The Biggest Winners: Honoring Top Coaches
November 4, 2011 by The Responsibility Project
They deserve recognition — the college football coaches who demonstrate sportsmanship, integrity, and personal responsibility. Every January, Liberty Mutual’s Coach of the Year Award gives one winner from each NCAA division $50,000 to donate to the charity of his choice and $20,000 to donate to his school’s alumni association for student scholarships and activities. Now in its fifth year of celebrating the best in college football coaches, the Award has already contributed nearly $1 million to such charities as Coach Kill Cancer Fund, United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and Friends of Pets.
Finalists are determined by online fan voting at Coach of the Year via a scoring model endorsed by the College Football Hall of Fame, which considers, among other criteria: wins, team penalties, on-field sportsmanship, academic achievement by student athletes, and the coaches’ civic and philanthropic endeavors. Winners are honored in the permanent Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year display at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana. Go online to vote for your own favorite, and read inspiring stories about present and past winners.
Find out more about Liberty Mutual’s Coach of the Year program at www.coachoftheyear.com.
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15 Comments
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November 23, 2011 by Jack Lindsey
I believe Les Miles should receive strong consideration for Coach of the year honors for several reasons. Starting prior to the season opener he had to deal with the bar brawl and the immediate short term and possible long term absence of his starting quarterback. The confidence he showed in Jarrett Lee trickled down to not only Lee but the rest of the team as well. They responded as a "team" should. Then the losss of Sheppard, Mathieu, Simon and Ware came and, just as before, there was no panic or apparent concern. The next guy stepped up and didn't miss a beat. Miles has gone through the LSU grinder of criticism and ridicule.He has always handled it with class and dignity but more important than that, he always has his team focused, ready and confident. They play multiple players at same positions and there seems to be no jealousy or envy among them. They all sincerely say whatever is best for the team is what they want. This is a special college and LSU team and it's all of Miles players. Few teams through the years have shown this much team unity and confident aggression. It is a direct reflection of Miles competiveness. And if you don't love these Tigers, then you don't love college football. What wins championships? Attacking, deliberate and ferocious defenses along with balanced power offenses and a coach that believes his TEAM can and will do anything he asks of them.
GEAUX TIGERS!!! 2011 Undisputed National Champions
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November 24, 2011 by tony davis
i give my nod to les miles and john chavis of LSU.....
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December 2, 2011 by R J
Frank Beamer- VA TECH Fighting Gobblers. His quiet career backed by 10 win seasons and consecutive bowl appearences speaks for itself. One of the last basement to top floor programs built by a coach with integrity and pride. Go Hokies!
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December 3, 2011 by Stan Fleck
Charlie Strong at the University of Louisville should easily be the coach of the year. He didn't begin with a team that was already good, he developed the 3rd youngest team in America to believe in themselves and to listen to him, a good man of experience. He had great teaching at Notre Dame, Florida, etc. The guys listen to him for on and off the field findings. He is very simply the BEST. I hope we can keep him for many years. He has everyone's respect.Please, Mr Jurich, do whatever you have to do to keep Charlie here.
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December 10, 2011 by Big Jim Slade
Lane Kiffin at USC hands down, even though most of you won't like it.
The NCAA went way overboard on the punishments (no bowls, reducing scholarships for years, and letting key players transfer) yet his team is ranked 5th nationally and is one of the few teams that could test LSU's defense. All this with a bunch of underclassmen.
There is no coach in the NCAA that had to do with a a similar list of artificial impediments. Oregon doesn't belong in the Rose Bowl, and but for a bit of unusual officiating Stanford wouldn't be in the Fiesta Bowl either.
One has to wonder why USC was singled out by the NCAA, and further consider what comparable punishments await Miami, Ohio State, Auburn, Penn State, Alabama, and Florida.
Will they too have their national championships taken away?
