SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (FWAA) – Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was named the 2002 FWAA/Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year on Thursday night during a banquet at Phoenician Resort.
Tressel is the third Ohio State coach to win the award since the FWAA began honoring coaches in 1957. Ohio State coach Woody Hayes won the inaugural award and also took the honor in 1968 and 1975. Ohio State's Earle Bruce won it in 1979.
Miami's Larry Coker, Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, and Notre Dame's Tyrone Willingham were the other finalists for the award.
The 30-minute program will be aired on Fox Sports Net several times in the coming days and feature the finalists and Robinson, the legendary Grambling State coach.
Tressel took the Buckeyes to their first national title since 1968 by defeating defending national champion Miami, 31-24 in double overtime in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl last week only a few miles away at Sun Devil Stadium.
The Buckeyes, co-champions with Iowa in the Big Ten, finished the season with a 14-0 record and were the only undefeated team in Division I-A. Tressel, who led the Buckeyes to a 7-5 record during the 2001 season, just completed his second season at Ohio State.
The Buckeyes' solid defense and a conservative offense were the keys in the unbeaten record. Ohio State narrowly won at Purdue and Illinois and had a close game against nemesis Michigan in the finale before prevailing to set up the showdown with Miami in the Fiesta Bowl. The victory by Ohio State over Miami ended the Hurricanes' 34-game winning streak.