As Missouri coach Gary Pinkel prepares to coach his last game at Faurot Field, Dave Matter of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch relates a story about Pinkel he has kept to himself for 15 years, when Pinkel, usually aloof the media, showed a side Matter didn’t suspect he had, offering his support in a moment of tragedy, after Matter’s boss at the Columbia Daily Tribune was murdered in the newspaper’s parking lot. CLICK HERE to read Matter’s column.
Tag Archives: FWAA
Dufresne leaving LA Times
2013 FWAA President Chris Dufresne
All the news that’s fit to print — in 140 characters. Chris Dufresne, president of the Football Writers Association of America in 2013, announced on Twitter this week that he is leaving the Los Angeles Times.
“News that will thrill some, sadden others: Buyout application accepted today from L.A. Times. Sorry, 140 characters can’t wrap up 40 years.”
Dufresne, a long-time national football and basketball reporter, started at the paper when he was 18 years old. His departure will come within the next couple of months.
FWAA names semifinalists for Outland Trophy
OMAHA — Six semifinalists for the 2015 Outland Trophy — five offensive linemen and one defensive tackle — were announced on Thursday night during a reception hosted by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee.
The Football Writers Association of America, in a call of its 2015 All-America Committee, has determined the following six players as semifinalists for the award, in alphabetical order: Baylor offensive tackle Spencer Drango, Stanford offensive guard Joshua Garnett, Alabama center Ryan Kelly, Alabama defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson, Indiana offensive tackle Jason Spriggs and Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley.
The field for the Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the best interior lineman in college football on offense or defense, will be reduced to three players early next week. Those finalists will be announced the evening of Nov. 24 on ESPNU at 5 p.m. ET during The Home Depot College Football Awards Nomination Special. The winner of the 70th Outland Trophy will be revealed on Dec. 10 from 7-9 p.m. ET on ESPN on The Home Depot College Football Awards, for the first time live from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
Here is a look at the semifinalists:
Spencer Drango, OT, Baylor (6-6, 320, Sr., Cedar Park, Texas): An Outland Trophy semifinalist in 2014, Drango has 44 career starts for the powerful Bears offense. He is also a William V. Campbell Trophy finalist (top academic player). The veteran Baylor offensive lineman has allowed just 11 sacks in nine games. He is in his fourth season as a starting left tackle for an offense that is currently on pace to break FBS records for scoring in a season and total yards gained per game. The Baylor offense is No. 1 in scoring and fifth in rushing this season in the FBS and Drango is the unquestioned leader on the line.
Joshua Garnett, OG, Stanford (6-5, 321, Sr., Puyallup, Wash.): A veteran guard who has been a dominant run blocker for the Cardinal, which has scored 30 points in each of its past nine games. He has started 25 straight games for Stanford, which has rushed for at least 100 yards in 44 of its last 47 games. A team captain, Garnett is a great finisher of blocks and through eight games had 64 “pancakes.” He has helped Stanford win the time of possession battle in 15 of the last 16 games with consistent line play. Stanford is 16th in the FBS in rushing offense and 22nd in scoring.
Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama (6-5, 297, Sr., West Chester, Ohio): A William V. Campbell Trophy (top academic player) semifinalist, Kelly is the leader of Alabama’s offensive line, which paves the way for Heisman Trophy candidate running back Derrick Henry. Kelly, a third-year starter at center and captain, was named the Southeastern Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week after Alabama’s 30-16 victory over LSU in which the Tide gained 250 yards rushing. In that game, Kelly graded out at 92 percent. He also was one of the Alabama coaches’ offensive players of the game against Wisconsin, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU.
A’Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama (6-4, 312, Jr., Fort Worth, Texas): A talented defender on the Crimson Tide’s line who has been one of the Alabama coaches’ defensive players of the game five times this season. He set the tone in the Crimson Tide’s 31-6 victory at Mississippi State last week with 2.5 sacks. He leads the team with eight quarterback hurries and has made a career-high 34 tackles this season, including seven tackles for 23 yards in losses. In addition, he has broken up two passes, recovered a fumble and blocked a kick.
Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana (6-7, 305, Sr., Elkhart, Ind.): In his senior season for the Hoosiers, he has allowed just two sacks in 365 called pass plays. He has started in 44 of 45 career games and has 56 pancakes in 805 snaps this season. The Hoosiers lead the Big Ten in total offense, are second in passing offense, third in rushing offense and fourth in scoring offense.
Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame (6-5, 315, Sr., Las Vegas, Nev.): Considered a top NFL prospect for a team that is 23rd in the nation in rushing offense and 30th in scoring. Stanley has started every game this season at left tackle and has started 36 straight games overall for the Fighting Irish, whose only loss this season came at now top-ranked Clemson, 24-22.
Omaha gearing up for Outland Trophy presentation
You are invited!!!
Join us for the 3rd Annual Semi-Finalists Reception for this year’s Outland Award Trophy on Thursday, November 19 at 7 PM, DJ’s Dugout, 10th & Capitol Avenue, doors open at 6:00 pm.
