Coach Scott Frost was honored by the FWAA and the Allstate Sugar Bowl as the 2017 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year at a reception on Saturday night in Atlanta. Frost took the UCF Knights to a 13-0 record, but it is now headed to Nebraska.
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Past Presidents gather for dinner hosted by NFF
The FWAA Past Presidents’ Dinner, hosted by the National Football Foundation, was at the Capital City Club in Atlanta on Jan. 5. Past presidents in attendance were, back row, left to right, Kirk Bohls, Dennis Dodd, Mark Blaudchun, Chris Dufresne, Dick Weiss, Tony Barnhart, Tim Griffin. Front Row, left to right, Dave Jones. Bill Lumpkin, Ivan Maisel.
National Football Foundation to host FWAA Past Presidents’ Dinner in Atlanta
i6 and diDNA join the NFF as presenting sponsors of the event.
The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today it will host the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Past Presidents’ Dinner for a seventh consecutive year, which will take place Jan. 5 in Atlanta, the site of the Jan. 8 College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship between No. 3 Georgia (13-1) and No. 4 Alabama (12-1).
“There is no organization more committed to college football than the FWAA, and we are proud to show our support by hosting this special tradition again,” said NFF President and CEO Steve Hatchell. “The members of the FWAA, and especially the past presidents, represent the top writers in the country, providing fans all around the country a front row seat to the action as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the game. It’s a privilege to support this annual celebration as a show of our support and appreciation for their passion and hard work.”
The FWAA Past Presidents’ Dinner serves as the kickoff event for the writers covering the CFP National Championship, and the event includes a visit from CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock and the display of the iconic gold CFP trophy. i6, a leading ticketing design and packaging manufacturer, and diDNA, a technology company that helps publishers optimize their digital content, have partnered with the NFF as presenting sponsors of the event.
“College football fans rank among the most passionate of all the sports around the world, which completely aligns with our vision,” said Rodney Moore, Director of Sales for West Virginia-based company i6. “Showing our support for those who cover college football provides us a poignant way to acknowledge the role that the writers play in expanding interest in the game… because after all, Memories Matter.”
“Media outlets represent an important market for us, so it’s natural for us to support the men and women providing the content,” said diDNA Chief Financial Officer Bill Lutzen. “The FWAA Past Presidents’ Dinner brings together many of the best writers in the country, so it’s a real honor for us to be in the room with them, and not just from a business perspective but as fans too.”
Founded in 1941, the FWAA consists of journalists, broadcasters, publicists and key executives who cover college football. The FWAA’s efforts include advocating for appropriate game-day access and operations, bestowing several major awards and selecting an All-America team.
“We are extremely appreciative of the support from the NFF, CFP, i6 and diDNA,” said FWAA Executive Director Steve Richardson. “The Past Presidents’ Dinner provides a special opportunity for the FWAA to bring together the leaders of our organization. It is a cherished tradition, which is truly appreciated by our membership.”
The relationship between the NFF and the FWAA stretches back to the 1940s when both organizations where founded. Currently, the organizations partner on the FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll, a weekly ranking of the teams playing the Football Bowl Subdivision. The FWAA also announces the finalists for the FWAA Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award as part of the NFF Annual Awards Press Conference each December in New York City.
About the Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. 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 and its annual All- America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com or 214-870-6516 or visit www.sportswriters.net/fwaa.
ABOUT The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include Football Matters®, the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, The William V. Campbell Trophy® presented by Fidelity Investments, annual scholarships of more than $1.3 million and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Herff Jones, New York Athletic Club, Pasadena Tournament of Roses, PrimeSport, the Sports Business Journal, Under Armour and VICIS. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.
Wisconsin’s D’Cota Dixon wins FWAA Courage Award 1
| Dixon had three tackles in Wisconsin’s 34-24 victory over Miami, Fla in the Capital One Orange Bowl this past Saturday. The Badgers finished the season 13-1.
