Arizona State University’s (ASU) head football coach, Kenny Dillingham, has been selected a finalist for the prestigious Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award. This honour places him among the nation’s top coaches and recognises his outstanding achievements to collegiate football during the 2024 season.
The Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award is given yearly to a college football coach who demonstrates grit, integrity, and a winning attitude on and off the field. The National Sports Media Association, the Bryant Awards Executive Leadership Team, and the Bryant Family all vote on the winners.
Coach Dillingham’s award follows a stellar season in which he led the Sun Devils to key victories, including a memorable 24-14 victory against then-ranked No. 16 Kansas State. This victory won him the Bear Bryant Award for Fan Favourite Coach of the Week, presented by Accenture.
The finalists for the 2024 Coach of the Year Award are:
- Shane Beamer, University of South Carolina.
- Curt Cignetti of Indiana University
- Spencer Danielson of Boise State University
- Marcus Freeman, University of Notre Dame.
- Rhett Lashlee of Southern Methodist University
- Jeffrey Monken, Army
- Steve Sarkisian, University of Texas in Austin
The winner will be revealed during the awards ceremony on January 22, 2025, in Houston’s Post Oak Hotel. The event will be televised on CBS Sports Network at 11:30 p.m. CST.
Coach Dillingham’s experience at ASU has been nothing short of remarkable. His leadership has not only enhanced the team’s on-field performance, but it has also inspired a fresh feeling of pride and optimism in the Sun Devil community. Being selected a finalist for this prestigious honour demonstrates his dedication, strategic acumen, and the good influence he has had on his players and the ASU community.
As the awards ceremony approaches, the whole Arizona State community comes together to support Coach Dillingham and commemorate this momentous milestone in the program’s history.