JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State head coach John Grass has been named a finalist for the 2017 STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award, given annually to the coach of the year in FCS.
Grass was one of 18 finalists announced on Monday by STATS for the award, which will be presented to the winner at STATS annual awards banquet in Frisco, Texas, on the night before the NCAA Division I Championship Game.
Named for the legendary coach of Grambling State, past winners of the Robinson Award include Mark Duffner, Erk Russell, Chris Ault, Jim Tressel, Houston Nutt, Andy Talley, Paul Johnson, Joe Glenn, Jerry Kill, Jerry Moore and two-time winners Mickey Matthews, Sean McDonnell and Craig Bohl.
Grass has yet to lose a conference game in his career as a head coach, rolling up 31-straight Ohio Valley Conference victories after his fourth-straight unbeaten conference season in 2017. He is the first coach in FCS history to post perfect conference records in his first two seasons, let alone his first four.
He holds a 43-7 record as the Gamecocks’ head man, the second-best start to a career in FCS history He boasts a career .860 winning percentage, which is the highest career winning percentage among all active Division I head coaches. Ohio State’s Urban Meyer is second on that list.
Grass’ Gamecocks went unbeaten against FCS opposition again this season, making him unbeaten in the regular season against non-FBS foes in his four-year career. JSU earned the No. 3 seed in the FCS Playoffs, It’s the fourth-straight season in which he has led the Gamecocks to a top-three seed, something the program had never done before his arrival in 2014.
Grass and the Gamecocks have a bye in the first round of the playoffs this week and will host the winner of the first-round game between Samford and Kennesaw State on Dec. 2 at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN3.
Tickets are available now for the game by visitingwww.jsugamecocksports.com or by calling the JSU Ticket Office at (256) 782-8499.
The 18 finalists:
Mike Ayers, Wofford
Al Bagnoli, Columbia
Brian Bohannon, Kennesaw State
Rod Broadway, North Carolina A&T
Kevin Callahan, Monmouth
Dave Cecchini, Valparaiso
Curt Cignetti, Elon
Charlie Fisher, Western Illinois
John Grass, Jacksonville State
Will Healy, Austin Peay
Mike Houston, James Madison
Dan Hunt, Colgate
Chris Klieman, North Dakota State
Mike London, Howard
Fred McNair, Alcorn State
Tim Rebowe, Nicholls
Pete Rossomando, Central Connecticut State
Demario Warren, Southern Utah
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