DALLAS – Wisconsin safety D’Cota Dixon is the winner of the 2017 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Dixon, a 5-foot-10, 204-pound redshirt junior, overcame an unstable family situation and personal health issues to post his second straight all-Big Ten season for the 12-1 Badgers.  D’Cota Dixon “I’ve always had to face trials and tribulations in some form or matter,” Dixon said in a UWBadgers.com video feature in October. “Though I had relatives and family that were close, and I knew they loved me – I know they always meant the best and loved me — but I felt like nothing was ever stable. I felt like it was always somebody leaving.” Dixon had a brother convicted of attempted murder, and he was placed in foster care as his mother struggled to provide for the family. Dixon’s father and his father’s girlfriend, Beth Coston, took Dixon and another brother in. But as Dixon’s father’s drug addiction grew intense, Coston assumed guardianship and moved the brothers away. “I didn’t really know my dad but I knew who he was, but I never had a true relationship with him, even when I was in Miami,” Dixon said. “But I had comfort in my mom. She loved us very much. She had a manic depression illness, so there would be times where she wasn’t home. It was just real tough when we got taken from her, but by the grace of God it was a blessing in disguise because I do have a mother named Beth who I love very much. That’s my sweetheart.” Dixon later repaired his relationship with his father, but his father passed away. Dixon and Coston were then evicted from their home during Dixon’s senior year of high school. Dixon’s girlfriend, Grace, and her mother took Dixon in. “The time that I had with him, that solid probably from seventh grade to ninth grade, was the best years ever,” Dixon said. “So it just hit me. It hurt me so much when he died my freshman year in high school, and really for me I felt like it was like: Here we go again. I was kind of just real numb and just real angry. “I didn’t go to school for like two weeks. I was real mad, just frustrated.” In the spring of 2016, Dixon spent a week in the hospital with a life-threatening infection that left him in pain and unable to walk. He recovered in time to start the season opener, which he punctuated with an interception with 57 seconds left to seal a win against No. 5 LSU. Dixon started all 14 games for the Badgers, who went 11-3 and won the Cotton Bowl. He recorded 60 tackles, four interceptions and four pass break-ups en route to third-team All-Big Ten honors, in addition to Academic All-Big Ten honors. Dixon picked up where he left off in 2017, fighting through a hamstring injury to play in 10 games, start eight and earn first-team All-Big Ten honors from the league’s coaches. (He was named second-team all-conference by the media.) He tallied 52 tackles, including 3.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks, to go with one interception, three breakups, one hurry and one forced fumble. He posted a game-best 12 tackles in a Sept. 30 win against Northwestern in the Big Ten opener, including a safety in the final minute to help preserve the victory – a victory that ended up being the deciding factor in the Big Ten West race. Dixon was again an Academic All-Big Ten honoree, and the No. 6 Badgers ran the regular-season table before the Big Ten title game. They entered bowl season with the nation’s No. 1 defense (253.2 yards per game). “This is a tremendous honor for D’Cota,” Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said. “I really admire the way he approaches and appreciates life. With what he has gone through, for him to have such a positive outlook and be so willing to help others is a real testament to his character and his faith. He is intent on maximizing all of his opportunities. The best thing I can say about D’Cota is that if you spend any amount of time around him, he makes you want to be a better person, because of how he carries himself and his genuine care for others.” Though Dixon had eventually moved with his brother and Coston to Oak Hill, Florida, he is a South Florida native. And he will be returning to the area for the Badgers’ finale, as they take on No. 11 Miami on Dec. 30 in the Capital One Orange Bowl. “I feel like my hardships and trials have built me to who I am today and I’m proud of them,” Dixon said. “I wouldn’t take nothing back. I wouldn’t change one thing, not one single event that ever happened in my life. I’m grateful for them, in all honesty.” The Courage Award was first presented by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) in 2002. 