Richt Named to Paul "Bear" Bryant Award Watch List
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami second-year head coach Mark Richt was selected to the 20-member Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Watch List, the American Heart Association (AHA) announced Wednesday.
Richt has led No. 8/7 Miami to its best start to a season since 2013 (5-0) and guided the Hurricanes to a 3-0 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play for just the fourth time.
The Hurricanes are ranked in the top 10 for the second straight year under Richt, who is 14-4 since becoming head coach at Miami in December 2015.
Richt’s 14-4 start to his head coaching career is the third-best mark in modern Miami Hurricanes football history through 18 games, trailing only Larry Coker (18-0) and Dennis Erickson (15-3).
Miami’s current 10-game winning streak is its longest since 2003-2004 and the second-longest active streak nationwide at the FBS level.
Representing the nation’s best in college football, these coaches will compete for the highly-coveted and final title of the season: the 2017 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year. The winner will be announced live on Jan. 10, 2018 during the awards dinner and ceremony at the Hilton Americas in Houston.
The Watch List precedes the announcement of the finalists in December. These coaches are invited to the Bryant Awards in Houston to find out who will be the 2017 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year.
Now in its 32nd year, the award recognizes the country’s top college football coaches for their contributions both on and off the field. The Coach of the Year Award is the only college coaching honor selected after all bowl games are concluded and is voted on by the National Sports Media Association.
To purchase tickets to the Bryant Awards, contact 832-918-4009 or visit www.bryantawards.org.
Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Watch List
• Paul Chryst – University of Wisconsin
• Mark Dantonio– Michigan State University
• Dave Doeren – North Carolina State University
• James Franklin – Penn State University
• Scott Frost – University of Central Florida
• Mike Gundy –Oklahoma State University
• Clay Helton – University of Southern California
• Brian Kelly – University of Notre Dame
• Mike Leach – Washington State University
• Rocky Long– San Diego State University
• Urban Meyer – Ohio State University
• Mike Norvell – University of Memphis
• Gary Patterson– Texas Christian University
• Chris Petersen– University of Washington
• Mark Richt – University of Miami
• Lincoln Riley – University of Oklahoma
• Nick Saban – University of Alabama
• Kirby Smart – University of Georgia
• Charlie Strong – University of South Florida
• Dabo Swinney – Clemson University
