Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell Named 2021 Werner Ladder AFCA FBS National Coach of the Year
January 9, 2022
Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell has been named the 2021 Werner Ladder AFCA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) National Coach of the Year. He was honored during an awards presentation during the 2022 AFCA Convention today.
Fickell was selected by a vote of the Active AFCA members at FBS schools. The AFCA has named a Coach of the Year since 1935. The Werner Ladder AFCA FBS Coach of the Year award is the oldest and most prestigious of all Coach of the Year awards and is the only one chosen exclusively by coaches.
Werner Ladder became the title sponsor of the AFCA FBS Regional and National Coach of the Year awards in August of 2019. Werner is the world leader in ladders and has a complete line of climbing products designed for working at heights.
RELATED ARTICLE: Luke Fickell Headlines 2021 Werner Ladder AFCA FBS Regional Coach of the Year Winners
“Werner is once again excited to be the sponsor and associated with such a prestigious award,” said Stacy Gardella, vice president of brand marketing at WernerCo. “Coach Fickell led Cincinnati to its greatest season in 2021 as the Bearcats ‘stepped up’ to the College Football Playoff and went toe-to-toe with the nation’s best program over the past decade.”
The current balloting procedure involves selection of five regional winners who become finalist for national coach of the year. The other finalist were: Sam Pittman, Arkansas; Mel Tucker, Michigan State; Jeff Traylor, UTSA and Blake Anderson, Utah State.
Fickell earned his first AFCA FBS national honor by guiding the Bearcats to a 13-1 record, the American Athletic Conference title and the program’s first appearance in the College Football Playoff. The Bearcats faced Alabama in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. Fickell has an overall record of 48-15 in his five years as head coach. He has led Cincinnati to two AAC titles, an AAC East Division championship in 2019 and four bowl game appearances, winning two of them.
Prior to Cincinnati, Fickell was a long-time assistant coach at his alma mater, Ohio State. He was a member of the Buckeyes football team from 1993-96, then after one season in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, Fickell returned to Ohio State as a graduate assistant coach in 1999. He spent two years as the defensive line coach at Akron before returning to the Buckeyes as a special teams coach in 2002. Fickell would also coach the linebackers and become co-defensive coordinator before being named interim head coach in 2011. Ohio State went 6-7 and played in the Gator Bowl that season. When Ohio State hired Urban Meyer as head coach, Fickell served as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach until he was named head coach at Cincinnati in 2017.
Most Awards
Penn State’s Joe Paterno has the most AFCA FBS National Coach of the Year awards with five. He won his honors in 1968, 1972, 1982, 1986 and 2005. Second behind Paterno is Alabama’s Paul “Bear” Bryant with three honors in 1961, 1971 and 1973. Three coaches are tied for third with two honors each: Darrell Royal, Texas, 1963, 1970; John McKay, USC, 1962, 1972 and Gary Patterson, TCU, 2009, 2014.
About Werner
WERNER, a WernerCo brand, is the world leader in ladders and has a complete line of climbing products designed for working at heights. The portfolio includes ladders, attic ladders, scaffolding, pump jacks, stages, planks, accessories and fall protection equipment including harnesses, lanyards, anchors and compliance kits. From ladders to fall protection, Werner provides a full line of climbing equipment that’s engineered for maximum safety, durability and productivity at every height. For more information, visit www.wernerladder.com.
About AFCA
The AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 11,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was formed, in part, to “maintain the highest possible standards in football and in the coaching profession” and to “provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football.”
