The AFCA has announced their annual listing of the top young coaches in the profession this morning with their selections for participants in the the 2021 35 Under 35 Leadership Institute.
The AFCA defines the opportunity in their release as:
The AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute is a prestigious program aimed at identifying and developing premier, future leaders in the football coaching profession. Selected participants are invited to attend the one-day institute that features a curriculum of interactive lectures focused on topics specifically tailored to emphasize leadership in the coaching profession, ethics, influential responsibilities, career progression, and family balance.
Among the qualifications that had to be met in order to be considered, applicants had to be born on or after January 1, 1986 and also submit a 1,600 word article of five-minute live-instructional video of a scheme or position-specific technique.
Because the 2021 clinic is being held virtually, the coaches chosen will have an opportunity to take part in the program at the 2022 AFCA Convention.
This year's class consists of:
1 - NFL assistant
15 - FBS Assistants
10 - FCS Assistants
2 - Division II Head Coaches
2 - Division III Head Coaches
2 - High School Head Coaches
1 - Junior College Head Coach
The following coaches were chosen from a group of over 150 applicants:
- Cortney Braswell - OLBs - Appalachian State
- Weldon Brazton - HC - Itasca CC (JC - MN)
- Robby Discher - STC - Louisiana-Lafayette
- Declan Doyle - TEs / OL / New Orleans Saints
- Zac Etheridge - CBs - Houston
- Will Finley - HC - Waldorf (NAIA - IA)
- Jake Griedl - HC - Marshall HS (TX)
- Bush Hamdam - QBs / WRs - Missouri
- Justin Hamilton - DC / Safeties - Virginia Tech
- Ben Hammer - HC - Rock Island HS (IL)
- Corey Hetherman - DC - James Madison (FCS - VA)
- Shane Hunter - ILBs - Virginia
- Joshua Jones - CBs - Southern Alabama
- Anthony Jones Jr. - RBs - Memphis
- GJ Kinne - OC - Hawaii
- Kyle Krantz - STC - South Carolina
- Tre Lamb - HC - Gardner-Webb (FCS - NC)
- Josh Linam - LBs - Jacksonville State (FCS - AL)
- Ryan Mahaffey - OC - Northern Iowa (FCS)
- Jason Miran - OC - Bucknell (FCS - PA)
- Adam Morris - Pass Game Coordinator - Campbell (FCS - NC)
- Reilly Murphy - HC - Lake Erie (D-II - OH)
- Dave Plungas - Assistant HC / DC - Robert Morris (FCS - PA)
- Matt Powledge - STC - Baylor
- Cris Reisert - HC - Tiffin (D-II - OH)
- Garrett Riley - OC - SMU
- Jimmy Robertson - HC - Fairleigh Dickinson (D-III - NJ)
- Joe Sloan - OC - Louisiana Tech
- Aaron Smetanka - HC - Saint Vincent (D-III - PA)
- Phil Trautwein - OL - Penn State
- Danny Verpaele - DC - Kennesaw State (FCS - GA)
- Ryan Walters - DC - Missouri
- Brian Ware - DBs - Grambling State (FCS - LA)
- Rod West - DC - Richmond - (FCS - VA)
- Cortez Whiting - HC - Osbourn HS (VA)
See the full release from the AFCA here.