The event is about college football – in Omaha that will make national news! “LIVE FROM OMAHA NEBRASKA,” the Greater Omaha Sports Committee will Officially Announce the Semi-Finalists for the Outland!!
Save and get your group together! Advance tickets are just $10 each. Includes two drink tickets, hors d’oeuvres and door prizes throughout the evening. Tickets at the door are $15 each. Reply to this email or call our office at the Greater Omaha Sports Committee (402) 346-8003. We will have your tickets at the reception.
The Outland Trophy Award Dinner’s emcee, Greg Sharpe, Voice of the Huskers, will also be the Master of Ceremonies at the event. The evening plans will include a number of familiar faces in the Omaha Sports Community including, Lee Barfknecht of the Omaha World-Herald, members of the Outland Trophy Award Dinner Committee, Rotary Club of Omaha-Downtown and the Greater Omaha Sports Committee. Husker Greats will also be in attendance. The Outland Dinner Committee would like to thank our Reception Sponsors: Coca-Cola, Coors Light, and the Omaha World-Herald.
The evening will offer door prizes and chance to participate in a silent auction with exciting items, a hint of these items include: Front Row tickets to the College World Series; Pacific League AAA professional championship baseball items; KC Chiefs NFL game tickets; autographed books by Tom Shatel, Sean Callahan and Eric Crouch and other great books; Nebraska volleyball tickets; Creighton women’s & men’s nasketball tickets; Coors Light Neon. There will be pregame — LIVE from 2 to 6 at the event — Unsportsmanlike Conduct. There will be video streaming with each of the semi-finalists for the Award. Those recognized last year are all playing in the NFL on Sunday, except one junior who will probably make the list again this year.
President’s column: Look for your AutoNation FWAA All-America ballot on Nov. 9
OMAHA — It’s hard to think of three more beautiful words than “November college football.’’ As the old saying goes, the games we remember are played in November.
So when you write about, broadcast or administer these games, keep your eyes on those making the biggest plays because our process to pick the 2015 AutoNation Football Writers Association All-America team starts this week. Confidential teleconferences are set for Nov. 15 (defense, offensive linemen) and Nov. 22 (all others). First and second teams will be chosen.
FWAA 2015 President Lee Barfknecht.
Ballots from the FWAA membership (which are scheduled to be sent out on Nov. 9) will be used as a framework to build our teams. Please feel free to contact your regional representative from our All-America Committee with nominations, pertinent statistics and other intelligence to help us do the very best job possible.
Also, we need Outland Trophy nominees (centers, guards, offensive and defensive tackles but no ends).
The selection committee:
Lee Barfknecht, Omaha World-Herald (National)
Zach Barnett, Football Scoop (Conference USA)
Kirk Bohls, Austin American-Statesman (National)
Jimmie McDowell, Sportswriter, Football Executive, (1926-)
The Football Writers Association of America is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2015. Founded in 1941, the FWAA has served the writing profession and college football during a time when the world has changed greatly and the sport of football has along with it. In an effort to tell the stories of the members of the organization, we will publish sketches of the FWAA’s most important leaders — all Bert McGrane Award winners.
The Bert McGrane Award, symbolic of the association’s Hall of Fame, is presented to an FWAA member who has performed great service to the organization and/or the writing profession. It is named after McGrane, a Des Moines, Iowa, writer who was the executive secretary of the FWAA from the early 1940s until 1973. The McGrane Award was first bestowed on an FWAA member in 1974.
For a list of all the winners go to: http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/awards/mcgrane/index.html.
The following is the 21st installment of the Pillars of the FWAA series. Jimmie McDowell was the 2000 winner of the Bert McGrane Award. Thanks to FWAA member Gene Duffey for writing and researching this sketch.
By Gene Duffey
Whenever college football history was made in the state of Mississippi, it seemed that Jimmie McDowell was there.
Working at the Jackson States-Item, McDowell covered the famous 1959 Mississippi at LSU game, when the Tigers’ Billy Cannon returned a punt 89 yards to beat Ole Miss 7-3.
Jimmie McDowell, 2000 winner of the Bert McGrane Award.
“It was Halloween night,” recalled McDowell. “(Mississippi coach Johnny) Vaught kicked a field goal and sat on it, relying on his defense. Cannon wasn’t supposed to field any ball inside the 15. The ball bounced up right in his face. Some of the Ole Miss players didn’t think he would field the ball and eased up.”
McDowell served as director of public relations and athletic publicity, the precursor of sports information directors, at Southern Mississippi in 1953. The school, then known as Mississippi Southern, scored one of its biggest upsets, knocking off Alabama and quarterback Bart Starr, 25-19 to open the 1953 season in Montgomery. Later, he helped start the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and worked with the Jackson Touchdown Club in acquiring a building in 1992. Three years later he founded the All-American Football Foundation, which has honored media members, athletic directors and college presidents as well as players and coaches.
President’s column: One month in, college football is a world turned upside down
OMAHA — My god, isn’t this fun?
It’s difficult to recall a college football season in which we seem to have more questions than answers after the first month than we did before the darn thing started.
