FootballScoop is proud to announce that Justin Bane (Central Missouri) is the 2023 FootballScoop Division II Coordinator of the Year, presented by AstroTurf as selected by prior winners.
The primary job of the offensive coordinator is to move the ball and score points. No one had a better 2023 in either aspect than Bane.
The Mules racked up 49.4 points per game and 593.8 yards per game, both of which led Division II.
Central Missouri topped 40 points 10 times in 13 outings and bested the 50-point barrier four times, including a 55-point performance against Lenoir-Rhyne in the D2 semifinals.
But the Mules' offense best performance may have come in a losing effort.
Against a Harding defense that allowed just 10 points and less than 250 yards per game, Central Missouri racked up 534 yards on 8.1 per play and 34 points in a 35-34 defeat.
The attack was charged by quarterback Zach Zebrowski, the Harlon Hill Trophy winner as the Division II player of the year. Zebrowski led Division II in passing yards, touchdowns, and total offense. The junior hit 417-of-602 passes (69.3 percent) for 5,157 yards with 61 touchdowns against only five interceptions. While throwing the ball for a national-most 602 yards, Zebrowski also finished second in efficiency.
He fired five or more touchdowns in nine of 13 games, and never threw fewer than two. The Emporia State game was a highlight, as he racked up a ridiculous 615 yards and eight touchdowns in a 77-27 drubbing, but also went 24-of-34 for 467 yards and seven touchdowns in a 55-14 demolition of Henderson State.
In the title game, Zebrowski went 34-of-44 for 425 yards and five touchdowns.
Running back Marcellous Hawkins led the ground efforts with 1,083 yards and 18 touchdowns on just 157 carries, averaging just shy of seven yards per carry across the season.
Arkell Smith was Zebrowski's top target, hauling in 98 grabs for 1,425 yards and 18 touchdowns. Jack Poposil caught 71 passes for 815 yards and 10 scores; in total, five Mules caught at least five touchdowns, and four surpassed the 500-yard mark.
Zebrowski and Smith were named First Team AP All-Americans, and both were joined on the All-MIAA First Team by Hawkins and offensive lineman Gabe Clark. Poposil, wide receiver Demarcus Gregory and offensive lineman Liam Wortmann were All-MIAA Second Teamers, and wide receiver Price Morgan and offensive lineman Reed Kaburick earned honorable mention.
Bane worked in private business before joining the Central Missouri staff in March of 2023. He also coaches wide receivers and serves as player de
The FootballScoop Coaches of the Year awards presented by AstroTurf are the only set of awards that recognize the most outstanding position coaches in college football. The finalists (Roddy Mote [Harding], Edward Pointer [Virginia Union], Tripp Thomas [Colorado School of Mines], Matt Vitzhum [Grand Valley State] and Bane) were selected based off of nominations by coaches, athletic directors, and athletic department personnel. The prior winners selected this year's winner.
Previous winners of the Division II Coordinator of the Year award are Tim Beck (Pittsburg State [Kan.], 2008), Scott Preston (Arkansas Tech, 2009), Ken Collums (Abilene Christian, 2010), Hunter Hughes (Colorado State-Pueblo, 2011), Paul Tortorella (Indiana [Pa.], 2012), Josh Kline (Shepherd [W. Va.], 2013), Rich Wright (Northwest Missouri State, 2014 and 2015), Charlie Flohr (Northwest Missouri State, 2016), Matt Storm (Texas A&M-Commerce, 2017), Donnell Leomiti (Colorado State-Pubelo, 2018), Joe Beschorner (Minnesota State, 2019), Ryan Hodges (Ferris State [Mich.], 2021), and Pete Sterbick (Colorado School of Mines, 2022).
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