Urban Meyer named Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award finalist
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has been named one of eight finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, presented by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) in conjunction with the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Meyer, who won the award in 2004 while at Utah, led the Buckeyes to a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff this season after earning the school's 35th Big Ten championship in dominating fashion Saturday night with a 59-0 win over No. 13 Wisconsin. The Buckeyes finished 12-1 overall and 8-0 in the Big Ten for the third consecutive season, a Big Ten record.
Under Meyer, the Buckeyes defeated a total of nine bowl-eligible teams and went 3-0 vs. ranked opponents. Offensively, Ohio State ranked fourth in the NCAA in scoring (45.2 ppg), eighth in total offense (507.6) and 10th in rushing (260.8) while boasting the nation's second-most efficient passing attack with a 172.3 team passer rating. Defensively, the Buckeyes led the Big Ten with 21 interceptions and ranked 15th in the NCAA in total defense (328.0) and seventh in passing efficiency defense (103.6). Special teams also played a integral role in Ohio State's success as the Buckeyes ranked No. 1 in the country in starting field position.
Meyer accomplished all that and more this season after losing his starting quarterback, senior Braxton Miller, just 10 days before the start of the regular season while replacing four starters along the offensive line. Meyer replaced Miller with redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett, who went on to become a leading Heisman candidate while shattering several school and Big Ten records. Then, after Barrett went down with a season-ending ankle injury in the regular season finale vs. Michigan, Ohio State and Meyer turned to their third-string QB, Cardale Jones, who helped lead the Buckeyes over the Badgers in the Big Ten title game with 257 yards passing and three TDs.
The official award presentation reception will be Jan. 10, 2015, in Dallas. The FWAA has presented a coaching award since the 1957 season when Ohio State's Woody Hayes was named the first recipient.
The No. 4 Buckeyes, who have won 11 straight games, will take on No. 1 Alabama in the Allstate Sugar Bowl at 8:30 p.m. ET Jan. 1 in New Orleans. The winner will face either No. 2 Oregon or No. 3 Florida State in the College Football Playoff Championship Game Jan. 12 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. All games will be televised on ESPN.
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year finalists:
Art Briles, Baylor
Jimbo Fisher, Florida State
Justin Fuente, Memphis
Bryan Harsin, Boise State
Mark Helfrich, Oregon
Urban Meyer, Ohio State
Gary Patterson, TCU
Nick Saban, Alabama
(Ohio State press release)
