The nominees for the 2025 Broyles Award have been released.
The award, which has gone annually to the top assistant coach in college football for the past 30 seasons, has a total of 63 nominees this year, which marks the largest group of nominees in the award's history.
Past winners of the award include Lane Kiffin, Kirby Smart, Lincoln Riley, Dan Lanning, Gus Malzahn, and Steve Sarkisian.
Last year's winner was Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden, who left South Bend this past off season to become the defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Before getting to each individual, here's a breakdown on which side of the ball the nominees come from:
Defensive Coordinators: 26 out of 63 nominees (41%)
Offensive Coordinators: 23 our of 63 nominees (37%)
Special Teams Coordinators: 11 out of 63 nominees (17%)
Position Coaches / Other titles: 3 nominees
ALABAMA – Kane Wommack, Defensive Coordinator
ARIZONA – Danny Gonzales, Defensive Coordinator
ARIZONA STATE – Brian Ward, Defensive Coordinator
AUBURN – DJ Durkin, Defensive Coordinator / LBs
BAYLOR – Jake Spavital, Offensive Coordinator/QBs
BOISE STATE – Erik Chinander, Defensive Coordinator / DL
BOSTON COLLEGE – Matt Thurin, Special Teams Coordinator / Safeties
BYU – Aaron Roderick, Offensive Coordinator / QBs
CAL – Bryan Harsin, Offensive Coordinator / QB’s
CINCINNATI – Nic Cardwell, OL
CLEMSON – Matt Luke, Assistant Head Coach / OL
DUKE – Jonathan Brewer, Offensive Coordinator/ QBs
EAST CAROLINA – Roy Tesh, DL / RGC
FLORIDA STATE – Gus Malzahn, Offensive Coordinator
GEORGIA – Mike Bobo, Offensive Coordinator / QBs
GEORGIA SOUTHERN – Blake Wilson, Special Teams Coordinator
GEORGIA TECH – Buster Faulkner, Offensive Coordinator
HOUSTON – Austin Armstrong, Defensive Coordinator / ILBs
INDIANA – Bryant Haines, Defensive Coordinator / LBs
IOWA – LeVar Woods, Special Teams Coordinator
IOWA STATE – Jon Heacock, Defensive Coordinator
JACKSONVILLE STATE – Rick Trickett, Offensive Line
JAMES MADISON – Colin Hitschler, Defensive Coordinator
KANSAS – Matt Lubick, Co-Offensive Coordinator / TEs
KENNESAW STATE – Marc Mattioli, Defensive Coordinator / Safeties
KENT STATE – CJ Conrad, Special Teams Coordinator
LSU – Blake Baker, Defensive Coordinator / LBs
MIAMI – Corey Hetherman, Defensive Coordinator / LBs
MICHIGAN – Wink Martindale, Defensive Coordinator
MISSOURI – Curtis Luper, RBs
NAVY – Drew Cronic, Offensive Coordinator
NEBRASKA – Mike Ekeler, Special Teams Coordinator
NEW MEXICO – Spence Nowinsky, Defensive Coordinator
NORTH CAROLINA STATE – Kurt Roper, Offensive Coordinator / QBs
NORTH TEXAS – Sean Brophy, Passing Game Coordinator / QBs
NORTHWESTERN – Tim McGarigle, Defensive Coordinator / LBs Coach
NOTRE DAME – Mike Denbrock, Offensive Coordinator / TEs
OHIO STATE – Matt Patricia, Defensive Coordinator
OKLAHOMA – Todd Bates, Associate Head Coach / Co-DC / DTs
OLE MISS – Charlie Weis Jr., Offensive Coordinator
OREGON – Tosh Lupoi, Defensive Coordinator
PENN STATE – Justin Lustig, Special Teams Coordinator
RUTGERS – Kirk Ciarrocca, Offensive Coordinator / QBs
SAN DIEGO STATE – Rob Aurich, Defensive Coordinator / LBs
SAN JOSE STATE – Craig Stutzmann, Offensive Coordinator / QBs
SMU – Scott Symons, Defensive Coordinator
SOUTH CAROLINA – Joe DeCamillis, Associate Head Coach / Special Teams Coordinator
SOUTH FLORIDA – Joel Gordon, Offensive Coordinator / QBs
TENNESSEE – Joey Halzle, Offensive Coordinator / QBs
TEXAS A&M – Collin Klein, OC / QBs
TEXAS STATE – Tanner Burns, Associate Head Coach / Special Teams Coordinator / Defensive Assistant
TEXAS TECH – Shiel Wood, Defensive Coordinator / ILBs
TULANE – Johnathan Galante, Special Teams Coordinator
UAB – Alex Mortensen, Offensive Coordinator / Interim Head Coach
UCONN – Gordon Sammis, Offensive Coordinator
USC – Luke Huard, Offensive Coordinator / QBs
UTAH – Jason Beck, Offensive Coordinator
UTAH STATE – Kevin McGiven, Offensive Coordinator
VANDERBILT – Tim Beck, Offensive Coordinator
VIRGINIA – John Rudzinski, Defensive Coordinator
WAKE FOREST – Scottie Hazelton, Defensive Coordinator / LBs
WESTERN KENTUCKY – Andy LaRussa, Assistant Head Coach / Special Teams Coordinator
WESTERN MICHIGAN – Chris O’Leary, Defensive Coordinator / Safeties
For the first time in the history of the award, which stretches back three decades, fans will have a direct vote in deciding the coaches who make it to the semifinalists, finalists, and who ultimately wins the award as well. Voting can take place via this link.
The Fan Vote opened yesterday at noon, and goes through November 30th to decide semifinalists, December 2nd for finalists, and January 20th for the Broyles Award winner.
The winner of the award will be announced Thursday February 12th, 2026, during a live ceremony in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.