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. James Conner will be included in festivities during Capital One Orange Bowl week and receive his trophy at an on-field presentation during the Capital One Orange Bowl game between No. 6 Michigan and No. 11 Florida State on Dec. 30. Previous winners of the Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award are Pittsburgh running back James Conner (2016), Miami offensive lineman Hunter Knighton (2015), Duke offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson (2014), San Jose State defensive lineman Anthony Larceval (2013), Clemson wide receiver Daniel Rodriguez (2012), Michigan State offensive lineman Arthur Ray Jr. (2011), Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand (2010), the University of Connecticut football team (2009), Tulsa’s Wilson Holloway (2008), Navy’s Zerbin Singleton (2007), Clemson’s Ray Ray McElrathbey (2006), the Tulane football team (2005), Memphis’ Haracio Colen (2004), San Jose State’s Neil Parry (2003) and Toledo’s William Bratton (2002). About the Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is a 360-member, primarily-volunteer non-profit sports organization that promotes and serves the South Florida community. With its primary mission since being created in 1935 to bring tourism to South Florida through an annual football game and events, it has also maintained a legacy of charitable contributions and community outreach. Orange Bowl community outreach efforts are comprised of four pillars: youth sports, fundraising and community events, academic programs and scholarships, and legacy gifts. The Orange Bowl features a year-round schedule of events culminating with the Capital One Orange Bowl on December 30, 2017. For more information on the 2017-18 Orange Bowl events, including promotional and volunteer opportunities through the Ambassador Program presented by Panera Bread, log on to orangebowl.org. Follow Orange Bowl: @OrangeBowl, Facebook and Instagram. |
Members invited to Coach of the Year reception
40 bowl games, and ‘everybody wins’
Wright Waters, executive director of the College Bowl Association, says that “everybody wins” in the 40 bowl games, even in those games some of us consider meaningless.
CLICK HERE to read Blair Kerkhoff’s take in the Kansas City Star.
Scott Frost named FWAA/Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award
DALLAS — It took Scott Frost only two seasons to turn what was a winless UCF team into an unbeaten one. For finishing a complete turnaround this season that includes a conference championship and a New Year’s Day bowl bid, Frost earned the 2017 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, the association and the Allstate Sugar Bowl announced Thursday.
UCF (12-0) was the only unbeaten team in the Football Bowl Subdivision in the regular season, and will meet Auburn (10-3) in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day. Five days later he will return to Atlanta to be honored as the FWAA’s coach of the year. It will be Frost’s final game at UCF before taking over as head coach at his alma mater, Nebraska. As a senior quarterback, Frost helped lead the Cornhuskers to a perfect 13-0 record and a national championship in 1997.
2017 FWAA/Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Scott Frost, who led the University of Central Florida to an unbeaten season and will become Nebraska’s next coach, at the College Football Awards Show on Dec. 7 in Atlanta.
“Scott Frost is one of the up-and-coming coaches in college football,” said 2017 FWAA President Dave Jones of the PA Media Group. “What he did at UCF was nothing short of remarkable in just two seasons.”
In conjunction with presenting sponsor, the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the Football Writers Association of America selected Frost over seven other finalists: Bill Clark of UAB; Lane Kiffin of Florida Atlantic; Jeff Monken of Army; Lincoln Riley of Oklahoma; Kirby Smart of Georgia; Dabo Swinney of Clemson; and Jeff Tedford of Fresno State.
Frost became the first coach whose school is not currently among the Power Five conferences to win the FWAA Coach of the Year Award since Air Force’s Fisher DeBerry in 1985.
“The Allstate Sugar Bowl is proud to be able to honor Coach Robinson, a Louisiana legend, by sponsoring this award,” said Stanley Cohn, the President of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Committee. “I would also like to congratulate Scott Frost on earning this honor. To take a team that was winless two years ago all the way to an undefeated season and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl is a very impressive feat. We look forward to officially presenting the trophy to him in Atlanta next month.”
The official presentation will be on Jan. 6, 2018, at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel where Frost will be handed the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year bust during a reception in conjunction with the College Football Playoff National Championship.
The season prior to Frost’s arrival in Orlando from his post as Oregon’s offensive coordinator, the Knights were 0-12. In Frost’s first season in 2016, the Knights finished 6-7 and played in the AutoNation Cure Bowl in Orlando after making dramatic improvements on offense and defense.
