Brent Venables has been announced as the winner of the 2016 Broyles Award. Venables was chosen over finalists Don Brown, Matt Canada, Jim Leavitt and Jeremy Pruitt.
A three-time finalist and first-time winner, Venables claimed the honor for helping Clemson win its second straight ACC championship and reach its second consecutive College Football Playoff despite losing seven starter's from last year's 14-1 team.
Clemson ranks ninth nationally in total defense, tied for sixth in yards per play and 12th in scoring defense. The Tigers are one of college football's most ferocious defenses, ranking second nationally in sacks, second in tackles for loss and 20th in takeaways.
A Kansas native who played for Bill Snyder at Kansas State, Venables jumped into coaching under Snyder as a graduate assistant and later as a linebackers coach. He left for Oklahoma in 1999, where he coached the Sooners' linebackers for 13 years and coordinated Oklahoma's defense from 2004-11. Venables joined Clemson's staff as defensive coordinator in 2012.
Recent winners of the Broyles Award include 2015 winner Lincoln Riley, 2014 winner Tom Herman and 2013 victor Pat Narduzzi.