defensive line for the Mavericks, earning a bachelor's in continuing education. He also served as a student assistant at UNO and worked as the team's video coordinator for three seasons before heading to Wayne State. McLaughlin earned a master's degree in sport management from Wayne State. He and his wife Lindsay have two sons, Cooper and Noah.