Dabo Swinney Named Finalist For Paul "Bear" Bryant Award
CLEMSON, S.C. — The American Heart Association announced today that Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney has been named a finalist for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award.
Now in its 33rd year, the award recognizes the country’s top college football coach for his contributions both on and off the field. The award is selected after all bowl games have concluded and is voted on by the National Sports Media Association. Swinney is one of seven finalists for the award this season:
- Bill Clark – UAB
- Josh Heupel – UCF
- Brian Kelly – Notre Dame
- Jeff Monken – Army
- Nick Saban – Alabama
- Dabo Swinney – Clemson
- Jeff Tedford – Fresno State
Swinney is a two-time Bear Bryant Award winner, having collected the honor following the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Swinney will attempt to become the first three-time winner since the award's inception in 1986, as he and Chris Petersen are presently the only two-time winners in the award's history.
This season, Swinney has already earned the 2018 Woody Hayes Award from the Touchdown Club of Columbus and Coach of the Year from the ACC. He has also been named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award and the Dodd Trophy in addition to being a semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award.