The fact that UAB's Bill Clark is not a finalist for this award speaks volumes of the good old boy cronyism in college football. Not that the list of finalists below are not fine coaches, but his omission is glaring. The loyalty shown by Coach Clark to his Players (past and present) and The University of Alabama Birmingham, topped off by the unimaginative results of this season, is a story-line that I don't know that Hollywood script writers could have dreamed up.

Am I the only one who suspects that Paul Jr. let out a big sigh of relief when the finalist were announced?

I guess one can only imagine now, how perfect the irony would have been had he won.

2017 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach Of The Year award finalists:

Paul Chryst - University of Wisconsin
Clay Helton - University of Southern California
Scott Frost – formerly with the University of Central Florida now with the University of Nebraska
Gus Malzahn - Auburn University
Jeff Monken - Army
Kirby Smart - University of Georgia
Dabo Swinney - Clemson University

Paul Chryst-12 wins, division winner
Clay Helton- 11 wins, conference winner
Scott Frost- 12 wins, conference winner
Gus Malzahn- 10 wins, division winner
Kirby Smart- 12 wins, conference champ, CFP bid
Dabo Swinney- 12 wins, conference champ, CFP bid

Monken is the only guy who won less than 10(Black Knights went 9-3), it was their third winning season in the last 21, highest win total since 1996 and first time posting back-to-back winning seasons since 89/90. On top of all that, he did it at a service academy, which fair or not, will score bonus points with some folks.

Perhaps a win in Denton, pushing your total to 9 wins and clinching the division would have gotten Clark on the list.

(12-14-2017 11:18 AM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  Paul Chryst-12 wins, division winner
Clay Helton- 11 wins, conference winner
Scott Frost- 12 wins, conference winner
Gus Malzahn- 10 wins, division winner
Kirby Smart- 12 wins, conference champ, CFP bid
Dabo Swinney- 12 wins, conference champ, CFP bid

Monken is the only guy who won less than 10(Black Knights went 9-3), it was their third winning season in the last 21, highest win total since 1996 and first time posting back-to-back winning seasons since 89/90. On top of all that, he did it at a service academy, which fair or not, will score bonus points with some folks.

Perhaps a win in Denton, pushing your total to 9 wins and clinching the division would have gotten Clark on the list.

Too bad Kiffin will never win the award, even if he were to win 11 games...

(12-14-2017 10:50 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  

(12-14-2017 11:18 AM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  Paul Chryst-12 wins, division winner
Clay Helton- 11 wins, conference winner
Scott Frost- 12 wins, conference winner
Gus Malzahn- 10 wins, division winner
Kirby Smart- 12 wins, conference champ, CFP bid
Dabo Swinney- 12 wins, conference champ, CFP bid

Monken is the only guy who won less than 10(Black Knights went 9-3), it was their third winning season in the last 21, highest win total since 1996 and first time posting back-to-back winning seasons since 89/90. On top of all that, he did it at a service academy, which fair or not, will score bonus points with some folks.

Perhaps a win in Denton, pushing your total to 9 wins and clinching the division would have gotten Clark on the list.

Too bad Kiffin will never win the award, even if he were to win 11 games...

I think you're missing the point.

It takes some extenuating circumstances to get recognition as a G5 HC, UAB had that with the shutdown, FAU didn't. Perhaps if FAU had never had a winning season and had won less than 2 games for years, maybe that would have been enough to get him on the finalist list.

Clark might have had a shot at 9-3 or 10-2, but that was only to get him to finalist, he was never going ti win either.

But it fairness, it's a bit premature to say Kiffin will never win it. You guys probably hold onto him for 2018, but if he replicates this year, or really even comes close, he might be able to wiin it at his next job in 2019.

The fact that he has won all the other awards and not a finalist here speaks volumes. I would also argue that Lane Kiffin should be in the mix IMHO.

In contrast, I'm glad to see Bill Clark receive multiple 1st place votes for the AP Coach of the Year (even if he didn't win).

https://wtop.com/ncaa-football/2017/12/a...-voting-4/

(12-15-2017 05:45 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  The fact that he has won all the other awards and not a finalist here speaks volumes. I would also argue that Lane Kiffin should be in the mix IMHO.

You can't lose to Buffalo and get on this list. Period.

clt says Brad Lambert was overlooked again.