LIBERTY MUTUAL COACH OF THE YEAR

Meet Our Finalists - Jim Catanzaro, Lake Forest

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:22:41 -0500

Along with a demonstrated high level of enthusiasm, passion, and energy, Coach Catanzaro brings playing and coaching experience from a wide variety of institutions at both the scholarship and non-scholarship levels.

Under “Coach Cat’s” direction, the Foresters have re-written the Foresters record books. In 2011 the Foresters broke 25 school records. Records fell in team categories in offensive and special teams categories, while individual performances appear on the top 5 all time lists in offense, defense, and special teams categories.

The youthful Foresters provided exciting football, claiming their first victory against Beloit College since 2007, and increasing their win-streaks against Knox (2) and Lawrence University (5). In addition, the Foresters also saw themselves within a single score of the lead in the fourth quarter in all but two of their conference losses.

At the time of his appointment, Catanzaro entered the MWC as the youngest head coach in the conference. Prior to being named head coach, Catanzaro served as the defensive coordinator for the Foresters. During his tenure, Lake Forest defenses were consistently ranked at or near the top of the conference each season.

Information from US Sports Camps

Give Jim Catanzaro your vote for Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year today at coachoftheyear.com

Meet Our Finalists - Jed Stugart, Sioux Falls

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:05:35 -0500

Image from Road Runner

Since taking over in 2010, Stugart has guided the Cougars to consecutive winning seasons that were highlighted by 18 victories and an NAIA national championship appearance.   

In his first season at USF, Stugart led the Cougars to a 13-1 record, fifth straight Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) crown and fifth consecutive appearance in the NAIA National Championship Game.

Stugart coached his first game for the Cougars on September 4, 2010, a 41-24 victory at No. 23 Northwestern College. The Cougars trailed their longtime rival 14-10 at the half, but outscored the Red Raiders 31-10 in the second half to secure the victory. USF ran the table in the GPAC and capped off a 10-0 regular season with a 44-7 win over Concordia University (Neb.) to capture its fifth straight (ninth overall) GPAC championship.

Under Stugart’s leadership, the Cougars stormed through their first two playoff contests, a 33-14 win over No. 16 Northwestern Oklahoma State University and a 27-7 victory against No. 12 McKendree University. The wins advanced the Cougars to a semifinal matchup versus No. 4 MidAmerica Nazarene University. The game was a homecoming of sorts for Stugart; he had previously served as the Pioneers’ head coach from 2006-08. USF shutout MNU 38-0, thereby extending the nation’s longest winning streak to 42 games and clinching the Cougar’s fifth straight trip to the NAIA national title game in Rome, Ga.

Information from USF Cougars

Give Jed Stugart your vote for Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year today at coachoftheyear.com

Meet Our Finalists - Danny Rocco, Richmond

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:48:57 -0500

Image from Sports Network

Rocco brings nearly 30 years of coaching experience to Richmond, including his most recent run as head coach at Liberty University, where he led six consecutive winning seasons with the Flames. Following a highly successful tenure at Liberty, where he was a three-time Big South Coach of the Year winner, Rocco took over a Richmond squad this season that went 3-8 and 0-8 in conference play in 2011.

This year, Rocco led the Spiders to a share of the CAA Football championship, posting an overall record of 8-3 and a conference mark of 6-2. The five-win turnaround is the second-best in the history of Richmond football, while the six-conference win improvement was the best in the CAA.

The Spiders had numerous quality wins this past season, defeating Villanova in Philadelphia, while also taking down then No. 2-ranked James Madison. Richmond also defeated perennial CAA power Delaware at Robins Stadium.

Information from Richmond Spiders

Give Danny Rocco your vote for Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year today at coachoftheyear.com

Meet Our Finalists - Mark Maciejewski, Shippensburg

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:32:57 -0500

Image from PennLive

Coach Mac led a team that opened the season with 10 straight victories — eventually establishing Division II’s longest active winning streak and maintaining the honor for several weeks — while also playing in the PSAC State Game and earning the No. 5 seed for Super Region 1 in the 2012 NCAA Football Championships.

The Red Raiders broke or tied 73 school records, scoring 609 points and 83 touchdowns en route to 6,889 yards of total offense. Shippensburg led the nation in total offense (529.92 yards per game) and ranked second in scoring offense, averaging 46.8 points per game.

