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HomeSportsWill Healy Named Eddie Robinson Award Winner

Will Healy Named Eddie Robinson Award Winner

APSU FootballChicago, Ill — Austin Peay State University head football coach Will Healy has been named the 2017 Eddie Robinson Award recipient.

The Eddie Robinson Award is named after the legendary Grambling head coach and is given annually to the top coach in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) by STATS. Voting was conducted by a national panel of over 150 media relations and sports information directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries.

APSU Football Coach Wins Eddie Robinson Award.{APSU Sports Information}
APSU Football Coach Wins Eddie Robinson Award.{APSU Sports Information}

“I am truly honored to receive this award,” Healy said. “You see the list of former winners and it’s a who’s who of successful coaches on this level and there is no one more reputable and respected than Eddie Robinson. To be a part of an award named for him is a dream come true. And so is every day I come to work, because really, this is not my award. Every coach, player, administrator and fan who had a hand in this, this is your award. I am so proud of what we have achieved together and I cannot wait to see what our future holds.”

Healy is the 31st recipient of the award. The 32-year old coach becomes just the third Ohio Valley Conference coach to ever receive the honor (Murray State’s Houston Nutt in 1995 and Southeast Missouri’s Tony Samuel in 2010).

In just his second season at the helm, Healy spearheaded one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football history. Coming into the 2017 season with just one win in the last four years, Healy guided the Governors to an 8-4 mark, including an 8-1 record against Football Championship Subdivision competition. Austin Peay tallied seven OVC victories – the most conference wins in program history.

“What an extraordinary achievement for a well deserving coach,” said Austin Peay Director of Athletics Ryan Ivey. “This award is a testament of Coach Healy’s ability to lead a group of individuals, to make them believe in a vision – a dream at the time – and then put in countless hours of work, dedication, perseverance, and love for each other to make that vision a reality.

“I am extremely proud and honored to work alongside Coach Healy, his staff and our incredible student-athletes to continue the vision of success. This is truly a great day for Austin Peay, our athletics department and our football program.

The annual FCS Awards Banquet will be held on January 5th at the Embassy Suites Frisco in Frisco, Texas. Coach Healy, and other national award winners and nominees, will be recognized for their outstanding achievements on the gridiron this season.

The final voting results:

1. Will Healy, Austin Peay: 49-19-11-6-8-374

2. Mike Houston, James Madison: 28-18-21-21-15-332

3. Brian Bohannon, Kennesaw State: 15-27-26-14-12-301

4. Curt Cignetti, Elon: 11-20-15-16-10-222

5. Rod Broadway, North Carolina A&T: 9-18-9-13-13-183

6. Demario Warren, Southern Utah: 11-6-8-10-12-135

7. Al Bagnoli, Columbia: 6-7-12-9-11-123

8. John Grass, Jacksonville State: 4-1-14-6-8-86

9. Tim Rebowe, Nicholls: 5-5-6-5-9-82

10. Kevin Callahan, Monmouth: 2-4-6-13-10-80

11. Chris Klieman, North Dakota State: 2-7-5-5-13-76

12. Mike Ayers, Wofford: 3-5-4-8-6-69

13. Charlie Fisher, Western Illinois: 2-5-4-6-5-59

14. Pete Rossomando, Central Connecticut State: 2-4-5-4-6-55

15. Mike London, Howard: 0-4-2-12-6-52

16. Dan Hunt, Colgate: 1-1-1-3-1-19

17. Dave Cecchini, Valparaiso: 1-0-2-0-4-15

18. Fred McNair, Alcorn State: 0-0-0-0-2-2

A first-place vote was worth five points, a second-place vote four points, a third-place vote three points, a fourth-place vote two points and a fifth-place vote one point.

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