The 2020 football season was a year like none before. Filled with stops and starts and challenges never faced by colleges and coaching staffs, schools were faced to make tough decisions and navigate the uncertainty from week-to-week.
Still, the season was filled with great performances, amazing plays, and outstanding coaching. With the fall and spring seasons now finished and as we begin to count the days until the 2021 season, we are honored to announce the winners of the Football Scoop Coaches of the Year awards presented by AstroTurf. These awards are the only set of awards that recognize the most outstanding position coaches in college football.
The finalists for each award were selected from nominations by coaches, athletic directors, and athletic director personnel. The prior winners of the award then choose the winner from the list of finalists. If asked, most of the winners will tell you that this award means much more than others because it is chosen by their peers. Now in its 12th year, the Football Scoop Awards presented by AstroTurf has grown into a highly anticipated event within the football coaching profession. Awards are handed out to the winners at a reception during the American Football Coaches Association Convention each year.
This year’s winners include Offensive Coordinator of the Year, Steve Sarkisian of the University of Alabama. Defensive Coordinator of the Year, Mike Hankwitz, Northwestern; Special Teams Coordinators of the Year, Zac Alley and Winston Venable, Boise State; Quarterbacks Coach of the Year, Aaron Roderick, BYU; Running Backs Coach of the Year, Robert Gillespie, North Carolina; Wide Receivers Coach of the Year, Holmon Wiggins, Alabama; Offensive Line Coaches of the Year, Rob Sale and DJ Looney, Louisiana Lafayette; Defensive Line Coaches of the Year, Charlie Partridge; Linebackers Coach of the Year, Joe Gillespie, Tulsa; Defensive Backs Coaches of the Year, Perry Eliano and Colin Hitschler, Cincinnati; Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year, Chad Scott, Coastal Carolina; Football Operations Directors of the Year, Michael Hazel, Penn State and Will Glikison, Rutgers; FCS Coordinator of the Year, Ryan Carty, Sam Houston; NAIA Coordinator of the Year, Phil Kleckler; Director of Player Personnel, Lee Wilbanks, Indiana.
Football Scoop and AstroTurf are excited to partner together to present these well-deserved awards each year.
“It was amazing to see these coaching staffs adapt and adjust to the weekly challenges during the 2020 season,” said Chris Stephens, Communications Manager at AstroTurf. “I’m sure that it was impressive to see them work behind the scenes to have their players ready to go each week. It’s great to recognize these coaches and personnel each year, but especially this year.”
For more information about each individual award, please visit www.footballscoop.com
About Football Scoop
Created in 1999, FootballScoop.com is the premier source for coaching job information and has long been the most widely viewed website by coaches, athletic directors, strength & conditioning coaches, operations and equipment staff across America. As the leading coaching job information venue, FootballScoop.com serves our viewers’ needs by providing firsthand, timely & accurate information for our audience. FootballScoop.com is the premier provider of official job postings.
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sport enthusiasts, AstroTurf® has redefined the way the game is played. The brand offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies. A growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports teams and municipalities continue to select AstroTurf-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority, and safety. To learn more, visit AstroTurf’s newly redesigned website at www.astroturf.com.