DALLAS (FWAA) Southern Illinois head coach Jerry Kill is this week's nominee for the FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award to be announced at the end of the 2006 season.
Kill, 45, who is battling cancer and a series of seizures, returned to coaching duties on Tuesday, a week after he was hospitalized for four days after suffering a seizure. Kill said doctors believe the seizures are caused by "fatigue and lack of sleep," and are not unusual.
Kill had a cancerous tumor removed from a kidney during the offseason, after delaying the surgery until after the 2005 season. Kill had a seizure during a game in November 2001 and again last year. The most recent seizure came after the taping of his weekly television show.
This season, the Salukis are 6-2, including a 35-28 win over Indiana, and are in the running for an NCAA Division I-AA playoff berth.
"I feel like I still have a lot in me," Kill said. "If I ever thought I was a hindrance to the program, I promise I'd step away."
For the first time, the FWAA and the FedEx Orange Bowl will announce a weekly nominee each Wednesday during the season. A blue-ribbon panel will determine the winner from all of the nominees. The winner of the FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award will be announced in December and be presented with the trophy.
The Courage Award was created by ESPN The Magazine's senior writer Gene Wojciechowski, also a FWAA member. A select group of writers from the FWAA vote on the winner each year. The requirements for nomination include displaying courage, on or off the field, including overcoming an injury or physical handicap, preventing a disaster or living through hardship.
Previous winners of the FWAA's Courage Award are the Tulane football team (2005), Memphis' Haracio Colen (2004), San Jose State's Neil Parry (2003) and Toledo's William Bratton (2002).
The Orange Bowl Committee is a not-for-profit, 329-member, all-volunteer organization that exists as a self-sustaining, independent organization supporting and producing activities and events which enhance the image, economy, and culture of South Florida . Among the OBC core events are the Orange Bowl Festival, FedEx Orange Bowl and World-Class Halftime Show, the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, the WaMu Orange Bowl Fan Fest presented by the City of Miami, the Budweiser Orange Bowl Tailgate Party, Boston Market Orange Bowl Youth Football Championships, Orange Bowl Cheer & Dance Championships, Orange Bowl Swim Classic, Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships and Orange Bowl Sailing Regatta Series.
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 900 men and women across North America who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game day operations, major awards, a national poll and its annual All-America team.
2006 Orange Bowl Courage Award Nominees
Sept. 20: Ray Ray McElrathbey, Clemson
· Sept. 27: Martel Van Zant, Oklahoma State
· Oct. 4: Terry Hoeppner, Indiana
· Oct. 11: Dan Howell, Washington
· Oct. 18: Eddie Martin, Navy
· Oct. 25: Bill Doba, Washington State
· Nov. 1: Jerry Kill, Southern Illinois
· Nov. 8: Carl Pendleton, Oklahoma
· Nov. 15: Mike Tepper, California
· Nov. 29: Carlos Garcia, Oregon State