The Yellowhammer State boasts three of the 22 total contenders for the 2019 Paul “Bear” Bryant Award, which is presented by the American Heart Association annually to college football’s top head coach.
The University of Alabama’s Nick Saban, Auburn University’s Gus Malzahn and the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) Bill Clark on Wednesday were all named to the award watch list.
Saban won the award while at LSU in 2003, however he has never been similarly honored while coaching the Crimson Tide, despite his historic success. Saban has won the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award twice — last year and in 2008.
Malzahn won the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award in 2013.
Before that, then-Auburn coaches Gene Chizik and Tommy Tuberville were recognized with the award in 2011 and 2004, respectively.
This is the second consecutive year Clark has been named to the watch list. He flew to last year’s award ceremony in Houston, however the 2018 award was ultimately presented to Clemson’s Dabo Swinney.
Bama is currently 7-0 this season, while Auburn and UAB are both 6-1. UAB has the nation’s No.3 total defense.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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