Information from ShipRaiders.com and IndianaGazette

Give Mark Maciejewski your vote for Coach of the Year today at coachoftheyear.com

Photo

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:03:41 -0500

fyeahncaafootball: Notre Dame, Michigan

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:03:28 -0500

fyeahncaafootball:

Notre Dame, Michigan

Meet Our Finalists - Lonnie Pries, Concordia-Chicago

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 12:59:05 -0500

Image from Northernac.org

This past season, Pries led the team to a perfect 10-0 regular season. The Cougars’ 62-26 win over Maranatha Baptist Bible College on Nov. 10 was the team’s 16^th consecutive win dating back to October of 2011 and was the longest winning streak at any of the three levels of NCAA football at that time. Concordia earned the automatic berth to the NCAA III playoffs, and a number two ranking in the North Region allowed the Cougars to host the game. However, Bethel University of Minnesota edged Concordia 24-23 in an exciting game that was not decided until the final seconds.

Pries is the architect of a remarkable turnaround in the fortunes of Concordia-Chicago’s football program. The cougars, mired in a 20-game winless streak during the 2004-2005 seasons, began a gradual climb back to respectability with Pries’ first game as head coach in 2006 - a 13-3 win over Blackburn, and have never looked back.

Information from CUCfootballcamps and CUcougars

Give Lonnie Pries your vote for Coach of the Year today at coachoftheyear.com

Meet Our Finalists - Mark Richt, UGA

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:27:42 -0500

Image from Bloguin.com

Mark Richt is well known for his legendary leadership as the UGA head coach. This year marks Richt’s 12th season with the University of Georgia. With Richt’s discipline and guidance, the Bulldogs have enjoyed countless victories, including winning two SEC Championships (2002 and 2005) and five SEC Eastern Division titles (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2011). Along with his team winnings, Richt also received 2 awards for SEC Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2005.

Richt is also expected to speak at the 2013 FCA Home Team Banquet. Proceeds from this annual fundraiser will benefit the FCA ministry of Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade and Walker Counties. Funds raised will support, train and equip the FCA huddles, area coaches and teams in the local school systems.

“Richt is an incredible leader with strong character and determination. His testimony is sure to be fascinating for banquet attendees and SEC enthusiasts,” said Greg Spradlin, area director for Lookout Mountain FCA.

Information from Catt.com

Give Richt your vote for Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year today at coachoftheyear.com

Meet Our Finalists - Jeff Monken, Georgia Southern

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:09:30 -0500

Image from SoconSports

Since taking over the Georgia Southern Football team prior to the start of the 2010 season, Monken has put the Eagles back on the national scene with back-to-back FCS Semifinal Appearances and a Southern Conference Championship in just his two years at the helm.

Monken holds a 21-8 career record after two seasons in charge of the program. Since taking over the Eagles, he has led them to the second most wins in the FCS and they are the only team to play in the last two FCS semifinals.

“We will field a team that this university and this community will be very proud of,” said Monken, when he was introduced as the Eagles’ coach. Monken vowed that he and his coaching staff will not cut corners or look for quick fixes. They are committed to returning the Eagles to national prominence by recruiting quality student-athletes who are dedicated to reaching not only their own potential, but the team’s as well. It seems that his plan is very well underway.

Information from Savannahnow and GSeagles.com

Give Monken your vote for Coach of the Year today at coachoftheyear.com

Meet Our Finalists - Dabo Swinney, Clemson

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 10:46:09 -0500

Image from NBC

At 43, Dabo Swinney is the youngest head coach in the ACC and one of the youngest in the country, and his resumé is already stuffed with many significant accomplishments on a school, ACC, and national level.

Swinney has led Clemson to a 10-2 record in the regular season, including a 7-1 mark in the ACC, the most regular season conference wins in Clemson history.

“I’ve had to learn and grow, and I’ve worked hard at it,” he said. “I was a better player as a senior than a freshman. I was a better student my senior year in college than my freshman year in college… I think as you mature you get better at anything. I am a much more mature coach just from going through it.”

Swinney pushes his players and his program to show the same kind of growth. “I think that’s what the best of the best do, they are always striving to get better,” he said.

Information from NBC and CoachingSearch

Give Dabo Swinney your vote for Coach of the Year today at coachoftheyear.com

Meet Our Finalists - Peter Rossomando, New Haven

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 12:52:00 -0500

Image from New Haven Football Foundation

Rossomando enters his fourth season as head football coach at the University of New Haven and in three short seasons, Rossomando has solidified the program as one of the top in the national and has been recognized for his work on and off the field.

