EKU football legend Roy Kidd to be honored with Amos Alonzo Stagg Award

Former Eastern Kentucky University football coach Roy Kidd, who turned 90 years old last December, will receive the 2023 Amos Alonzo Stagg Award from the American Football Coaches Association on Jan. 9, 2023, at the organization’s annual convention in Charlotte, N.C.

The award honors those “whose services have been outstanding in the advancement of the best interests of football.”

Upon his retirement in 2002, Kidd went 314-124-8 with a winning percentage of 70.5 in 39 years as the coach of the Colonels. He guided EKU to 16 Ohio Valley Conference titles, 17 NCAA Division I playoff appearances and two national titles (1979 and 1982). Eastern appeared in four consecutive Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA) title games from 1979 through 1982.

“It makes me mighty proud,” Kidd said of the honor. “It makes me very proud of my staff and of all the players we had. They’re the people that made the winning happen. It’s quite an honor. “

Kidd was a two-time FCS National Coach of the Year and 10-time OVC Coach of the Year. He led his teams to 37 non-losing seasons, including a streak of 25 consecutive seasons with a winning record.

A past president of the AFCA, Kidd is a two-time winner of the Lexington Herald-Leader’s Sports Figure of the Year award.

Kidd, who coached 41 players who signed with National Football League teams, 55 All-Americans and 202 first-team All-OVC selections, is a member of the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame.

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