The first of what should be a handful of these types of awards for Mark Richt is a rather significant one.
The Walter Camp Foundation announced Tuesday afternoon that Richt has been named as its 2017 Coach of the Year. This award has been handed out annually since 1967 and is voted on by the 130 FBS head coaches and sports information departments.
In his second season at his alma mater, Richt has led Miami to a 10-2 record and the football program’s first-ever appearance in the ACC championship game. The 10 wins are the most for the Hurricanes since the 2003 season, with that performance netting The U a spot in this year’s Orange Bowl opposite Wisconsin Dec. 30.
Richt is the second Hurricanes head coach to claim Camp honors, joining Jimmy Johnson in 1986. He’s also the third coach from the ACC to win the award in the past five seasons -- Clemson’s Dabo Swinney (2015) and Duke’s David Cutcliffe (2013).
Last year’s winner was Colorado’s Mike MacIntyre. The first honoree? Indiana’s John Pont.