Kennesaw State's Brian Bohannon Named Eddie Robinson Award Finalist
Kennesaw State head football coach
Brian Bohannon has been named one of 15 finalists for the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award, it was announced on Tuesday.
In just the program's second season, Bohannon has guided the Owls to an 8-2 record, its first Top 25 ranking and a chance to earn a share of the Big South Conference title.
No. 22 Kennesaw State, which entered the FCS Coaches poll this week, has won four straight and eight of its last nine games. The Owls are at No. 13 Charleston Southern Saturday with the winner earning a share of the conference title with Liberty.
One of the most explosive offensive teams in the country, the Owls are the only team in the FCS to be ranked in the Top 5 in total offense, scoring offense, rushing offense and passing efficiency. Leading the way are senior RB
Chaston Bennett, who paces the Big South in touchdowns (14) and all-purpose yards (137.0 ypg) and sophomore QB
Chandler Burks, who is second in the conference in total offense (193.0 ypg).
After going 6-5 in their inaugural season last year, the Owls became just the second program since 2008 to record winning seasons in each of the program's first two years (Old Dominion). The team's 14 wins over the last two years are the third-most by a Division-I start-up program since 2008.
The list of coaches includes at least one representative from all 13 FCS conferences. STATS will present the esteemed Robinson Award at the national awards banquet on the eve of the NCAA Division I FCS Championship Game on Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas.
Named for the legendary coach of Grambling State, past winners of the Robinson Award include Mark Duffner, Erk Russell, Chris Ault, Jim Tressel, Houston Nutt, Andy Talley, Paul Johnson, Joe Glenn, Jerry Kill, Jerry Moore and the only two-time winners, Mickey Matthews and Craig Bohl.
The 15 finalists for 2016 include Bohannon, Rod Broadway (North Carolina A&T), Steve Campbell (Central Arkansas), Andy Coen (Lehigh), Broderick Fobbs (Grambling State), Mike Houston (James Madison), K.C. Keeler (Sam Houston State), Chris Klieman (North Dakota State, Dale Lindsey (San Diego), Jerry Mack (North Carolina Central), Bubba Schwiegert (North Dakota), Jason Simpson, (UT Martin), Bob Surace (Princeton), Brent Thompson (The Citadel) and Chris Villarrial (Saint Francis).
Robinson, who passed away in 2007, won 70.7 percent of his games during his illustrious career. Robinson's teams won or tied for 17 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championships after joining the league in 1959. His Tigers claimed nine black college football championships during his career, all spent at the same school.
A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will select the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award following the regular season. Also this season, STATS will present the Walter Payton Award (FCS offensive player of the year), the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year), the Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman player of the year) and the Doris Robinson FCS Scholar-Athlete of the Year.