AFCA FBS Coach of the Year Winners – All-Time List
1935 Lynn Waldorf, Northwestern
1936 Dick Harlow, Harvard
1937 Edward E. Mylin, Lafayette
1938 Bill Kern, Carnegie Tech
1939 Dr. Eddie Anderson, Iowa
1940 Clark Shaughnessy, Stanford
1941 Frank Leahy, Notre Dame
1942 Bill Alexander, Georgia Tech
1943 Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pacific
1944 Carroll Widdoes, Ohio St.
1945 Bo McMillin, Indiana
1946 Red Blaik, Army
1947 Fritz Crisler, Michigan
1948 Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan
1949 Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma
1950 Charles Caldwell, Princeton
1951 Charles Taylor, Stanford
1952 Biggie Munn, Michigan St.
1953 James Tatum, Maryland
1954 Red Sanders, UCLA
1955 Duffy Daugherty, Michigan St.
1956 Bowden Wyatt, Tennessee
1957 Woody Hayes, Ohio St.
1958 Paul Dietzel, Louisiana St.
1959 Ben Schwartzwalder, Syracuse
1960 Murray Warmath, Minnesota
1961 Paul “Bear” Bryant, Alabama
1962 John McKay, USC
1963 Darrell Royal, Texas
1964 Frank Broyles, Arkansas
Ara Parseghian, Notre Dame (tie)
1965 Tommy Prothro, UCLA
1966 Tom Cahill, Army
1967 John Pont, Indiana
1968 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
1969 Bo Schembechler, Michigan
1970 Charlie McClendon, LSU
Darrell Royal, Texas (tie)
1971 Paul “Bear” Bryant, Alabama
1972 John McKay, USC
1973 Paul “Bear” Bryant, Alabama
1974 Grant Teaff, Baylor
1975 Frank Kush, Arizona St.
1976 Johnny Majors, Pittsburgh
1977 Don James, Washington
1978 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
1979 Earle Bruce, Ohio St.
1980 Vince Dooley, Georgia
1981 Danny Ford, Clemson
1982 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
1983 Ken Hatfield, Air Force
1984 LaVell Edwards, Brigham Young
1985 Fisher DeBerry, Air Force
1986 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
1987 Dick MacPherson, Syracuse
1988 Don Nehlen, West Virginia
1989 Bill McCartney, Colorado
1990 Bobby Ross, Georgia Tech
1991 Bill Lewis, East Carolina
1992 Gene Stallings, Alabama
1993 Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin
1994 Tom Osborne, Nebraska
1995 Gary Barnett, Northwestern
1996 Bruce Snyder, Arizona St.
1997 Lloyd Carr, Michigan
1998 Phil Fulmer, Tennessee
1999 Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
2000 Bob Stoops, Oklahoma
2001 Larry Coker, Miami (Fla.)
Ralph Friedgen, Maryland (tie)
2002 Jim Tressel, Ohio St.
2003 Pete Carroll, USC
2004 Tommy Tuberville, Auburn
2005 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
2006 Jim Grobe, Wake Forest
2007 Mark Mangino, Kansas
2008 Kyle Whittingham, Utah
2009 Gary Patterson, TCU
2010 Chip Kelly, Oregon
2011 Les Miles, LSU
2012 Brian Kelly, Notre Dame
2013 David Cutcliffe, Duke
2014 Gary Patterson, TCU
2015 Dabo Swinney, Clemson
2016 Mike MacIntyre, Colorado
2017 Scott Frost, Central Florida
2018 Mike Leach, Washington State
2019 Ed Orgeron, LSU
2020 Tom Allen, Indiana
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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Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell has been named the 2021 Werner Ladder AFCA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) National Coach of the Year. He was honored during an awards presentation during the 2022 AFCA Convention today.
Fickell was selected by a vote of the Active AFCA members at FBS schools. The AFCA has named a Coach of the Year since 1935. The Werner Ladder AFCA FBS Coach of the Year award is the oldest and most prestigious of all Coach of the Year awards and is the only one chosen exclusively by coaches.
Werner Ladder became the title sponsor of the AFCA FBS Regional and National Coach of the Year awards in August of 2019. Werner is the world leader in ladders and has a complete line of climbing products designed for working at heights.
RELATED ARTICLE: Luke Fickell Headlines 2021 Werner Ladder AFCA FBS Regional Coach of the Year Winners
“Werner is once again excited to be the sponsor and associated with such a prestigious award,” said Stacy Gardella, vice president of brand marketing at WernerCo. “Coach Fickell led Cincinnati to its greatest season in 2021 as the Bearcats ‘stepped up’ to the College Football Playoff and went toe-to-toe with the nation’s best program over the past decade.”
The current balloting procedure involves selection of five regional winners who become finalist for national coach of the year. The other finalist were: Sam Pittman, Arkansas; Mel Tucker, Michigan State; Jeff Traylor, UTSA and Blake Anderson, Utah State.
Fickell earned his first AFCA FBS national honor by guiding the Bearcats to a 13-1 record, the American Athletic Conference title and the program’s first appearance in the College Football Playoff. The Bearcats faced Alabama in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. Fickell has an overall record of 48-15 in his five years as head coach. He has led Cincinnati to two AAC titles, an AAC East Division championship in 2019 and four bowl game appearances, winning two of them.
Prior to Cincinnati, Fickell was a long-time assistant coach at his alma mater, Ohio State. He was a member of the Buckeyes football team from 1993-96, then after one season in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, Fickell returned to Ohio State as a graduate assistant coach in 1999. He spent two years as the defensive line coach at Akron before returning to the Buckeyes as a special teams coach in 2002. Fickell would also coach the linebackers and become co-defensive coordinator before being named interim head coach in 2011. Ohio State went 6-7 and played in the Gator Bowl that season. When Ohio State hired Urban Meyer as head coach, Fickell served as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach until he was named head coach at Cincinnati in 2017.
