BOCA RATON, Fla. – (Nov. 16, 2017) – Florida Atlantic University’s Head Football Coach Lane Kiffin is a semifinalist for the 2017 George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year, which is presented by the Maxwell Football Club.
The list includes a field of 16 candidates for the award, who have been selected by the MFC National Selection Committee.
“Coach Kiffin has done a masterful job this year as our head coach,” said Pat Chun, FAU’s vice president and director of athletics. He has earned this honor and we congratulate him and his staff.”
Kiffin assumed the helm of Florida Atlantic’s football program in December of 2016. By February 1, Kiffin and his staff had built the No. 1 recruiting class in Conference USA. The 2017 Owls were predicted to finish fifth in the C-USA East Division. Today, the Owls sit atop the league standings with a perfect 6-0 mark and are in control needing a win in either of their last two games to secure the opportunity to host the DYNACRAFT Conference USA Football Championship Game, Saturday, Dec. 2 at noon on ESPN2.
Kiffin’s Owls have tallied the 6-0 C-USA mark via the running skills of Devin Singletary, a sophomore back who leads the nation in total TDs, scoring and is No. 5 in rushing yards. The defense, which has national ranks of No. 1 in interceptions and No. 3 in turnover margin at 1.50 per game, is led by the junior duo of Azeez Al-Shaair, who is No. 5 nationally in total tackles (11.3 per game) and Jalen Young, who is No. 3 in interceptions (0.5 per game).
FAU will host the 16th annual Shula Bowl this Saturday, pitting the host Owls versus FIU in the final home game of the 2017 regular season. Tickets for the game are available by phone at 866-FAU-OWLS or online at fausports.com. The game will be streamed and carried locally on television on STADIUM and also can be heard on ESPN 106.3.
Nominees:
Complete list: Matt Campbell (Iowa State), Paul Chryst (Wisconsin), Bill Clark (UAB), Mark Dantonio (Michigan State), Scott Frost (UCF), Lane Kiffin (Florida Atlantic), Gus Malzahn (Auburn), Jeff Monken (United State Military Academy), Dan Mullen (Mississippi State), Mark Richt (Miami), Lincoln Riley (Oklahoma), Rich Rodriguez (Arizona), Nick Saban (Alabama), Kirby Smart (Georgia), Dabo Swinney (Clemson), Jeff Tedford (Fresno State)
Semifinalist voting for the Maxwell Football Club Collegiate Coach of the Year award will begin on Friday, Nov. 17 and close on Monday, Dec. 11. The finalist round will include the top three
coaches, as selected in the semifinalist round. Finalist voting will open Dec. 12 and run until Dec. 26. The winner will be announced Dec. 27.
The formal presentation of the George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award will take place at the Maxwell Football Club’s National Awards Gala on Friday, March 9, 2018 at the Tropicana Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA Head Football Coaches, Sports
Information Directors and selected national media.
Nick Saban of the University of Alabama was the 2016 winner of the award.