Football coach selected to Watch List for Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant Award

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Toledo Head Football Coach Matt Campbell has been named to the Watch List for the 2015 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award, the American Heart Association and Marathon Oil Corp. announced yesterday.

This prestigious award honors excellence in college football coaching while raising funds to fight heart disease and stroke.

One of 22 coaches on the watch list, Campbell has guided the Rockets to a 6-0 start for the first time since 1997. UT is ranked No. 19 in the AP media poll and No. 20 in the USA Today coaches poll. Toledo has not been ranked this high since 1997 when it was No. 18 in the AP poll. The all-time highest ranking for Toledo came in 1970 when UT was No. 12 in the final AP poll.

In December, five to 10 finalists will be announced. Finalists will attend an awards banquet Jan. 13 at the Hilton Americas Houston, where the winner will be announced live.

The Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award is the only college coaching honor determined after all bowl games are concluded and is voted on by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. The 2014 winner was Gary Patterson of Texas Christian University.

The Bryant Award has raised more than $6 million in the past 29 years to fund research, advocacy and educational programs across the country that are necessary for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Bryant always talked about being bigger than something other than himself. The Bryant Awards offer an opportunity to do just that — to be a part of team Bryant in the fight against heart disease and stroke.

Additional information on the Bryant Award is available at bryantawards.com.

Campbell and the Rockets will return to the field Saturday, Oct. 24, when they travel to UMass. The opening kick against the Minuteman is slated for 3 p.m. at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Paul “Bear’ Bryant Coach of the Year Watch List
Art Briles, Baylor
Matt Campbell, Toledo
David Cutcliffe, Duke
Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Jimbo Fisher, Florida State
Justin Fuente, Memphis
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Tom Herman, Houston
Brian Kelly, Notre Dame
Jim McElwain, Florida
Urban Meyer, Ohio State
Les Miles, LSU
Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh
Gary Patterson, TCU
Matt Rhule, Temple
Nick Saban, Alabama
David Shaw, Stanford
Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M
Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Kyle Whittingham, Utah