FCS: Eddie Robinson Award Watchlist (Week 10)
Stats Perform presents the Eddie Robinson Award to the national coach of the year at the FCS level each season since 1987. The award is named after the legendary Grambling State head coach Eddie Robinson.
As the 2023 FCS season enters the final month of the regular season, we take a look at some of the top potential candidates to win the 2023 Eddie Robinson Award. The FCS National Awards banquet will be hosted on Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas.
Jason Eck (Idaho)
Eck should have been one of the top candidates for this award last season as he led the Vandals to the FCS Playoffs for the first time since 1995 in his first season. He has a chance to be the first head coach with multiple postseason appearances in school history since Chris Tormey (1995-99).
The Vandals have emerged as one of the top programs at the FCS level over the past two seasons under Eck and are currently the No. 3 team in the nation after an upset win over No. 2 Montana State. Idaho is in position to win the first conference championship since 1998. The Vandals also defeated Nevada in one of only four FCS over FBS upsets of the season.
There is no denying the impact that Eck has had on the Idaho program as he continues to build this program into a national championship contender. Eck would be the first coach in school history to win the award and the first Big Sky coach since Troy Taylor in 2019.
Jimmy Rogers (South Dakota State)
Rogers stepped into an extremely interesting situation this offseason. He had an extremely talented roster with plenty of experience but faced the difficult task of replacing a legendary coach who just won a national championship.
The Jackrabbits have defeated three Top-10 teams and could finish the season with six wins over ranked opponents. Despite the difficult schedule, South Dakota State continues to dominate, defeating opponents by an average of 27.6 points per game.
If Rogers wins the award, it will be the first time in the award's history that a program has won the award in back-to-back years with different coaches.
Trei Oliver (North Carolina Central)
Trei Oliver continues to build his alma mater into an HBCU powerhouse as the Eagles are looking for back-to-back Celebration Bowl wins. He led North Carolina Central to the first Celebration Bowl win and fourth Black College National Championship.
The Eagles are currently undefeated against FCS opponents and are 14-2 over the past two seasons against the FCS. Oliver has led the Eagles to road wins over three ranked opponents over the past two seasons. North Carolina Central has reached the highest ranking in school history under Oliver and the Eagles are currently Top-10 in the FCS Coaches Poll.
Oliver would be the first coach in MEAC history to win the Eddie Robinson Award and the third HBCU head coach to win the award (Deion Sanders and Henry Frazier).
John Troxell (Lafayette)
Troxell has led Lafayette to the best start since 2009 and is currently undefeated against FCS competition this season. The Leopards have a chance to win the first conference championship since 2013.
Lafayette defeated Holy Cross for the first ranked win since 2013 and earned a Top-25 ranking for the first time since 2009. Troxell has led the Leopards to the first winning season since 2009 and could have the first undefeated conference record since 1994.
Troxell is leading the Leopards to a historic year in only his second season as head coach. He would be the second head coach in school history to win the award, joining Bill Russo (1988). Troxell would also be the fourth coach from the Patriot League to win the award.
Kerwin Bell (Western Carolina)
Western Carolina has not made a postseason appearance since 1983 and has an all-time record of 341-502 (.407). Only one head coach has finished with a winning record in school history (Bob Waters; 1969-88), but Kerwin Bell has built the Catamounts into a Top-25 program in only three seasons.
Recruiting is overlooked at the FCS level, but back-to-back No. 1 recruiting classes in the SoCon have transformed this program. The Catamounts have 25 underclassmen listed on the two-deep, but Bell led the Catamounts to a Top-10 ranking this season and a chance at a postseason appearance.
There is an argument that Bell faced one of the most difficult rebuilds in the country and has taken this program to new heights in only his third season, which should make him one of the top candidates for this award.
Willie Simmons (Florida A&M)
Willie Simmons led the Rattlers to the first SWAC East title this season and a shot at the first outright conference championship since 2001. Florida A&M has a chance to win nine or more games for the fourth consecutive season under Simmons.
Over three seasons in the SWAC, the Rattlers are 24-2 in conference play and have won 15 games by more than one score. Florida A&M has a chance to make the first Celebration Bowl appearance in school history and could win the second Black College National Championship under Simmons.
Simmons would be the third head coach in SWAC history to win the award and would give the conference two winners in the past three seasons.
Honorable Mentions: Eddie George (Tennessee State), Brent Vigen (Montana State), Clay Hendrix (Furman), Ryan Carty (Delaware), Greg Gattuso (UAlbany), Andy Thompson (Sacramento State), Clint Killough (Incarnate Word), Bob Nielson (South Dakota), Bobby Hauck (Montana)