The Chargers enjoyed one of the program’s most successful seasons last year. With the second-most wins in program history, New Haven recorded an 11-2 overall record, a perfect 8-0 record in conference play and perfect 10-0 record against Division II opponents in the regular season. Seven members of the team earned All-American honors, while the team received the ECAC Lambert Cup and the Walter Camps Football Foundation Merit Award.

As a team, the Chargers ranked second in Division II in passing efficiency and fifth in scoring offense. Quarterback Ryan Osiecki led the offense with impressive passing numbers and finished second in Division II in passing efficiency. Osiecki was also named the New England Gold Helmet award winner for the 2011 season, while offensive guard David Stedman was a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year award.

Information taken from NewHavenChargers.com

Meet Our Finalists - Charlie Strong, Louisville

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:13:08 -0500

Image from Card Chronicle

Louisville Coach Charlie Strong has led his team to an 11-2 season and one of their first appearances in a big-time bowl game. On January 2nd, 2013 they will be taking on #2 Florida in the Sugar Bowl.

Next year, he leads Louisville into the world of the ACC. The jump up to the new conference provides Louisville with stiffer conference competition, but even stronger recruiting capabilities.

It’s a good thing Charlie Strong will be leading the team. For a while, that fact was in question. Many teams, from UT to Tennessee attempted to entice Coach Strong to join their teams. However, he elected to sign a long-term contract extension through 2020 with Louisville, shocking sports analysts everywhere.

His rationale was simple: “It’s about being loyal and it’s about when you make a statement, who you really are and your character and your integrity. When you make those statements, you have to be true to those statements.”

Give Coach Charlie Strong your vote today at: http://coachoftheyear.com/

Meet Our Finalists - Steve Staker, Coe (Iowa)

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 13:44:00 -0500

Image from The Gazette

Coach Staker won the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award in 2010 and he’s in the running again after his successful 2012 season.

The 2012 Coe Kohawks had a fantastic team. They went undefeated in the regular season, and imposed their will on many of their opponents. They averaged 39 points per game, while holding their opponents to just 12 points per game. Some of their games were complete blowouts. They won in week 4 with a score of 51-0, week 5 with a score of 69-7, and week 7 with a score of 47-7.

Of course, Coach Steve Staker gets a lot of credit for installing a high-powered offense, and a strong defense. As far as Coach Staker is concerned, he’s just living the dream: “It was always my dream to coach at the college level. I wouldn’t say it was as a head coach, necessarily. But what a great way to end my coaching career.”

Information from Coe Athletics and The Gazette

Give Steve Staker your vote for Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award 2012 today at: http://coachoftheyear.com/

Meet Our Finalists - Jim Mora, UCLA

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:31:59 -0500

Image from Kirby Lee/US Presswire

UCLA went 9-4 this year, but their record doesn’t tell the whole story. Jim Mora, their new head coach, took a team with an image of being “soft” or “undisciplined”, and implemented a major cultural shift.

The UCLA athletic department seemed to be comfortable with a 6-7 win season. Jim Mora changed that. He created a winning culture that says “we won’t rest on our laurels. Our goal is to be the very best.” He held his coaching staff and players accountable, and he put his money where his mouth is. If a coach or player shirked their responsibility, there were repercussions—as is the case with three players that got kicked off the team for not following rules.

Because of Jim Mora’s leadership and cultural changes, combined with the raw talent UCLA had, the team already looks dramatically better. As the years progress, this team will only get better. Mora has brought in some of the top recruiters, and soon enough the team will begin to be filled with his own recruits.

Give Jim Mora your vote as Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year 2012 at: http://coachoftheyear.com

Meet Our Finalists - Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:45:33 -0500

Image from ESPN

The SEC seen is widely seen as one of the hardest conferences in college football. This year, Texas A&M, led by Coach Kevin Sumlin, joined the SEC conference.

In his first season with the team, the Aggies have a 10-2 record. Included in their win column was an absolutely stunning upset over Alabama in week 11. Johnny Manziel, the A&M QB, became the first freshman in history to win the Heisman Trophy. Their two losses to powerhouse teams Florida and LSU were lost by a combined eight points.

