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Former UK assistant Jon Sumrall a finalist for Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award

Former Kentucky Wildcat and UK assistant coach Jon Sumrall is one of eight finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award after leading Troy to a 10-2 record in his debut season as a college head coach.

Sumrall played at UK under Rich Brooks from 2002-04 and was a linebackers coach under Mark Stoops from 2019-2021 before taking over a Troy program that had finished 5-7 under Chip Lindsey in 2021. Under Sumrall, the Trojans went 7-1 in the Sun Belt Conference before beating Coastal Carolina 45-26 in the league championship game.

Troy will play Conference USA champion UTSA in the Duluth Trading Care Bowl on Friday, Dec. 16. ESPN has the 3 p.m. telecast.

Sumrall joins TCU’s Sonny Dykes, Duke’s Mike Elko, Tulane’s Willie Fritz, Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, Southern Cal’s Lincoln Riley, Georgia’s Kirby Smart and UTSA’s Jeff Traylor as finalists for the award.

Dykes is another former UK assistant coach. He served as Kentucky’s wide receivers coach under Hal Mumme in 1999.

Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell won the award in 2021. Fickell recently left the Bearcats to become the head coach at Wisconsin. Former Louisville coach Scott Satterfield was named the new Cincinnati coach on Monday.

FILE - Troy head coach Jon Sumrall reacts after his team defeated Marshall in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Troy, Ala. The Trojans were 1-2 and reeling from a demoralizing loss on an Appalachian State Hail Mary. They haven’t lost since. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)
FILE - Troy head coach Jon Sumrall reacts after his team defeated Marshall in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Troy, Ala. The Trojans were 1-2 and reeling from a demoralizing loss on an Appalachian State Hail Mary. They haven’t lost since. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)

Here are bios for the finalists, per a press release by the Football Writers Association of America in conjunction with the Sugar Bowl:

Sonny Dykes, TCU: Dykes, a second-time finalist, has the Horned Frogs (12-1) playing for a national championship in his first season since coming over from SMU, where he was an Eddie Robinson Award finalist in 2019 in his last 10-win season (10-3). He’s just the fourth coach since 1996 to get to 12-0 in his first season at a school. TCU has five wins over opponents that were ranked at the time, tied with Tennessee for most in the FBS. Behind quarterback Max Duggan, a reserve to the start the season and now a Heisman Trophy finalist, TCU was the first Big 12 team to go 9-0 in conference play since Oklahoma in 2016. Dykes is the second TCU coach to become a finalist – former head coach Gary Patterson was a four-time finalist, winning the award in 2009 and ‘14.

Mike Elko, Duke: Elko is a first-time finalist and Duke’s first since David Cutcliffe in 2013. Elko led Duke to an 8-4 record thus far and a tie for second place in the ACC’s Coastal Division after being picked to finish last in the preseason and with a Military Bowl game vs. UCF yet to play. Duke was 3-9 and 0-8 in the ACC last season. Duke is tied for second nationally in turnover margin at plus-1.17 one year after finishing last in the ACC in that category. The Blue Devils had nine players earn All-ACC honors and their 5-3 record in ACC play was the program’s best league mark since 2014. The Blue Devils have not had an Eddie Robinson Award winner.

Willie Fritz, Tulane: Fritz coached Tulane (11-2) to the AAC title, only its third conference title in program history, and up to No. 16 in the CFP Rankings that also earned a New Year’s Six bowl berth. Tulane’s first AAC Coach of the Year and only its second conference coach of the year, Fritz led the Green Wave to its fourth 10-win campaign in program history and the first since 1998. Tulane’s seven conference wins are its most since 1934, highlighted by a historic win at then-No. 23 Cincinnati that stopped its 32-game home win streak and set up its conference title shot. Tulane’s only prior Eddie Robinson finalist was Tommy Bowden in 1998.

Jim Harbaugh, Michigan: Harbaugh is a two-time Eddie Robinson Award finalist and returns from last season’s list. The other came while at Stanford in 2010. Harbaugh kept the Wolverines (13-0) near the top of the national rankings all season with an old-school power rushing attack. The Wolverines are fifth in the FBS in scoring defense (13.4 ppg) and seventh in scoring offense (40.1 ppg). Michigan’s first outright Big Ten East Division championship was clinched and punctuated by a dominant 45-23 win at rival and then-No. 2 Ohio State to end the regular season. Michigan then claimed its first back-to-back conference titles since 2003-04 with a 43-22 win over Purdue in the Big Ten Championship Game. Harbaugh is Michigan’s fourth coach to be a finalist and its first since Brady Hoke in 2011. Michigan’s only previous winner was Bo Schembechler, the FWAA Coach of the Year award in 1969.

Lincoln Riley, Southern Cal: This is Riley’s third time to be among the finalists, the other two coming in 2017 and ‘18 while at Oklahoma. Riley’s 11 wins (11-2) ties for the most by a USC head coach in his regular-season debut, matching Howard Jones (1925) and John Robinson (1976). The Trojans returned only five starters on offense in 2022 but true to Riley’s explosive coaching style now are among the FBS’ leaders in total offense (5th, 499.8 ypg) and scoring offense (3rd, 41.1 ppg). Quarterback Caleb Williams, who came to USC along with Riley from Oklahoma this season, is a Heisman finalist. USC has not had an Eddie Robinson finalist since Pete Carroll in 2008, the last of his four finalist bids. Riley is the Trojans’ third coach to reach this stage – John McKay was a two-time winner split 10 years apart in 1972 and ‘62.

Kirby Smart, Georgia: Smart is a three-time finalist, repeating off last season’s list for undefeated and top-ranked Georgia (13-0) and also from the 2017 season. Smart is the sixth coach in the last seven seasons to repeat as a finalist the year following winning a national championship. Smart took the Bulldogs to their fifth SEC Championship Game appearance in his seven seasons at Georgia and their first SEC title-game win since 2017. Georgia is among the top 11 nationally in both scoring defense (2nd, 12.8) and scoring offense (11th, 39.2). Smart has developed quarterback Stetson Bennett, a former walk-on, to Heisman-finalist status with a 27-3 career record and playing for another national title. Smart is Georgia’s third coach to be a finalist (also Jim Donnan in 1997). Vince Dooley is the only previous winner as the FWAA Coach of the Year in 1980.

Jon Sumrall, Troy: Sumrall is a first-time finalist for the award and Troy’s first as well in his debut season with the Trojans. Troy (11-2) won its Sun Belt-record seventh conference title last week with a 45-26 home win over Coastal Carolina in the SBC Championship Game. The win was Troy’s 10th straight, its longest winning streak since 1995, and the third longest active streak in the country. Troy broke into the CFP rankings this week at No. 24. True to his background on defense, Troy allowed the fifth-fewest points in SBC history (202) during the regular season, clamping down on opponents late. Troy is second in the FBS allowing only 3.17 points per game in the fourth quarter and holding 7-of-12 teams scoreless. An Sun Belt coach is among the finalists for the fourth consecutive season.

Jeff Traylor, UTSA: Traylor repeats as a finalist with his second bid in consecutive seasons as UTSA’s only Eddie Robinson Award finalist. UTSA (11-2) won its 10th straight game last week with a 48-27 win over North Texas in the Conference USA Championship Game; the Roadrunners are only the third team to repeat as C-USA champions. It’s the second-longest win streak in school history and ties Troy for the third-longest active streak nationally. UTSA is ranked in both major polls and earned the No. 25 spot in final CFP rankings. UTSA has won 26 of its last 31 games and Traylor is currently 30-9 at the school.

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