That set the stage for 2017 and the Knights’ undefeated run to win the American Athletic Conference title. UCF led the FBS in scoring (49.4 points per game) with its “UCFast” offense and was tied for second in the country in turnover margin (plus-1.25 per game).
“I’m very proud of what this group of student-athletes and coaches has accomplished during my tenure at UCF,” Frost said last week. “The Knights should be in the conversation for the American Athletic Conference championship year in and year out. UCF should be a Top 25 program year in and year out. I believe this program is well on its way to establishing that level of success.
“The next head coach at UCF is inheriting an incredible group of young men and is more fortunate than he probably knows to be working at this place.”
The FWAA has presented a coaching award since the 1957 season when Ohio State’s Woody Hayes was named the first recipient. The FWAA coaching award is named after the late Robinson, a coaching legend at Grambling State University for 55 seasons.
Robinson, who passed away in 2007, won 70.7 percent of his games during his illustrious career. Robinson’s teams won or tied for 17 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championships after joining the league in 1959. His Tigers won nine Black College Football Championships during his career spent all at the same school.
The Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 24 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,300 men and women who cover college football. 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 and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com or call 214-870-6516.
The Allstate Sugar Bowl has established itself as one of the premier college football bowl games, having hosted 27 national champions, 92 Hall of Fame players, 48 Hall of Fame coaches and 17 Heisman Trophy winners in its 83-year history. The 84th Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic, which will double as a College Football Playoff Semifinal, will be played on January 1, 2018. In addition to football, the Sugar Bowl Committee annually invests over $1.6 million into the community through the hosting and sponsorship of sporting events, awards and clinics. Through these efforts, the organization supports and honors nearly 100,000 student-athletes each year, while injecting more than $2.5 billion into the local economy in the last decade. For more information, visit AllstateSugarBowl.org.
Tommy Nobis, 1965 Outland Trophy winner, has died
Tommy Nobis, who won the FWAA’s Outland Trophy while playing for Texas in 1965 and went on to a long and storied career with the Atlanta Falcons, died at his suburban Atlanta home on Wednesday. He was 74.
CLICK HERE to read the obituary by CBSNews.com.
Outland Trophy goes to Houston’s Ed Oliver
ATLANTA — Houston sophomore defensive tackle Ed Oliver was named the recipient of the 72nd Outland Trophy on Thursday night during The Home Depot College Football Awards from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
The Houston native claimed the trophy that goes to the top interior lineman in college football, as chosen by the Football Writers Association of American. Oliver is the first Houston player to receive the Outland Trophy, as well as the first sophomore to win the award since its inception in 1946. The 6-foot-3, 290-pound tackle was chosen over finalists Quenton Nelson, a senior offensive guard at Notre Dame, and Oklahoma junior offensive tackle Orlando Brown.
“Ed Oliver is one of the rising young stars in college football,” said FWAA President Dave Jones of the PA Media Group. “On the defensive line he is prolific. He is one of the most aggressive defenders in college football who some day will be in the National Football League.”
2017 Outland Trophy winner Ed Oliver of the University of Houston.
“I’m not surprised. He’s the best lineman in college football – it is not even close,” said Houston head coach Major Applewhite. “Ed is just a tremendous player. He has a lot of great physical skill. He works to hone those skills every day. He is a technician. He has a 3.2 GPA over his first semesters and you don’t have to worry about him off the field.”
Oliver is the fourth defensive tackle to win the Outland Trophy since 2007, following Pitt’s Aaron Donald (2013), Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh (2009) and LSU’s Glenn Dorsey (2007). A true sophomore in 2017, Oliver will return next season to the Cougars as a junior. In Atlanta, he was flanked by Houston head coach Major Applewhite and his brother Marcus Oliver, a senior starting offensive guard for the Cougars.
Oliver was a second-team FWAA All-American as a freshman and a member of the FWAA’s Freshman All-America Team. He has established himself as arguably the nation’s top defensive player as a sophomore playing the nose tackle position in the Cougars’ three-man front. Oliver tallied 69 tackles in 11 games despite missing portions of two games due to injury. He recorded a career-high 14 tackles in the final game of the regular season against Navy, including a career-high tying 3.5 tackles for loss.