This seems to be just the start for the team. They have an incoming recruiting class of 34 high-talent players, and 247sports.com ranks their team as seventh.

Give Kevin Sumlin your vote for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award today at http://coachoftheyear.com

Meet Our Finalists - Pat Cerroni, Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:10:14 -0500

Image from uwoshkoshtitans.com

Cerroni is coming off a remarkable season. It was an undefeated season that took them all the way to the conference semi-finals before falling in a devastating loss to another undefeated foe. Coach Cerroni has fielded one of the top teams in UWO history.

However, he’s not all about his winning percentage. He keeps the success of the players in the back of his mind with every decision. He considers himself a passionate coach that is loyal to his players. Each of his players get an opportunity to prove themselves and take on more team responsibility.

In addition to skill, he looks for character and commitment in his recruits; he wants players that don’t hide from responsibility and put in the time and effort to be successful in all of their endeavors. He says that his football program is most successful at instilling leadership in their players; they focus on personal development and making boys into men.

Information from NCSAsports.org

Give Pat Cerroni your vote for 2012 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year at: www.coachoftheyear.com

Meet Our Finalists - Joe Moglia, Coastal Carolina

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:51:22 -0500

Image from PostandCourier.com

Joe Moglia’s success at Coastal Carolina has been shocking. Many did not know what to expect. Coach Moglia came to the team not with an extensive background as an offensive coordinator, or head coach. He came to the team as the former CEO of TD Ameritrade. He left the company to “pursue other interests” and landed at Coastal Carolina.

While the team has had great success with Moglia at the helm, he’s also had success outside of the confines of the win-loss column. He employs a smaller playbook, and encourages a strong work-life balance with his coaching staff. When he joined the team, he tested each player to figure out their learning style (auditory, visual, kinesthetic) to understand how best to get through to his players.

He coaches at Coastal Carolina for a few key reasons. For one, his passion for the game. And for two, his passion in helping push his players to the next level. He says: “It’s always about preparing kids for life.”

Information from Wall Street Journal and Daily Press

Vote Joe Moglia as 2012 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year at: www.coachoftheyear.com

crohnskid: Army-Navy Game #football #collegefootball #army...

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:39:25 -0500

crohnskid:

Army-Navy Game #football #collegefootball #army #navy #instagood #instamood #instadaily (at Lincoln Financial Field)

Meet Our Finalists - Glenn Caruso, St. Thomas (Minn.)

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 22:28:44 -0500

When it comes to the success of Glenn Caruso at St. Thomas, the numbers speak for themselves. Coach Caruso took a 2-8 team in 2007 and led them to 54 wins over the last five years. In 2012, the team went undefeated.

Coach Caruso immerses himself in his football program, and he brings a strong work ethic that he credits to his parents. He expects the same sense of integrity and responsibility from his own coaches and players.

He would say that hard work is the secret to winning. The success of that philosophy over the last five seasons is undeniable.

Vote for Coach Caruso today at http://coachoftheyear.com

Meet Our Finalists - Nick Saban, Alabama

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:46:20 -0500

Image from The Birmingham News

Saban has compiled a 153-55-1 (.734) record as a college head coach and has gone 60-7 (.896) in the past five seasons in Tuscaloosa, which includes a 35-5 mark in regular-season conference play. In 2012, the Tide reached the 10-win milestone for the fifth consecutive season under Saban.

Under his guidance, Alabama has remained at the forefront of the college football world in 2012 with an explosive offense and a retooled defense that has remained one of the most dominant units in the nation. The Tide boasts a 12-1 record and a No. 2 national ranking headed into the game against top-ranked Notre Dame. This will be Saban’s third championship game in 4 years.

At Michigan State, the Sabans started the Nick’s Kids Fund, which they have continued in Tuscaloosa, a vibrant example of their continuing concern for disadvantaged children. Since Nick and Terry arrived in Tuscaloosa, more than $2.5 million has been distributed to more than 150 charities through the Nick’s Kids Fund. The Sabans also built 14 homes with Project Team Up and Habitat for Humanity following the April 27, 2011, tornado that stuck Tuscaloosa. In June of 2008, the Sabans announced a $1 million gift to benefit Alabama’s first-generation scholarship program. The gift has a special meaning to the Sabans as both Nick and Terry were first-generation graduates.

Information from RollTide.com

Give Nick Saban your vote for Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year today at www.coachoftheyear.com