Tom Allen Headlines 2020 Werner Ladder AFCA FBS Regional Coach of the Year Winners
December 15, 2020
Indiana’s Tom Allen highlights today’s announcement of the 2020 Werner Ladder AFCA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Regional Coach of the Year winners. These winners will be honored during a virtual AFCA Convention on Tuesday, January 12, 2021.
The AFCA recognizes five regional Coach of the Year winners in each of the Association’s five divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III and NAIA. The winners are selected by Active members of the Association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions.
Werner Ladder became the title sponsor of the AFCA FBS Regional and National Coach of the Year awards in August of 2019 and is the world leader in ladders with a complete line of climbing products designed for working at heights.
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“Werner Ladder is excited to join the AFCA in announcing the 2020 Werner Ladder AFCA FBS Regional Coaches of the Year,” said Stacy Gardella, vice president of brand marketing at WernerCo. “These five coaches have ‘stepped up’ and shown great leadership leading their teams to unbelievable seasons during one of the most difficult years in recent memory.”
Allen, the Region 3 winner, earned his first AFCA Regional honor after guiding Indiana to a 6-1 regular season record and a No. 7 ranking in the Amway Coaches Poll. The Hoosiers 6-1 record is the best overall start to a season since 1993 and their best conference start since 1967. Allen is in his fourth year at Indiana and has guided the Hoosiers to 24 victories and one bowl game.
Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell takes home Region 1 honors. In earning his first Regional honor, Fickell has the Bearcats at No. 6 in the Amway Coaches Poll, undefeated on the season at 8-0 and playing in the American Athletic Conference Championship. He has an overall record of 34-13 at Cincinnati with back-to-back 11-win seasons in 2018 and 2019. The Bearcats have won two straight bowl games under Fickell and will look to make it three at the end of the 2020 season.
The only two-time winner in this year’s class comes from Region 2 in Coastal Carolina’s Jamey Chadwell. Chadwell earned his second AFCA Regional honor by guiding the Chanticleers to a 11-0 mark and an appearance in the Sun Belt Conference Championship game. This is Coastal Carolina’s first-ever undefeated regular season. Chadwell has 19 wins in his three seasons as head coach at Coastal, and 62 victories in his 11 seasons as a head coach at North Greenville, Delta State and Charleston Southern. Chadwell’s first Regional honor came in 2013 when he led Charleston Southern to a 12-3 record.
For Region 4, it is yet another first-time winner in Doc Holliday from Marshall. In his 11th season, Holliday has guided the Thundering Herd to a 7-1 record and an appearance in the Conference USA title game. He has recorded 85 wins at Marshall, including three straight seasons with 10 or more victories from 2013 to 2015. The Thundering Herd went 13-1 in 2014 with a Conference USA title and victory in the Boca Raton Bowl. Holliday has also led Marshall to seven bowl games, winning six of them.
The Region 5 winner is San José State’s Brent Brennan. Brennan has led the Spartans to a 6-0 record and the program’s first-ever Mountain West conference title game. This is also San José State’s first regular season winning record since 2012. The Spartans are ranked No. 25 in the latest Amway Coaches Poll. Brennan is in his fourth season as the Spartans’ head coach and tenth season overall at San José State.
AFCA National Coach of the Year
The AFCA will announce the 2020 Werner Ladder AFCA FBS National Coach of the Year on Tuesday, January 12 during the virtual AFCA Convention. The Regional winners are finalists for National Coach of the Year.
Award History
The AFCA began recognizing district coaches of the year following the 1960 season. The awards were established the same year Eastman Kodak agreed to sponsor the AFCA Coach of the Year award. Prior to 1960, the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain had sponsored the program, which recognized one national Coach of the Year.
The AFCA first recognized eight district winners in each of two divisions: university and college. In 1972, a ninth district was added in each division. In 1983, the award was changed to recognize regional winners instead of district winners. The number of divisions was also increased from two to four and five regional winners were selected in each division. This resulted in a more equitable selection process and better represented the make-up of the membership. At the same time, the new system increased the number of honorees from 18 to 20. In 2006, the AFCA Division II Award was split into separate Division II and NAIA divisions, giving us the 25 winners we now recognize.
Most Awards
Penn State’s Joe Paterno (District 2: 1967-68, 1971-73, 1977-78, 1982; Region 1: 1985; Region 3: 1994, 2005) has the most FBS District/Regional Coach of the Year honors with 11. Three coaches have won the award seven times: Bo Schembechler, Miami (Ohio), Michigan; Bob Devaney, Nebraska and Tom Osborne, Nebraska. Four coaches have won Regional honors six times: Vince Dooley, Georgia; Brian Kelly, Grand Valley State, Cincinnati, Notre Dame; John McKay, USC and Darrell Royal, Texas.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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Indiana’s Tom Allen highlights today’s announcement of the 2020 Werner Ladder AFCA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Regional Coach of the Year winners. These winners will be honored during a virtual AFCA Convention on Tuesday, January 12, 2021.
