Dec. 9, 2008

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald has been named one of 10 finalists for the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award, announced today (Dec. 9) by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Archie Manning, chair of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame.

The finalists represent standout college football coaches who best exemplify excellence in coaching -- on and off the field -- as determined by a combination of hundreds of thousands of fan votes at www.CoachoftheYear.com and an objective scoring model endorsed by the College Football Hall of Fame.

The Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) finalists are, in alphabetical order: Mack Brown, University of Texas; Brady Hoke, Ball State University; Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern University; Urban Meyer, University of Florida; Joe Paterno, Pennsylvania State University; Chris Petersen, Boise State University; Nick Saban, University of Alabama; Bob Stoops, University of Oklahoma; Jim Tressel, Ohio State University; and Kyle Whittingham, University of Utah.

Each Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year finalist will have an opportunity to receive recognition in the permanent College Football Hall of Fame display in South Bend, Ind., $50,000 to support personal civic and charitable activities, and a $20,000 scholarship donation for his alumni association. After this season, the total Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year charitable and scholarship contributions will reach $680,000. The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award was introduced in 2006.

Fitzgerald already has a date with the College Football Hall of Fame, where he will be permanently enshrined next summer for his on-the-field accomplishments as a Wildcat from 1993-96. The third-year Northwestern head coach was formally inducted during a press conference and ceremony today (Dec. 9) at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, N.Y.

Earlier this week, the Touchdown Club of Columbus named Fitzgerald its Big Ten Coach of the Year.

The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year selection process will take place between Dec. 12 and Dec. 22. College football fans are once again invited back to www.CoachoftheYear.com to cast their vote for the winner. On the site, fans have the opportunity to review bios and fan testimonials supporting each finalist before they make their selection and enjoy episodes of "Coach's Corner" which offer Archie Manning and Kirk Herbstreit's perspectives on the latest topics in college football.

To ensure candidates are evaluated fairly and measured against the specific values of responsibility and integrity, a Selection Committee composed of College Football Hall of Fame players and coaches and the national media will also cast votes for the winners. Fan votes account for 20 percent of each coach's final score while the College Football Hall of Famers and national college football media account for 55 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

The 2008 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award winners will be announced on ESPN during halftime of the Music City Bowl on Dec. 31.

Tickets/Future Schedules

BOWL CENTRAL

The Team

2011 Ryan Field Fan Guide 

Coaches' Corner

Camps and Clinics

PERSASTRONG.com

Ryan Field

Multimedia