Finalist List For 33rd Annual AHA 2019 Paul Bear Bryant Coach Of The Year Award

HOUSTON, Dec. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — The American Heart Association (AHA), the world’s leading voluntary health organization devoted to a world of longer, healthier lives, announced the finalists for the 2019 Paul Bear Bryant Awards, sponsored by Marathon Oil Corporation. Representing the nation’s best in college football, these coaches will compete for the highly-coveted and final title of the season: the 2018 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award. The winner will be announced live on Jan. 9, 2019 during the awards dinner and ceremony at the Post Oak Hotel in Houston.

The 2018 award finalists are:

Bill Clark – University of Alabama-Birmingham
Josh Heupel – University of Central Florida
Brian Kelly – Notre Dame
Jeff Monken – Army West Point
Nick Saban – University of Alabama
Dabo Swinney – Clemson University
Jeff Tedford – Fresno State University

Coach Frank Beamer is the recipient of the 2019 Paul “Bear” Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award and will also attend the dinner in January. Beamer coached the Virginia Tech Hokies for 29 years, retiring in 2015.

Now in its 33rd year, the Coach of the Year Award recognizes the country’s top college football coach for their contributions both on and off the field. The award is the only college coaching honor selected after all bowl games are concluded and is voted on by the National Sports Media Association.

Behind the scenes, the award is much bigger than a season’s success. It is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on heart disease and stroke – the nation’s no. 1 and no. 5 health threats. Since the adoption of the name, the Bryant Awards has raised over $9.8 Million for the American Heart Association, funding research, education and advocacy efforts and saving countless lives. “Bear” always talked about being bigger than something other than himself. The Bryant Awards offer an opportunity to do just that — to join the American Heart Association in the fight against heart disease and stroke and help save lives.

Lee Tillman, Marathon Oil president and CEO, says the finalists are each remarkable. “These distinguished coaches are leaders on and off the field, and we’re honored to welcome them to this elite group,” Tillman said. “They represent Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant’s belief in excellence and support the Bryant family’s commitment to the American Heart Association’s mission of building a world of longer, healthier lives.”

SOURCE American Heart Association

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