Scott McRae was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but moved to Huntsville at the early age of four. He attended Randolph Elementary School and then transferred to Whitesburg Middle School where he played middle school football for Coach Troy Hinton. Scott played his high school football under Coach Paul Glover at Huntsville High School from 1975 until 1979. As a senior, McRae rushed for 870 yards on 130 carries in leading the Huntsville High Panthers to the class 4A state playoffs. Some of Scotts 1979 football honors include being named the Most Valuable Back and the Most Valuable Player on the Huntsville High team. He was also listed on the 1st team All-City Football team as a running back and was named to the All-State team as a linebacker and fullback. After graduation from Huntsville High, Scott signed a football scholarship with the University of Alabama. While at the University of Alabama he earned three varsity letters and started nineteen games at Inside Linebacker. Scott scored a touchdown in his first game as a freshman for the University of Alabama. In one of his best games, he started the 1982 Liberty Bowl and had seven tackles, one fumble recovery and one pass interception. Scott said, I had the good fortune to have many outstanding coaches, but Coach Paul Bryant was and is the greatest coach of all time. He has no equal. His class outshined them all. Other University of Alabama coaches that had a great impact on my career were Shorty White, Jeff Rouzie, Slyvester Croom, Jim Goosetree, Ken Donahue, Dee Powell, Al Miller, Kent Johnson and Ray Perkins. In 1985, Scott was graduated for the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management. The number one influence in my athletic career, Scott said, would have to be my grandfather, Roy Johnson, who came from a very humble beginning to play football and run track at the University of Michigan for the great Fielding Yost. Roy Johnson went on to be the Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at the University of New Mexico and did not retire until the early 60s. Scott is self-employed and lives in the Huntsville area. He is married to the former Claudette Little and they have two girls: Anna Elizabeth and Savannah Catherine.