title image via SCSU Football
Courtesy of South Carolina State Athletics
Stats Perform has announced 15 finalists for the 2024 Eddie Robinson Award, which is presented annually to the national coach of the year in Division I FCS college football.
The award, first presented in 1987 and in its 38th season, is named for legendary Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson.
All 13 FCS leagues are represented by an Eddie Robinson Award finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced on Dec. 5 and honored at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.
2024 Eddie Robinson Award Finalists
Chennis Berry, South Carolina State (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Season: 1st; Team Record: 9-2, 5-0 (1st); Notable: Bulldogs are MEAC champs, set to play in the Celebration Bowl
Coach Berry recently collected his third AFCA Regional honor earning the accolade at the Division II level in 2022 and 2023 while at Benedict College. In his first year leading the S.C. State Bulldogs, Berry led the team to an 9-2 overall record and 5-0 mark in MEAC play. The Bulldogs secured the 2024 MEAC Champion Title on Saturday, Nov. 16, after defeating Morgan State 54-7, earning the conference’s berth in the 2024 Cricket Celebration Bowl. Berry’s squad garnered multiple national awards including being named the HBCU+ FCS National Team of the Week (Sept. 9). The Bulldogs also moved into the National Polls for both Stats Perform and AFCA ranking 20 and 18 respectively in the most recent polls.
Kevin Cahill, Lehigh (Patriot League)
Season: 2nd; Team Record: 8-3, 5-1 (tie/1st); Notable: Picked sixth in PL preseason poll, Mountain Hawks are back in FCS playoffs for first time since 2017
Jim Fleming, Rhode Island (CAA Football)
Season: 11th; Team Record: 10-2, 7-1 (2nd); Notable: Recognized as CAA co-champs, Rams are in FCS playoffs for the first time since 1985
Eddie George, Tennessee State (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Season: 4th; Team Record: 9-3, 6-2 (tie/1st); Notable: Tigers struck with share of first conference title since 1999 and first playoff bid since 2013
Russ Huesman, Richmond (CAA Football)
Season: 8th; Team Record: 10-2, 8-0 (1st); Notable: The lone CAA unbeaten, Spiders have captured back-to-back conference titles
Mike Jacobs, Mercer (Southern Conference)
Season: 1st; Team Record: 10-2, 7-1 (1st); Notable: A year after first playoff appearance, Bears are back in with first SoCon title and No. 7 seed
Clint Killough, UIW (Southland Conference)
Season: 2nd; Team Record: 10-2, 7-0 (1st); Notable: Cardinals swept through Southland on way to No. 6 playoff seed
Adam Lechtenberg, Central Connecticut State (Northeast Conference)
Season: 2nd; Team Record: 7-5, 5-1 (tie/1st); Notable: After being picked last in NEC preseason poll, Blue Devils earned third all-time playoff bid
Brandon Moore, San Diego (Pioneer Football League)
Season: 2nd; Team Record: 8-3, 6-2 (2nd); Notable: Toreros doubled 2023 win total and finished second in 11-team PFL
Keith Patterson, Abilene Christian (United Athletic Conference)
Season: 3rd; Team Record: 8-4, 7-1 (1st); Notable: Picked sixth in UAC preseason poll, Wildcats earned conference title and first playoff bid
Tim Plough, UC Davis (Big Sky Conference)
Season: 1st; Team Record: 10-2, 7-1 (2nd); Notable: No. 5 playoff seed has only one FCS loss in Plough’s first season
Jon Poppe, Columbia (Ivy League)
Season: 1st; Team Record: 7-3, 5-2 (tie/1st); Notable: Lions had only one Ivy title in their history (1961), then doubled it after being picked last in preseason poll
Brock Spack, Illinois State (Missouri Valley Football Conference
Season: 16th; Team Record: 9-3, 6-2 (tie/4th); Notable: Despite impactful injuries, Redbirds are back in playoffs for first time since 2019
T.C. Taylor, Jackson State (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Season: 2nd; Team Record: 10-2, 8-0 (1st SWAC East); Notable: Tigers will host SWAC championship game after sweeping to East Division title
Brent Vigen, Montana State (Big Sky Conference)
Season: 4th; Team Record: 12-0, 8-0 (1st); Notable: Big Sky champs are only unbeaten FCS team and No. 1 seed in FCS playoffs
Past recipients of the Eddie Robinson Award include Mark Duffner, Erk Russell, Chris Ault, Jim Tressel, Houston Nutt, Andy Talley, Paul Johnson, Joe Glenn, Mike Ayers, Jerry Kill, Jerry Moore, K.C. Keeler, Deion Sanders, John Stiegelmeier and two-time recipients Mickey Matthews, Sean McDonnell and Craig Bohl.
Also this season, the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman Player of the Year), Urban Edge Network HBCU+ Player of the Year and FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be presented at the Stats Perform awards banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.