The AFCA recognizes five regional Coach of the Year winners in each of the Association’s five divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III and NAIA. The winners are selected by Active members of the Association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions.
Werner Ladder became the title sponsor of the AFCA FBS Regional and National Coach of the Year awards in August of 2019 and is the world leader in ladders with a complete line of climbing products designed for working at heights.
RELATED ARTICLE: 2021 35 Under 35 Participants Announced By AFCA
“Werner Ladder is excited to join the AFCA in announcing the 2020 Werner Ladder AFCA FBS Regional Coaches of the Year,” said Stacy Gardella, vice president of brand marketing at WernerCo. “These five coaches have ‘stepped up’ and shown great leadership leading their teams to unbelievable seasons during one of the most difficult years in recent memory.”
Allen, the Region 3 winner, earned his first AFCA Regional honor after guiding Indiana to a 6-1 regular season record and a No. 7 ranking in the Amway Coaches Poll. The Hoosiers 6-1 record is the best overall start to a season since 1993 and their best conference start since 1967. Allen is in his fourth year at Indiana and has guided the Hoosiers to 24 victories and one bowl game.
Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell takes home Region 1 honors. In earning his first Regional honor, Fickell has the Bearcats at No. 6 in the Amway Coaches Poll, undefeated on the season at 8-0 and playing in the American Athletic Conference Championship. He has an overall record of 34-13 at Cincinnati with back-to-back 11-win seasons in 2018 and 2019. The Bearcats have won two straight bowl games under Fickell and will look to make it three at the end of the 2020 season.
The only two-time winner in this year’s class comes from Region 2 in Coastal Carolina’s Jamey Chadwell. Chadwell earned his second AFCA Regional honor by guiding the Chanticleers to a 11-0 mark and an appearance in the Sun Belt Conference Championship game. This is Coastal Carolina’s first-ever undefeated regular season. Chadwell has 19 wins in his three seasons as head coach at Coastal, and 62 victories in his 11 seasons as a head coach at North Greenville, Delta State and Charleston Southern. Chadwell’s first Regional honor came in 2013 when he led Charleston Southern to a 12-3 record.
For Region 4, it is yet another first-time winner in Doc Holliday from Marshall. In his 11th season, Holliday has guided the Thundering Herd to a 7-1 record and an appearance in the Conference USA title game. He has recorded 85 wins at Marshall, including three straight seasons with 10 or more victories from 2013 to 2015. The Thundering Herd went 13-1 in 2014 with a Conference USA title and victory in the Boca Raton Bowl. Holliday has also led Marshall to seven bowl games, winning six of them.
The Region 5 winner is San José State’s Brent Brennan. Brennan has led the Spartans to a 6-0 record and the program’s first-ever Mountain West conference title game. This is also San José State’s first regular season winning record since 2012. The Spartans are ranked No. 25 in the latest Amway Coaches Poll. Brennan is in his fourth season as the Spartans’ head coach and tenth season overall at San José State.
AFCA National Coach of the Year
The AFCA will announce the 2020 Werner Ladder AFCA FBS National Coach of the Year on Tuesday, January 12 during the virtual AFCA Convention. The Regional winners are finalists for National Coach of the Year.
Award History
The AFCA began recognizing district coaches of the year following the 1960 season. The awards were established the same year Eastman Kodak agreed to sponsor the AFCA Coach of the Year award. Prior to 1960, the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain had sponsored the program, which recognized one national Coach of the Year.
The AFCA first recognized eight district winners in each of two divisions: university and college. In 1972, a ninth district was added in each division. In 1983, the award was changed to recognize regional winners instead of district winners. The number of divisions was also increased from two to four and five regional winners were selected in each division. This resulted in a more equitable selection process and better represented the make-up of the membership. At the same time, the new system increased the number of honorees from 18 to 20. In 2006, the AFCA Division II Award was split into separate Division II and NAIA divisions, giving us the 25 winners we now recognize.
Most Awards
Penn State’s Joe Paterno (District 2: 1967-68, 1971-73, 1977-78, 1982; Region 1: 1985; Region 3: 1994, 2005) has the most FBS District/Regional Coach of the Year honors with 11. Three coaches have won the award seven times: Bo Schembechler, Miami (Ohio), Michigan; Bob Devaney, Nebraska and Tom Osborne, Nebraska. Four coaches have won Regional honors six times: Vince Dooley, Georgia; Brian Kelly, Grand Valley State, Cincinnati, Notre Dame; John McKay, USC and Darrell Royal, Texas.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
