Lamb, Baldwin Finalist for Robinson Award
Southern Utah head football coach Ed Lamb and Eastern Washington head football coach Beau Baldwin have been named as finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, which is presented annually by The Sports Network.
The two Big Sky Conference coaches were among 20 coaches named to the ballot on Tuesday.
Baldwin, in his sixth season, has led Eastern Washington to a 7-0 conference record and a 9-2 overall record entering the final weekend of the regular season. The Eagles have clinched at least a share of the conference title, as well as the league's automatic bid to the playoffs. The Eagles are ranked third in both major FCS polls. The Eagles' only losses have come to FBS Toledo and Sam Houston State, which was ranked fourth in the FCS at the time.
Baldwin guided the Eagles to an upset of No. 25 Oregon State on the opening weekend. EWU became just the fourth FCS team to beat a ranked FBS opponent. EWU has won seven straight games, and is near the top of the nation in total offense, passing offense and points per game.
Baldwin has compiled a 53-21 record at EWU. The Eagles have won three of the last four Big Sky titles. EWU won the 2010 national championship, and advanced to the 2012 semifinals.
Lamb is in his sixth season at Southern Utah, which joined the Big Sky in 2012. The Thunderbirds are currently 5-2 in conference and 8-3 overall. The Thunderbirds cracked both major FCS polls for the first time this season this week, checking in at No. 20 in The Sports Network Poll, and 22nd in the Coaches' Poll.
Southern Utah was selected ninth by the media and coaches in the preseason polls. The Thunderbirds have tied the school record for victories in a season, and figure to earn the program's first playoff appearance with a win on Saturday at home over No. 10 Northern Arizona.
Southern Utah opened the season with a 22-21 upset of FBS South Alabama. Southern Utah also notched a 22-14 upset of No. 8 Montana State in Bozeman last week. SUU's loses have come to Washington State of the Pac-12, Eastern Washington, and UC Davis.'
Lamb has compiled a 34-32 overall record at the Cedar City school. Since joining the Big Sky, SUU has notched victories on the road at Northern Arizona, Montana and Montana State. The Thunderbirds also beat Eastern Washington in Cedar City in 2012.
Southern Utah leads the Big Sky in scoring defense, allowing just 19.7 points per game. The Thunderbirds are also tops in the league in total defense. SUU has lost just one fumble all season, which is tops in the nation. SUU ranks as a national leader in turnover margin.
The winner will be announced at The Sports Network FCS Awards Banquet and Presentation in Philadelphia on Dec. 16. The winners of the Walter Payton, Buck Buchanan and Jerry Rice Awards will also be announced.
The 2013 Eddie Robinson Award candidates:
Dino Babers, Eastern Illinois - No. 2-ranked Panthers have captured the outright Ohio Valley Conference championship and its automatic playoff bid, beaten FBS San Diego State and have not lost to an FCS opponent. 2013 Records: 10-1, 7-0 OVC.
Beau Baldwin, Eastern Washington - No. 3 Eagles have won the Big Sky Conference title and its automatic playoff bid and defeated FBS Oregon State. 2013 Records: 9-2, 7-0 Big Sky.
Craig Bohl, North Dakota State - The 2012 Eddie Robinson Award winner guides the two-time defending FCS champion Bison - the only unbeaten team in the FCS, a winner over FBS Kansas State and headed to the playoffs as the Missouri Valley Football Conference champion. 2013 Records: 10-0, 7-0 Missouri Valley.
Jamey Chadwell, Charleston Southern - One of only six FCS teams with 10 wins, the 18th-ranked Buccaneers can clinch the Big South Conference's automatic playoff bid with a win this weekend. 2013 Records: 10-2, 3-1 Big South.
Jack Cosgrove, Maine - Picked eighth in the CAA Football preseason poll, the fourth-ranked Black Bears have won the conference title and its automatic playoff bid, beating FBS Massachusetts along the way. 2013 Records: 10-1, 7-0 CAA.
Bruce Fowler, Furman - Picked seventh in the Southern Conference's two preseason polls, the Paladins have a chance to share the title and earn the conference's automatic playoff bid. 2013 Records: 6-5, 5-2 Southern.
Jay Hopson, Alcorn State - In his second season at Alcorn State as the only white head football coach in Southwestern Athletic Conference history, Hopson has led a five-win improvement from 2012 and handed Jackson State its only conference loss. 2013 Records: 9-3, 7-2 SWAC.
Russ Huesman, Tennessee at Chattanooga - No. 23 Mocs have clinched a share of the Southern Conference title, beaten FBS transitioning Georgia State and hope to earn their first playoff bid since 1984. 2013 Records: 8-3, 6-2 Southern.
Bobby Lamb, Mercer - First-year program has posted four- and five-game winning streaks and is one final Pioneer Football League victory away from a 10-win campaign. 2013 Records: 9-2, 5-2 Pioneer.
Ed Lamb, Southern Utah - After being picked ninth in both Big Sky Conference preseason polls, the 20th-ranked Thunderbirds have gone out and tied the school record for wins in a season, beaten FBS South Alabama and are in contention for their first-ever FCS playoff bid. 2013 Records: 8-3, 5-2 Big Sky.
Jimmye Laycock, William & Mary - No. 19 Tribe have fueled a five-win improvement from 2012 with the nation's stingiest scoring defense and are battling in CAA Football for an FCS playoff bid. 2013 Records: 7-4, 4-3 CAA.
Joe Moglia, Coastal Carolina - After guiding the school's first playoff win last season, the second-year coach hopes to take the No. 11 Chanticleers back to the playoffs with the Big South Conference's automatic bid. 2013 Records: 10-1, 4-1 Big South.
Joe Moorhead, Fordham - No. 12 Rams won their first 10 games, including against FBS Temple, and hope to secure an FCS playoff bid as a Patriot League at-large selection. 2013 Record: 10-1.
Jim Parady, Marist - With a school-record eight wins, the Red Foxes have earned a share of their first Pioneer Football League championship and are awaiting a tiebreaker to decide the league's automatic playoff bid. 2013 Records: 8-3, 7-1 Pioneer.
Buddy Pough, South Carolina State - The Bulldogs have rebounded from their only losing record in Pough's 12 seasons, hoping a ninth win this weekend will earn them the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title and a playoff bid. 2013 Records: 8-3, 6-1 MEAC.
Rod Reed, Tennessee State - No. 25 Tigers have used a dominant defense to finish second in the competitive Ohio Valley Conference and hope nine wins will lead to their first playoff bid since 1999. 2013 Records: 9-3, 6-2 OVC.
Ron Roberts, Southeastern Louisiana - After being picked fifth in the Southland Conference preseason coaches poll, the No. 8 Lions have clinched at least a share of the conference title and earned its automatic playoff bid during an eight-game winning streak. 2013 Records: 9-2, 6-0 Southland.
Bob Surace, Princeton - In joining the Top 25 for the first time since 2006, the No. 22 Tigers have smashed Ivy League offensive records and would clinch an outright league title with a ninth straight win this weekend. 2013 Records: 8-1, 6-0 Ivy.
Matt Viator, McNeese State - No. 6 Cowboys have never had a losing record in Viator's eight seasons, and a first playoff bid since 2009 would build on a season that includes the Southland Conference squad's win over FBS South Florida. 2013 Records: 9-2, 5-1 Southland.
Eric Wolford, Youngstown State - No. 15 Penguins from the Missouri Valley Football Conference ran off a six-game winning streak and are in contention for their first FCS playoff bid since 2006. 2013 Records: 8-3, 5-2 Missouri Valley.