The team postseason recognition didn’t go Indiana’s way, but head coach Tom Allen can still earn significant individual accolades.
The fourth year IU head coach has been named a finalist for three different national coach of the year honors after the Hoosiers’ historic 6-1 campaign.
Allen was named the Big Ten’s coach of the year last week.
Outgoing defensive coordinator Kane Wommack was also named as a finalist for the Broyles Award, which goes to the top college football assistant coach.
Here is a summary of each of the awards.
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Finalist
Allen is one of nine finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, it was announced by the Football Writers Association of America, in conjunction with the Allstate Sugar Bowl, on Monday afternoon. Allen is Indiana’s first finalist for the award since John Pont won it in 1967.
In alphabetical order the finalists are: Tom Allen, Indiana; Brent Brennan, San José State; Matt Campbell, Iowa State; Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina; Karl Dorrell, Colorado; Luke Fickell, Cincinnati; Nick Saban, Alabama; Kalani Sitake, BYU; and Dabo Swinney, Clemson.
The Eddie Robinson Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935.
The FWAA has presented a coaching award since the 1957 season when Ohio State’s Woody Hayes was named the first recipient. The FWAA coaching award is named after the late Robinson, a coaching legend at Grambling State University for 55 seasons.
The 2020 recipient will be announced the week of Jan. 4-8, 2021. The official presentation will be on the campus of the winning coach at a later date.
One of Eight Finalists for Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award
Allen is one of eight finalists for the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award, it was announced on Tuesday morning.
The Paul “Bear” Bryant Award annually recognizes the country’s top college football coaches for their contributions both on and off the field, making the sport better for athletes and fans alike by demonstrating grit, integrity and a winning approach to coaching and life. The award is the only college coaching honor selected after all postseason bowl games and the National Championship have been played.
Football coaching legend, Paul “Bear” Bryant, died from a heart attack in 1983. Moved to drive education around heart disease after his passing, the Bryant family teamed with the American Heart Association in 1986 building on the Association’s Coach of the Year Award to create the Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards program. Each year since then, the awards honor “Bear’s” legacy by recognizing coaching excellence while raising critical funds for research to eradicate cardiovascular disease through event sponsorships, an auction and individual charitable donations.
The 2020 Coach of the Year finalists are (in alphabetical order) —
Big 10 – Tom Allen – Indiana University
Big XII – Matt Campbell – Iowa State University
Group of 5 – Jamey Chadwell – Coastal Carolina University, Sun Belt Conference
Pac 12 – Mario Cristobal – University of Oregon
SEC – Jimbo Fisher – Texas A&M University
ACC – Brian Kelly – University of Notre Dame
SEC – Nick Saban – University of Alabama
ACC – Dabo Swinney – Clemson University
The Coach of the Year will be announced live on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, during a virtual awards ceremony with proceeds benefiting the American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary health organization devoted to a world of longer, healthier lives.
Allen Selected as Dodd Trophy Finalist
Allen has been selected as one of five finalists for the Dodd Trophy, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Finalists include five of the nation’s top coaches in college football who embody the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, both on and off the field.
One former winner of The Dodd Trophy was named a finalist as Brian Kelly (2018) was selected to this year’s list. This represents Pat Fitzgerald’s third selection as a finalist (2017 and 2018), while Allen, Matt Campbell and Luke Fickell are finalists for the first time.
The Dodd Trophy was established in 1976 to honor the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1A) head football coach whose program represents the highest ideals on and off the field.
“The Dodd Trophy is the sport’s most coveted coach of the year award because it looks holistically at all aspects of what a coach’s position should entail,” said Gary Stokan, Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO & president. “These five finalists have set themselves apart due to their success on the football field and in the classroom with their student-athletes, as well as their work in the communities they call home.”
The winner of the 2020 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during bowl week at this year’s Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
UPDATE: Allen was added to a fourth award semi-finalist list on Wednesday.
https://twitter.com/MaxwellFootball/status/1341829399843201024?s=20
Wommack a Broyles Award Finalist
Indiana defensive coordinator Kane Wommack has been named one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, which honors college football’s top assistant coaches, the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation announced on Tuesday afternoon. Wommack is the Hoosiers first finalist.
In addition to Wommack, Alabama’s Steve Sarkisian (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks), BYU’s Jeff Grimes (offensive coordinator), Cincinnati’s Marcus Freeman (defensive coordinator/linebackers) and Northwestern’s Mike Hankwitz (defensive coordinator) round out the finalists.
The winner will be announced live on Monday, Dec. 28, at 12:45 ET on KATV in Little Rock, Ark.
Wommack was named the head coach at South Alabama on Sunday, Dec. 13. He will coach IU through the Outback Bowl.
The youngest FBS head coach (33) has his charges leading the Big Ten in interceptions (17, 1st nationally), opponent red zone scores (57.9, 1st), sacks (3.3, T-8th) and takeaways (20, T-10th), third in opponent passing efficiency (115.7, 15th), fourth in scoring defense (19.4, 19th), opponent completion percentage (57.1, T-26th) and opponent third-down conversions (36.7, 32nd), fifth in rush defense (135.7, T-32nd) and sixth in total defense (361.7, 36th).
Find us on Facebook: thedailyhoosier
You can follow us on Twitter: @daily_hoosier
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no additional cost to you.
