Eastern Michigan Athletics
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Creighton Named Finalist for AFCA Comeback Coach of the Year
12/21/2016 4:42:00 PM | Football
After a 7-5 season, the third-year coach is 1-of-3 finalists for the award
WACO, Texas (EMUEagles.com) - Eastern Michigan University Head Football Coach Chris Creighton was voted as a finalist for the American Football Coaches Awards' (AFCA) first-ever Comeback Coach of the Year. After leading the Eagles to a 7-5 record and their first bowl game since the 1987 season, the third-year head coach was 1-of-3 across all of the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) to be named a finalist. The other finalist are Mike MacIntyre from the University of Colorado and Paul Petrino of the University of Idaho.
The winner of this award is a head coach who faced significant obstacles or adversity in the past or current season, but led his team to a great season despite the adversity. Examples might be losing a key player or players to injury, but still having a successful season; a head coach coming back from illness; dealing with a difficult situation at his university; or bouncing back from a bad season. The AFCA will be presenting a new award called the Comeback Coach of the Year, at the inaugural American Football Coaches Awards show, to be televised live on CBS Sports Network on January 10, 2017 at 9 p.m. EST. The awards show will take place at the Grand Ole Opry House during the 2017 AFCA Convention in Nashville, Tenn.
Creighton, in his third year, led the Eagles to the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl following one of the most successful seasons in its 125-year history. EMU finished with a winning record for the first time since 1995, most wins (seven) since 1989, and its first bowl appearance since 1987 when EMU won the California Bowl. The Eagles tied the Football Bowl Subdivision mark for biggest turnaround in 2016, improving on its win total from one win in 2015, to seven this season. Additionally, the most student-athletes on an Eastern Michigan team earned All-Mid-American Conference Team postseason awards, as eight Eagles nabbed honors. Creighton had just five total postseason MAC award winners during the first two seasons of his tenure, three in 2014 and two a season ago.
The Green and White will square off with Old Dominion University Friday, Dec. 23, at 1 p.m. in Nassau, Bahamas for the 2016 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl. The Eagles' second-ever NCAA Division I bowl game will air live on ESPN and will also be available on 89.1 FM WEMU. For more information regarding the bowl game go to EMUEagles.com/BowlBound.
About the American Football Coaches Awards
The American Football Coaches Awards, featuring the AFCA National Coach of the Year, will be on CBS Sports Network on January 10, 2017 at 9 p.m. EST. This marks the first time the AFCA will televise its annual awards. The live one-hour program will air from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, and coincide with the AFCA's annual convention. The host for the show will be Eddie George, former Tennesse Titan running back and 1995 Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State. Follow @WeAreAFCA or visit AFCA.com for more information. Check local listings at http://www.cbssportsnetwork.com/channel-finder.
About the AFCA
The AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 11,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was formed, in part, to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and in the coaching profession" and to "provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football."
The winner of this award is a head coach who faced significant obstacles or adversity in the past or current season, but led his team to a great season despite the adversity. Examples might be losing a key player or players to injury, but still having a successful season; a head coach coming back from illness; dealing with a difficult situation at his university; or bouncing back from a bad season. The AFCA will be presenting a new award called the Comeback Coach of the Year, at the inaugural American Football Coaches Awards show, to be televised live on CBS Sports Network on January 10, 2017 at 9 p.m. EST. The awards show will take place at the Grand Ole Opry House during the 2017 AFCA Convention in Nashville, Tenn.
Creighton, in his third year, led the Eagles to the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl following one of the most successful seasons in its 125-year history. EMU finished with a winning record for the first time since 1995, most wins (seven) since 1989, and its first bowl appearance since 1987 when EMU won the California Bowl. The Eagles tied the Football Bowl Subdivision mark for biggest turnaround in 2016, improving on its win total from one win in 2015, to seven this season. Additionally, the most student-athletes on an Eastern Michigan team earned All-Mid-American Conference Team postseason awards, as eight Eagles nabbed honors. Creighton had just five total postseason MAC award winners during the first two seasons of his tenure, three in 2014 and two a season ago.
The Green and White will square off with Old Dominion University Friday, Dec. 23, at 1 p.m. in Nassau, Bahamas for the 2016 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl. The Eagles' second-ever NCAA Division I bowl game will air live on ESPN and will also be available on 89.1 FM WEMU. For more information regarding the bowl game go to EMUEagles.com/BowlBound.
About the American Football Coaches Awards
The American Football Coaches Awards, featuring the AFCA National Coach of the Year, will be on CBS Sports Network on January 10, 2017 at 9 p.m. EST. This marks the first time the AFCA will televise its annual awards. The live one-hour program will air from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, and coincide with the AFCA's annual convention. The host for the show will be Eddie George, former Tennesse Titan running back and 1995 Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State. Follow @WeAreAFCA or visit AFCA.com for more information. Check local listings at http://www.cbssportsnetwork.com/channel-finder.
About the AFCA
The AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 11,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was formed, in part, to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and in the coaching profession" and to "provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football."
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