The FootballScoop Coaches of the Year awards, presented by ProGrass, are the only set of awards that recognize the most outstanding position coaches in college football. Finalists were selected based off of nominations by coaches, athletic directors and other athletic department personnel. The winner will be chosen by the previous winners of this award and will be announced on Monday December 8th.
The 2014 FootballScoop Coaches of the Year will be recognized and will receive their awards at an event held in their honor at the American Football Coaches Association's annual convention in January in Louisville, KY.
Previous winners of the Offensive Coordinator of the Year award are Kevin Wilson (Oklahoma, 2008), Bryan Harsin (Boise State, 2009), Gus Malzahn (Auburn, 2010), Kliff Kingsbury (Houston, 2011 and Texas A&M, 2012) and Philip Montgomery (Baylor, 2013).
Tom Herman, Ohio State
Ohio State’s season appeared to have cratered before it started when quarterback Braxton Miller was ruled out for the season on Aug. 19, but instead the Buckeyes’ offense has improved upon its 2013 version that went 12-0 in the regular season. Redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett ranks second nationally with 33 touchdown passes and set a school single-season record with 42 touchdowns responsible for. The 10-1 Buckeyes rank among the top ten nationally in total offense, yards per play, scoring offense, first downs, third down conversions and plays of 10-plus yards.
Key Stats
- 6th in plays of 10+ Yards (202)
- 5th in scoring offense (44.3 yards per game)
- 7th in yards per play (6.88)
- 3rd in third down conversions (52.78%)
- 6th in first downs (26.5 per game)
Bill Legg, Marshall
Every offense coordinator strives to create balance and efficiency, and none have done that better than Bill Legg this season. The 11-0 Thundering Herd rank second nationally in total offense, first in yards per play (by nearly a full foot per snap), third in yards per carry, and 10th in yards per pass attempt. As a result, Marshall is tied for second nationally with 66 total touchdowns and places fourth scoring offense. While quarterback Rakeem Cato ranks 10th nationally in passing efficiency with 28 touchdowns and nine yards per attempt (sixth), running back Devon Johnson is third in the country in rushing and leads the nation in yards per carry for all runners with at least 160 carries.
Key Stats
- T-2nd in total touchdowns (66)
- 1st in yards per play (7.79)
- 3rd in yards per carry (7.05)
- 10th in yards per attempt (9.0)
- 1st in plays of 20+ yards (89)
Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie, TCU
Arriving from Houston and Texas Tech respectively, Meacham and Cumbie have set the bar in terms of turnarounds under first-year coordinators. Meacahm and Cumbie have turned TCU from an 4-8 team that struggled to score to a top five team that beats people in part because of an explosive offense that scores from anywhere on the field. The Frogs have jumped from 106th to fourth in total offense, 105th to 17th in yards per play, 88th to second in scoring offense and 104th to eighth in plays of 20-plus yards. The pair’s use of quarterback Trevone Boykin has completely transformed his career, leaping him from out of the top 100 to third nationally in total offense with 3,021 passing yards and 548 rushing yards. TCU also set a Big 12 record with 82 points against Texas Tech on Oct. 25.
Key Stats
- 2nd in scoring offense (45.9 points per game)
- 4th in total offense (541.6 yards per game)
- 8th in plays of 20+ yards (191)
- 8th in passing offense (323.6 yards per game)
- Boykin ranks 3rd in individual total offense (356.9 yards per game)
Doug Ruse, Georgia Southern
It’s one thing to jump a division and hold your own, but what Doug Ruse and the Georgia Southern offense have done is on an entirely different level. Under first-year head coach Willie Fritz, Ruse has melded the Eagles’ traditional triple option with modern day spread concepts to lead the nation in rushing offense – and by a whopping 30 yards per game. In fact, Georgia Southern’s 384-yard average would have led FBS in any of the past seven years; Army’s 2012 squad is the next closest at 369 yards per game. Their 52 rushing touchdowns are 11 more than second-place Wisconsin, and they rank second nationally with 7.49 yards per play. The Eagles are in place to win the Sun Belt Conference in their inaugural campaign, and posted a combined 966 yards of total offense and 61 points in close losses to N.C. State and Georgia Tech.
Key Stats
- 1st in rushing offense (384.2 yards per game)
- 2nd in yards per carry (7.26)
- 9th in scoring offense (40.6 points per game)
- 2nd in yards per play (7.49)
- 8th in third down conversions (51.15%)
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