On the season, Oliver has 5.5 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, three pass breakups and seven quarterback hurries. Oliver was also one of five finalists for the FWAA’s Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defensive player. He is the first player from Houston to win the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year honor.
“Defensively, it all starts with their defensive tackle, Ed Oliver, who I think is probably the most impactful player in our conference, and one of the most impactful defensive linemen in the country,” said Memphis coach Mike Norvell. “At any of the schools I’ve coached at, if we were playing this young man, I’d say he’s one of the best defensive linemen, regardless of conference, regardless of where they are, he’s a phenomenal player. And when you take a phenomenal player and you surround him with so many other explosive athletes that can create problems with their defensive scheme, it leads you to some sleepless nights.”
Previously, Oliver was a five-star recruit at Houston’s Westfield High School and was generally regarded as the No. 1 player in the state of Texas in 2016, choosing the Cougars over Alabama, Baylor, LSU, Mississippi, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M.
The Outland Trophy, which has been awarded annually by the FWAA since 1946, is named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1800s. The Outland Trophy is the third-oldest award in major college football behind the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award.
For the 21st consecutive year, the Outland Trophy Presentation Banquet will occur in Omaha on Jan. 10, 2018, and will be sponsored by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee at the DoubleTree Hotel Downtown. At the same banquet, the fourth annual Tom Osborne Legacy Award, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Omaha-Downtown, will be presented to Florida State coaching legend Bobby Bowden.
Also appearing at the dinner for the 20th straight year will be the winners of Nebraska’s football senior awards – the Tom Novak Trophy, the Guy Chamberlin Trophy and the Cletus Fischer Native Son Award.
The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 24 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,300 men and women who cover college football. 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 and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com or call 214-870-6516.
The Greater Omaha Sports Committee, founded in 1977, is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, consisting of more than 900 men and women from the City of Omaha, the State of Nebraska, and others. The membership serves to communicate, develop, initiate and promote sports activities in the Greater Omaha sports area. In addition to the Outland Trophy Presentation Banquet, the Greater Omaha Sports Committee promotes high school, college, and professional sports in the Greater Omaha area and the Midwest.
Related link:
• All-time Outland Trophy winners and finalists
Clemson’s Tony Elliott wins Broyles Award
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation announces Tony Elliott, co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Clemson, as the winner of the 22nd annual Broyles Award.
The 2017 Broyles Award finalists included:
Auburn – Kevin Steele, Defensive Coordinator
Clemson – Tony Elliott, Co–Offensive Coordinator, Running Backs
Oklahoma – Bill Bedenbaugh, Co–Offensive Coordinator, Offensive Line
UCF – Troy Walters, Offensive Coordinator
Wisconsin – Jim Leonhard, Defensive Coordinator
Last year’s Broyles Award winner was Brent Venables, defensive coordinator for Clemson. The Broyles Award honors college football’s top assistant coach. The award was established in 1996 to recognize legendary head football Coach Frank Broyles. Coach Broyles had a track record of producing some of the most successful assistant coaches in college football history.
Winners from the previous five seasons were not eligible for the 2017 Broyles Award. For a full list of previous nominees, finalists and winners, visit the Broyles Award website.
Proceeds from the 2017 Broyles Award support the mission of the Broyles Foundation; to provide education, support, and resources to Alzheimer’s caregivers. You can follow The Broyles Foundation on Facebook and Twitter.
Riceland Foods served as the presenting sponsor of the 2017 Broyles Award. Riceland is the world’s largest miller and marketer of rice with its products sold across the nation and to more than 75 foreign destinations.
About the Broyles Award
The Broyles Award was created in 1996 recognizing Coach Frank Broyles’ legacy of selecting and developing great assistants during his almost two decades as head coach at Arkansas. You can follow the Broyles Award on Facebook and Twitter.
About the National College Football Awards Association
The National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 21 awards boast 699 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.
About the Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America, founded in 1941, consists of 1,300 men and women who cover college football. 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 and its annual All-America team.
The Fifth Down 