Ohio State quarterbacks? Oregon down, Utah up? Defensive coordinator mental-health warnings in the Big 12? Alabama, Auburn and Arkansas a combined 0-4 to start SEC play? Clemson rolling and Louisville falling in the ACC?
FWAA 2015 President Lee Barfknecht.
Good luck to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. Looks like you’ll need it. As for those of us chronicling the action, the stories get more interesting by the week.
Something worth following this season is the amped-up work on recognizing our national players of the week (offense and defense) and national team of the week.
The Football Writers Association of America has partnered with a new valued sponsor, AutoNation, to honor deserving players and teams as selected by the FWAA All-America Committee. AutoNation generously donates $1,000 for each team of the week and each player of the week (offense and defense) toward the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. AutoNation also is presenting sponsor of our All-American team and the 75th Anniversary All-America squads.
Coach Eddie Robinson’s wife, Doris, has died 1
Doris Robinson, the wife of legendary Grambling football coach Eddie G. Robinson, passed away last Wednesday morning at the age of 96.
Eddie Robinson, who was Grambling’s head coach for 56 years, retired as the winningest coach of all time in NCAA Division I and was the namesake of the FWAA’s Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.
Click here to read the entire story in the Monroe (La.) News Star.
Pillars of the FWAA: Dan Foster (1928-2009), Greenville News
The Football Writers Association of America is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2015. Founded in 1941, the FWAA has served the writing profession and college football during a time when the world has changed greatly and the sport of football has along with it. In an effort to tell the stories of the members of the organization, we will publish each week a sketch on one of the FWAA’s most important leaders — all Bert McGrane Award winners.
The Bert McGrane Award, symbolic of the association’s Hall of Fame, is presented to an FWAA member who has performed great service to the organization and/or the writing profession. It is named after McGrane, a Des Moines, Iowa, writer who was the executive secretary of the FWAA from the early 1940s until 1973. The McGrane Award was first bestowed on an FWAA member in 1974.
For a list of all the winners go to: http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/awards/mcgrane/index.html.
The following is the 20th installment of the Pillars of the FWAA series. Dan Foster was the 2003 winner of the Bert McGrane Award. Thanks to FWAA member Gene Duffey for writing and researching this sketch.
By Gene Duffey
Dan Foster, 2003 winner of the Bert McGrane Award.
Dan Foster turned to Blackie Sherrod, who was seated next to him in the press box of a World Series Game. “Quit shaking my seat,” Foster told Sherrod.
It wasn’t Sherrod that was shaking Foster’s seat. It was an earthquake! Game 3 of the 1989 World Series between the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park was just about to begin.
“That was a memorable night,” said Foster, who had already filed a column back to the Greenville News.
Foster hung around with three other writers at that World Series and other major sporting events around the country. They were among the best writers in the business: Sherrod of The Dallas Morning News, Jim Murray of the Los Angeles Times and Edwin Pope of the Miami Herald.
Foster became the foursome’s designated driver, mainly because Murray and Sherrod had poor vision.
Sherrod received the Bert McGrane Award in 1985 and Pope in 2001. Foster joined them in 2003.
Pillars of the FWAA: Jack Hairston (1928-2010), Gainesville Sun
The Football Writers Association of America is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2015. Founded in 1941, the FWAA has served the writing profession and college football during a time when the world has changed greatly and the sport of football has along with it. In an effort to tell the stories of the members of the organization, we will publish each week a sketch on one of the FWAA’s most important leaders — all Bert McGrane Award winners.
The Bert McGrane Award, symbolic of the association’s Hall of Fame, is presented to an FWAA member who has performed great service to the organization and/or the writing profession. It is named after McGrane, a Des Moines, Iowa, writer who was the executive secretary of the FWAA from the early 1940s until 1973. The McGrane Award was first bestowed on an FWAA member in 1974.
For a list of all the winners go to: http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/awards/mcgrane/index.html.
The following is the 19th installment of the Pillars of the FWAA series. Jack Hairston was the 1990 winner of the Bert McGrane Award. Thanks to FWAA member Gene Duffey for writing and researching this sketch.
By Gene Duffey
Jack Hairson, 1990 winner of the Bert McGrane Award.
Jack Hairston worked for the Jacksonville Journal in January 1968 when he attempted to interview Joe Namath. The New York Jets quarterback was in town for the American Football League All-Star Game. Hairston met Namath at 10 a.m. in the hotel lobby.
“He was nice as could be,” said Hairston. “I walked around with him for 15 minutes. He introduced me to other players. Then I asked him to sit down for an interview.”
“I don’t have time for no (bleeping) sports writers,” replied Namath.
Hairston went to the East team’s practice that day and received the same type of rejection from Namath after practice. Later, Hairston attempted to call Namath at the hotel, but the operator told him that all calls to Namath’s room were blocked.
“I went back to the paper and blistered the son of a bitch,” said Hairston, who joined the FWAA in 1954. “I must have gotten 250 letters. Most of them were pro Namath.”
The Fifth Down 