CHICAGO South Dakota State head coach Jimmy Rogers was named Monday as one of 20 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award, which is presented by FedEx Ground and given annually by Stats Perform to the national coach of the year in Division I FCS college football.
Rogers has guided the Jackrabbits to an 11-0 record and the top seed in the upcoming Football Championship Subdivision playoffs during his first season as head coach. SDSU has maintained the No. 1 ranking in both the Stats Perform media and AFCA coaches rankings throughout the entire 2023 regular season, defeating six top-25 opponents en route to its second consecutive Missouri Valley Football Conference title.
Rogers took over the helm of the Jackrabbit football program from 2022 Eddie Robinson Award winner John Stiegelmeier, who retired after leading SDSU to the programs first national title last season. A former Jackrabbit player, Rogers served on the SDSU defensive coaching staff for 10 seasons and was named FCS Coordinator of the Year by FootballScoop.com in 2022.
The Eddie Robinson Award, which was first presented in 1987, is named in honor of the legendary Grambling State coach. The winner of the 2023 edition of the award will be selected by a national voting panel and will be announced on Dec. 7 and honored at the FCS National Awards Banquet Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas – the eve of the FCS championship game.
FCS Coach of the Year finalists
- Mark Ferrante, Villanova
- Greg Gattuso, Albany
- Bobby Hauck, Montana
- Clay Hendrix, Furman
- Tre Lamb, Gardner-Webb
- Tim Murphy, Harvard
- Bob Nielson, South Dakota
- Trei Oliver, North Carolina Central
- Tim Rebowe, Nicholls
- Danny Rocco, Virginia Military Institute
- Jimmy Rogers, South Dakota State
- Pete Rossomando, Lamar
- Jerry Schmitt, Duquesne
- Larry Scott, Howard
- Willie Simmons, Florida A&M
- Todd Stepsis, Drake
- John Troxell, Lafayette
- Scotty Walden, Austin Peay
- Todd Whitten, Tarleton
- Chris Wilkerson, Eastern Illinois
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