Mark Blaudschun
By Mark Blaudschun
DALLAS_ The coaching carousel is almost at a conclusion, so now it's time to focus on what happened during the 2025 regular season and judge who did the best job of coaching.'
The FWAA Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, one of the FWAA's most prestigious awards, will be decided in the next week.
Here's my primer on what to consider when casting your vote.
Let's start with one premise: Don't eliminate a coach of a pre-season Top 5 team who has guided his team to that position.
Let's start with the consensus favorite among the Top 5 in August
1. Texas--Steve Sarkasian.
Ooops.
2. Penn State--James Franklin.
Oh, my.
3. Ohio State--Ryan Day.
Legitimate contender and, in my opinion, with a 12-1 record because of new assistant coaches, a redshirt freshman quarterback and assorted other challenges.
4. Georgia--Kirby Smart
See Ryan Day
Lots of expectations but lots of challenges with new personnel. Worthy of consideration as the Dawgs beat Alabama in the SEC championship game.
5. Clemson--Dabo Swinney
Ooops.
It should also be noted that sometimes high-profile coaches such as Day and Smart are simply ignored because they are elite coaches.
The FWAA inexplicably DID NOT award Coach of the Year honors to Tom Osborne,during Nebraska's championship run and former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden. This year offers candidates.
ACC
Only one real possibility, Virgiinia's Tony Elliott Cavs were picked 11th in pre-season, Elliott was on "hot'' seat list Virginia made the ACC title game. Strong candidate
American
Tulane's Jon Sumrall made Troy a winner and has maintained the same thing with the Green Wave. After he beat North Texas in the American tile game, he has the Green Wave in the College Football Playoff before heading to Florida
Big 12
Texas Tech's Joey McGuire used NIL money perfectly and built a championship caliber team. A second win over BYU gives him more prestige and pushes the Red Raiders into national championship chatter.
Big Ten
Ohio State's Day deserves consideration for staying near the top and getting a shot at a second straight nationsl title.
Indiana's Curt Cignetti was last season's FWAA Coach of the Year. We've never had back-to-back Eddie winners, but with Indiana beating Ohio State and at 13--0, Cignetti should be a favorite. No one thought the Hoosiers would be in Top 10, much less the Top 2 in the Big Ten and No.1. seed in the College Football Playoff.
Conference USA
Jerry Mack won only .two games last season, his first at Kennesaw State, but claimed the 2025 conference championship this year and has a 10-3 overall record.
Independents
Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman did a marvelous job keeping the Irish in national contention after an 0-2 start. The Fighting Irish are 10-2 and done for the season after declining a bowl bid when they were left out of the College Football Playoff
UConn-Jim Mora's Huskies went from 3-9 to 9-3 and a bowl game for UConn and a new job at Colorado State for Mora.
SEC
Other candidates along with Smart: Texas A&M's Mike Elko, who guided the Aggies to an 11-1 season (and College Football Playoff bid) and Vanderbilt's Clark Lea, who registered the school's first 10-victory season.
Sun Belt
James Madison's Bob Chesney has JMU in the CFP and got himself the job at UCLA.
There's your list.
Vote wisely.