Another, though, gets the endorsement of fellow finalist Lane Kiffin.
Along with the Florida Atlantic head coach, the Football Writers Association of America announced a total of eight finalists for the 2017 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. In addition to Kiffin, those finalists are Bill Clark, UAB; Scott Frost, UCF (now at Nebraska); Jeff Monken, Army; Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma; Kirby Smart, Georgia; Dabo Swinney, Clemson; and Jeff Tedford, Fresno State.
Riley, Smart and Swinney will be coaching in the College Football Playoff; the fourth semifinalist, two-time Robinson winner Nick Saban of Alabama, is the only playoff head coach not included this year.
Saban’s former offensive coordinator, meanwhile, took to (surprise!) Twitter to voice his opinion as to who he feels is deserving of claiming this year’s honor.
I vote for coach Clark!!! Unreal job this year. 🏈🔥💯 @FAU_Football @ConferenceUSA @finebaum @espn https://t.co/fGTSM8o0rT
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) December 5, 2017
Swinney is the only one of the eight who has ever been a finalist for the award named in honor of the legendary Grambling State head coach Eddie Robinson. None of the coaching octet has ever won the honor.
The Robinson Award has been given out annually since 1957, with Ohio State’s Woody Hayes winning that first trophy. Colorado’s Mike MacIntyre won the most recent edition.