BOSTON – LSU head coach Les Miles has been selected as one of 25 finalists for the Liberty Mutual Insurance Coach of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the college football coach that best exhibits sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and excellence, and for giving back to their teams, schools and communities, on and off field.
The 25 finalists — 10 from the Football Bowl Subdivision and five each from the Football Championship Subdivision, Division II and Division III — were determined as a result of online fan voting at CoachoftheYear.com and through an objective scoring model endorsed by the College Football Hall of Fame.
Liberty Mutual will announce the four winners the morning of the BCS Championship game, Jan. 9, 2012, in New Orleans. Each winner receives a $50,000 donation from Liberty Mutual to the charity or charities of his choice, as well as a $20,000 scholarship grant in their name to their school’s alumni association.
Miles is also a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award and he was the recipient of the American Football Coaches Association Region 2 Coach of the Year honor on Tuesday.
Miles has guided the Tigers to college football’s only perfect record with a 13-0 mark and an appearance in the BCS National Championship Game. LSU won the Southeastern Conference Championship for the second time under his watch last weekend as the Tigers defeated Georgia 42-10.
Miles has led the Tigers to school records in wins (13), SEC victories (eight), wins over Top 25 ranked teams (eight), double-figure wins (12) and games with 40 or more points (nine).
In now seven years, Miles has put together a stellar 75-17 record, including a 31-13 mark against ranked teams. LSU will finish the year with its fourth top-five ranking under his watch.
2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Finalists (listed alphabetically)
Football Bowl Subdivision:
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
Brady Hoke, Michigan
Mark Hudspeth, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Mike London, Virginia
Les Miles, LSU
Bobby Petrino, Arkansas
Mark Richt, Georgia
Nick Saban, Alabama
Bill Snyder, Kansas State
Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Football Championship Subdivision:
Rob Ambrose, Towson University (Md.)
Rob Ash, Montana State University
Tom Gilmore, College of the Holy Cross (Mass.)
Jerry Moore, Appalachian State University
Chris Mussman, University of North Dakota
Division II:
Tim Beck, Pittsburg State University (Kan.)
Bill Maskill, Midwestern State University (Texas)
Peter Rossomando, University of New Haven (Conn.)
Scott Underwood, St. Cloud State University (Minn.)
John Wristen, Colorado State University-Pueblo
Division III:
Glenn Caruso, University of St. Thomas (Minn.)
Keith Emery, Western New England University
Steve Johnson, Bethel University (Minn.)
Lance Leipold, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Stan Zweifel, University of Dubuque (Iowa)