After missing out on no fewer than six national coach of the year awards -- not to mention the Big Ten's version of the honor -- the man who molded the best team in the country for 2014 finally has his name on one.
Urban Meyer is the Phil Steele National Coach of the Year after leading the Buckeyes to a 14-1 record and victory in the first College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
He is the first Ohio State coach to win the award, which has been given out only since 2011.
Previous winners are Bill Snyder of Kansas State (2011), Nick Saban of Alabama (2012) and Gus Malzahn of Auburn (2013).
In December, Minnesota's Jerry Kill was named Big Ten Coach of the Year while TCU's Gary Patterson was the popular pick for national coach of the year, claiming that honor from the AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA, Sporting News and Walter Camp. Former Meyer assistant Dan Mullen won the Maxwell Coach of the Year Award for his work at Mississippi State while Saban claimed the Bobby Dodd Award and Patterson won the Home Depot Coach of the Year and Bear Bryant Coach of the Year awards.