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December 11, 2011 by Gray Grantham
Coach Bill Snyder @ K State. K State is not a Marquee destination for College Football players and yet K State finished 2nd in the Big 12 when they were picked to finish 8th. Bill Snyder's focus on teaching players to stick with the fundamentals of the game, get and education, earn a degree and be a better person/player each day, stay out of courtrooms, stay out of jails and give back to the community along with his personal involvement in local charities make Coach Snyder not only most worthy of Coach of the Year, but they should probably name a stadium after him.
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January 5, 2012 by Tyler
I feel you on Bill Snyder...The man is simply a genius and has done more with K-State with less talent than any other coach has in the nation. Other than Paul Rhodes from Iowa State I feel that Snyder deserves it more than anybody else
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December 14, 2011 by Mike Michaels
Always Chris Peterson. Clean program. Tremendous, under rated product on the field. A truly quality person. Many of the candidates attracting votes have very shady pasts - histories of dropping a program in mid year to run to the next ring on the ladder. Saban is one of those coaches. Petrino is a joke. Ran out on an Atlanta Falcons progrom that he had destroyed, in mid year to go to Arkansas. In Atlanta he is synonymous with all that is bad with college coaching. As for their team - a joke that played in the light weight division of the SEC.
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December 14, 2011 by Bo Bentley
As an Ohio state fan primarily, I'm not playing the part of a U of Michigan homer by any means, BUT Brady Hoke , in my opinion, is the coach of the year for what he's accomplished in his first year, going form a loousy dense and mediocre record under former coach Rich Rod to a 10-2 record and a win over OSU restoring that rivalry to its historically best traditional game of the year. He remade this team with mostly the old returners, by simply great coaching, especially on defense, and revamping an offense and use of their starring QB . He also brought in one of nation's best recruiting classes and with more talent and stronger, heavier players will continue to build Michigan's talent and promise to become even stronger Big Ten and BCS future contenders.With Urban Meyer installed at OSU, this rivalry will resume its greatness during the "Bo and Woody" years. Go Bucks!-but kudos to Brady!
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December 19, 2011 by SEC FAN
Mark Richt of UGA. Kudos to a man who stands for something other than winning at all costs. And he usually wins anyhow. He is building a monster down in Athens. The next few years will be a very good time to be a Georgia fan.
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January 7, 2012 by aw
Win First! 3 wins over teams that had a winning records, did not play the 3 toughest SEC teams regular season. (next year the same)
During the time Richt has been coach; Auburn undefeated twice 1 NT, Alabama 1 NT and soon to be 2, LSU 2 NT and Florida 2 NT
Richt has done less with more and does not deserve to be mentioned with Bill Synder, Paul Rhodes, Charlie Strong, Mike Gundy, Les Myles, Frank Beamer or Nick Saban.
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December 19, 2011 by dan thompson
Obviously it has to be Todd Graham, how else do you explain leading PItt to a 6-6 record in the mediocre Big East and being able to land the Arizona State job? He must be really really good......NOT. He should be called Sham & Scram Graham!
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January 4, 2012 by DAKOTA
PLEASE! USC-UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CHEATERS. TO WIN THIS AWARD THE COACH NEEDS THE HIGHEST INTEGERITY AND KIFFEN IS KNOWN FOR TELLING LIES JUST ASK TENNESSEE. THE COLLEGE KNOWINGLY PLAYED A PLAYER RECEIVING GIFTS. EASY TO SAY WHAT YOU THINK USC COULD DO IN A BOWL GAME WHEN THEY ARE SITTING AT HOME EVEN THOUGH I THINK ALOT OF BARKLEYS TALENT. HE SEEMS TO BE A GOOD KID WITH A LEVEL HEAD. WISH HE HAD CHOSEN PRO RATHER THAN RISK INJURY, BUT I CAN NOT FAULT HIM FOR HIS CHOICE.
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January 5, 2012 by Diane
Little Nicky Sabin has my vote. ROLL TIDE!!!
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