San Diego State football coach named semifinalist for national award

Sean Lewis is up for the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award

San Diego State Aztecs head coach Sean Lewis. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

San Diego State’s turnaround season has led to Sean Lewis being named a semifinalist for the 2025 George Munger College Coach of the Year Award.

Lewis is one of 24 semifinalists announced Wednesday by the Maxwell Football Club. It’s the latest accolade for a team that has made huge strides this fall.

Why this matters

Lewis has led an impressive turnaround from a 3-9 record in his first season — including a season-ending, six-game losing streak — to a spot atop the Mountain West in the Aztecs' final season in the league. 

The Aztecs are 8-2 overall and 5-1 in the MW, one game ahead of five other teams. The Aztecs were picked to finish eighth in the MW preseason poll. Now they control their own destiny with two games to go, including the chance to host the conference championship game on Dec. 5.

A conference championship would be a nice farewell to the MW for the Aztecs, who are moving into the new-look Pac-12 next season, along with Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and Utah State. 

Of the 20 teams that won three or fewer games last year, only San Diego State and Southern Miss are bowl eligible this year. The Aztecs reached the required six victories with a 23-0 win at Fresno State on Oct. 25.

Who is Sean Lewis

Lewis was head coach at Kent State from 2018-2022, going 24-31 overall with two bowl appearances. He spent the 2023 season as offensive coordinator at Colorado before being hired by the Aztecs after Brady Hoke retired. 

Our Process Works.

Congratulations to Coach Lewis for being named a semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award!

📰: https://t.co/A8pQtnhZfD#AztecFAST 🍢 x #BeTheA1pha 🐺 x #TheClimb 📈 pic.twitter.com/RI8fNLqhnD

— San Diego State Football (@AztecFB) November 19, 2025

Hoke will be taking the Aztecs to a bowl for the first time since 2022. 

What is the George Munger Coach of the Year Award

The finalists will be announced Dec. 8 with the winner released on Dec. 30. The formal presentation will be on March 14, 2026, in Atlanta. The Maxwell Football Club will also be presenting its other national awards from high school through the professional ranks that day.

The George Munger Award was established in 1989 and is awarded annually to the sport's most outstanding coach. This accolade recognizes exceptional leadership, strategic innovation and significant impact on the game. The award is named in tribute to George Munger, a respected figure in college football known for his influential coaching career.

George Munger, who served as the head coach at the University of Pennsylvania from 1938 to 1953. The Penn Quakers won multiple Ivy League championships and gained a reputation for strong, disciplined play. Munger’s innovative strategies and dedication to his teams left a lasting legacy in college football, influencing coaching methods and inspiring future leaders.

What’s next 

San Diego State (8-2, 5-1 MW) will put its 5-0 home record on the line when it hosts San Jose State on Senior Night on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. 

The Aztecs have outscored its opposition 162-38 at home, with two shutouts. The Aztecs are looking to finish with their first undefeated home regular season since the 1996 team went 6-0 at home. SDSU also went undefeated at home in 1969 (6-0), 1972 (7-0), 1974 (7-0-1) and 1977 (7-0).