Sonny Dykes named finalist for Paul "Bear" Bryant Award

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

HOUSTON (SMU) – The Paul "Bear" Bryant Award has named Head Coach Sonny Dykes one of ten finalists for its coach of the year award, which honors excellence in football coaching, both on and off the field, the hallmark of Coach Bryant's legacy.

Coach Bryant was a leader, both on and off the field. He possessed the ability to inspire, the patience to teach, and the gift of leadership. The Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award salutes those coaches who have reached that same high standard of excellence.

In just his second season on the Hilltop, Dykes has led SMU to one of its most successful seasons in program history.

The Mustangs are 10-2, posting their most wins since 1984 and their sixth 10-win season in program history. The 6-0 record at Ford Stadium marks the first time SMU has won every home game since 1968 (4-0 at the Cotton Bowl) and the first time to win every home game on campus since 1939 (5-0 at Ownby Stadium). The six conference wins are the most league wins since 2010 when SMU went 6-2 to win the Conference USA West Division.

As a team, the Mustangs are sixth nationally in scoring offense (43.0, currently a school record), ninth in total offense (495.3, school record) and 12th in passing offense (309.3, second all-time at the school), while the defense set school records with 50 sacks (2nd NCAA) and 105 tackles for loss (4th NCAA).

For the first time since 2011, nine Mustangs earned all-conference honors, including first-team selections Shane Buechele, Xavier Jones, Patrick Nelson and James Proche. Buechele (Maxwell, Davey O'Brien), Jones (Doak Walker) and Proche (Biletnikoff) were also national semifinalists for position awards.

Dykes is also one of nine finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award, presented by the Football Writers Association and the Allstate Sugar Bowl, is a member of the Dodd Trophy Watch List and was a semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award.

The dinner and awards ceremony will take place Jan. 15 in Houston.

The Mustangs take on FAU in the 2019 Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl Saturday, Dec. 21, at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC. Visit smubowlgame.com for tickets, travel packages and more information.

[redpony]

good luck coach. Hope you win.

[ponyboy]

Me too. Let these stats linger a bit: “ As a team, the Mustangs are sixth nationally in scoring offense (43.0, currently a school record), ninth in total offense (495.3, school record) and 12th in passing offense (309.3, second all-time at the school), while the defense set school records with 50 sacks (2nd NCAA) and 105 tackles for loss (4th NCAA).”

And 8 weeks in the Top 25. I’d say it’s been a good season.

Beat FAU.

[Lotus]

Great season for a great coach and great team.

He won't win the award, but Sonny gets my vote.

[mustangxc]

June Jones made it the season we hired him. It's great to finally have a coach make it on the merits of his accomplishments at SMU! I've been several times including the year they honored Hayden Fry for lifetime achievement. It will be awesome to have an SMU presence once again.