Most Awards
Penn State’s Joe Paterno has the most AFCA FBS National Coach of the Year awards with five. He won his honors in 1968, 1972, 1982, 1986 and 2005. Second behind Paterno is Alabama’s Paul “Bear” Bryant with three honors in 1961, 1971 and 1973. Three coaches are tied for third with two honors each: Darrell Royal, Texas, 1963, 1970; John McKay, USC, 1962, 1972 and Gary Patterson, TCU, 2009, 2014.
About Werner
WERNER, a WernerCo brand, is the world leader in ladders and has a complete line of climbing products designed for working at heights. The portfolio includes ladders, attic ladders, scaffolding, pump jacks, stages, planks, accessories and fall protection equipment including harnesses, lanyards, anchors and compliance kits. From ladders to fall protection, Werner provides a full line of climbing equipment that’s engineered for maximum safety, durability and productivity at every height. For more information, visit www.wernerladder.com.
About AFCA
The AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 11,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was formed, in part, to “maintain the highest possible standards in football and in the coaching profession” and to “provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football.”
AFCA FBS Coach of the Year Winners – All-Time List
1935 Lynn Waldorf, Northwestern
1936 Dick Harlow, Harvard
1937 Edward E. Mylin, Lafayette
1938 Bill Kern, Carnegie Tech
1939 Dr. Eddie Anderson, Iowa
1940 Clark Shaughnessy, Stanford
1941 Frank Leahy, Notre Dame
1942 Bill Alexander, Georgia Tech
1943 Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pacific
1944 Carroll Widdoes, Ohio St.
1945 Bo McMillin, Indiana
1946 Red Blaik, Army
1947 Fritz Crisler, Michigan
1948 Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan
1949 Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma
1950 Charles Caldwell, Princeton
1951 Charles Taylor, Stanford
1952 Biggie Munn, Michigan St.
1953 James Tatum, Maryland
1954 Red Sanders, UCLA
1955 Duffy Daugherty, Michigan St.
1956 Bowden Wyatt, Tennessee
1957 Woody Hayes, Ohio St.
1958 Paul Dietzel, Louisiana St.
1959 Ben Schwartzwalder, Syracuse
1960 Murray Warmath, Minnesota
1961 Paul “Bear” Bryant, Alabama
1962 John McKay, USC
1963 Darrell Royal, Texas
1964 Frank Broyles, Arkansas
Ara Parseghian, Notre Dame (tie)
1965 Tommy Prothro, UCLA
1966 Tom Cahill, Army
1967 John Pont, Indiana
1968 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
1969 Bo Schembechler, Michigan
1970 Charlie McClendon, LSU
Darrell Royal, Texas (tie)
1971 Paul “Bear” Bryant, Alabama
1972 John McKay, USC
1973 Paul “Bear” Bryant, Alabama
1974 Grant Teaff, Baylor
1975 Frank Kush, Arizona St.
1976 Johnny Majors, Pittsburgh
1977 Don James, Washington
1978 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
1979 Earle Bruce, Ohio St.
1980 Vince Dooley, Georgia
1981 Danny Ford, Clemson
1982 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
1983 Ken Hatfield, Air Force
1984 LaVell Edwards, Brigham Young
1985 Fisher DeBerry, Air Force
1986 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
1987 Dick MacPherson, Syracuse
1988 Don Nehlen, West Virginia
1989 Bill McCartney, Colorado
1990 Bobby Ross, Georgia Tech
1991 Bill Lewis, East Carolina
1992 Gene Stallings, Alabama
1993 Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin
1994 Tom Osborne, Nebraska
1995 Gary Barnett, Northwestern
1996 Bruce Snyder, Arizona St.
1997 Lloyd Carr, Michigan
1998 Phil Fulmer, Tennessee
1999 Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
2000 Bob Stoops, Oklahoma
2001 Larry Coker, Miami (Fla.)
Ralph Friedgen, Maryland (tie)
2002 Jim Tressel, Ohio St.
2003 Pete Carroll, USC
2004 Tommy Tuberville, Auburn
2005 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
2006 Jim Grobe, Wake Forest
2007 Mark Mangino, Kansas
2008 Kyle Whittingham, Utah
2009 Gary Patterson, TCU
2010 Chip Kelly, Oregon
2011 Les Miles, LSU
2012 Brian Kelly, Notre Dame
2013 David Cutcliffe, Duke
2014 Gary Patterson, TCU
2015 Dabo Swinney, Clemson
2016 Mike MacIntyre, Colorado
2017 Scott Frost, Central Florida
2018 Mike Leach, Washington State
2019 Ed Orgeron, LSU
2020 Tom Allen, Indiana
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.
