The FootballScoop Coach of the Year awards program is back for 2021, with finalists announced today.
The only coaching awards program where winners are selected by their fellow coaches, the FootballScoop Coach of the Year program celebrates its 15th season in 2021. Coaches must be nominated by a fellow coach to be eligible for the award, and each category's winner is selected by prior winners of that category.
The FootballScoop Coach of the Year program honors excellence in performance and character at every on-the-field position and key off-the-field posts in FBS, as well as coordinators at the FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA levels. This year marks the debut of the Tight Ends Coach of the Year category. (FBS strength, operations and personnel honorees will be announced at a later date.)
Winners will be announced in the coming days and weeks and honored at the AFCA Convention in San Antonio next month.
Without further ado, the 2021 FootballScoop Coach of the Year finalists:
Offensive Coordinator
Josh Gattis, Michigan
Jeff Grimes, Baylor
Zach Kittley, Western Kentucky
Warren Ruggiero, Wake Forest
Mark Whipple, Pittsburgh
Defensive Coordinator
Doug Belk, Houston
Jim Knowles, Oklahoma State
Dan Lanning, Georgia
Jim Leonhard, Wisconsin
Mike Macdonald, Michigan
Quarterbacks Coach
Corey Dennis, Ohio State
Zach Kittley, Western Kentucky
Rhett Lashlee, Miami
Bill O'Brien, Alabama
Mark Whipple, Pittsburgh
Running Backs Coach
Gary Brown, Wisconsin
Mike Hart, Michigan
Justin Johnson, Baylor
Curtis Luper, Missouri
William Peagler, Michigan State
Wide Receivers Coach
Kyle Cefalo, Utah State
Josh Crawford, Western Kentucky
Brian Hartline, Ohio State
Steve Spurrier, Jr., Mississippi State
Holmon Wiggins, Alabama
Tight Ends Coach
Cody Booth, Colorado State
Malcolm Dixon, Coastal Carolina
Todd Hartley, Georgia
John McNulty, Notre Dame
Freddie Whittingham, Utah
Offensive Line Coach
Daryl Agpalsa, Northern Illinois
Mike Bloesch, North Texas
Jim Harding, Utah
Matt Mattox, UTSA
Sherrone Moore, Michigan
Defensive Line Coach
Joe Bob Clements, Oklahoma State
Shaun Nua, Michigan
Charlie Partridge, Pittsburgh
Tray Scott, Georgia
Freddie Roach, Alabama
Linebackers Coach
Pete Golding/Sal Sunseri, Alabama
Jim Knowles, Oklahoma State
Ron Roberts/Caleb Collins, Baylor
Mike Tressel, Cincinnati
Seth Wallace, Iowa
Defensive Backs Coach
Jahmile Addae, Georgia
Perry Eliano/Colin Hitschler, Cincinnati
Will Harris, Washington
Phil Parker, Iowa
TJ Rushing, Texas A&M
Special Teams Coordinator
Todd Goebbel, NC State
Jay Harbaugh, Michigan
Brian Mason, Cincinnati
FCS Coordinator
David Braun, North Dakota State
Mike Cooke, Sacred Heart
Jason Eck, South Dakota State
Corey Heatherman, James Madison
Dennis Thurman, Jackson State
Greg Stevens, Southeastern Louisiana
Division II Coordinator
Xavier Adibi, Texas A&M-Commerce
Dominic Anderson, Fayetteville State (N.C.)
Jesse Correll, Shepherd (W. Va.)
Phillip Ely, Valdosta State (Ga.)
Ryan Hodges, Ferris State (Mich.)
Division III Coordinator
Jameson Croall, Merchant Marine Academy (N.Y.)
Nick Brady, Delaware Valley (Pa.)
Larry Harmon, Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas)
Ryan Maiuri, Central (Iowa)
Brad Spencer, North Central (Ill.)
NAIA Coordinator
Gregg Horner, Valley City State (N.D.)
Phil Kleckler, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
Matt Myers, Kansas Wesleyan
AJ Parnell, Bethel (Minn.)
Andrew Rode, Morningside (Iowa)
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