Mendenhall Named to Bryant Coach of the Year Watch List

HOUSTON – The Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards committee of the American Heart Association has selected its Bryant Watch List for the 2009 College Football Coach of the Year. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall is one of 20 coaches named to the list.

Since taking over a BYU program in 2005 that had not enjoyed a winning season since 2001, Mendenhall has guided his teams to four straight bowl invitations, two outright Mountain West Conference championships and one of the nation’s top overall records (44-15) over that span.

Listed in alphabetical order, the following coaches have been named to the 2009 Bryant Coach of the Year Watch List:

Robb Akey – University of Idaho

Mack Brown – University of Texas

Pete Carroll – University of Southern California

Kirk Ferentz – University of Iowa

Al Golden – Temple University

Mike Gundy – Oklahoma State University

Paul Johnson – Georgia Institute of Technology

Brian Kelly – University of Cincinnati

Chip Kelly – University of Oregon

Bronco Mendenhall – Brigham Young University

Urban Meyer – University of Florida

Les Miles – Louisiana State University

Joe Paterno – Penn State University

Gary Patterson – Texas Christian University

Chris Petersen – Boise State University

Nick Saban – University of Alabama

Randy Shannon – University of Miami

Bill Stewart – West Virginia University

Kevin Sumlin – University of Houston

Dave Wannstedt – University of Pittsburgh

A committee that consists of current and past event chairmen, Bryant family representatives, National Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association representatives, college football sports analysts and former collegiate players and coaches selected the watch list.

Bryant College Football Coach of the Year finalists will be announced later in December and attend an awards dinner in Houston on Jan. 14, 2010. The winner will be announced live that evening. The winner of the Bryant College Football Coach of the Year is voted on by member of the National Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association and is the only college coaching award voted on after all bowl games are played.

The Bryant Awards honors excellence in coaching while raising funds to fight heart disease and stroke, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers. Bryant himself suffered a heart attack prior to his death in 1983. Funds raised benefit research, community education and outreach programs of the AHA.