HCA: Mike Leach named Munger Award finalist

A week after being named Pac-12 Coach of the Year, Mike Leach was named a finalist for another coach of the year award - this time, the Munger Award presented by the Maxwell Football Club. The award has been annually handed out to college football’s coach of the year since 1989.

Leach has led this years Cougar team to a 10-2 season and has the chance to become the only coach in program history to win 11 games when they take on Iowa State in the Alamo Bowl later this month. He has also led the Cougars to four straight bowl games - another first in program history.

This is not a new thing for Leach as he previously won the award in 2008 while at Texas Tech. That season is most notable for the game winning touchdown by Michael Crabtree with his sideline maneuver that resulted in a win over #1 Texas. He finished that season with an 11-2 record and a quarterback that won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in Graham Harrell.

He is joined by Alabama coach Nick Saban, Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly, Syracuse’s Dino Babers, UAB’s Bill Clark, and Army’s Jeff Monken. Saban is the only other coach in this years group to have previously won the award.

Leach has the chance to be the first winner of the award in the conference since Pete Carroll did so in 2005 with the Trojans. Urban Meyer won the award while at Utah in 2004 but that was before the Utes joined the conference.

The award winner will be announced January 3rd and is chosen by current college coaches, National media members, and members of the Maxwell Football Club.

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Football:

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