TCU’s Sonny Dykes named Associated Press Coach of the Year

Associated PressDec 19, 2022, 1:11 PM EST

Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

TCU’s Sonny Dykes was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year on Monday after leading the No. 3 Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff in his first season with the school.

Dykes received 37 of 46 first-place votes and 120 points from AP Top 25 voters to become the second TCU to win the award, which is presented by Regions Bank. The first two were won by Gary Patterson (2009, 2014), the coach Dykes replaced after last season.

“It’s the ultimate team award,” Dykes told AP. “It’s indicative of literally everybody in our office, coaches, players, everybody, because more so than ever in college football it is truly a team effort.”

TCU (12-1) faces No. 2 Michigan (13-0) on Dec. 31 in the Fiesta Bowl for a berth in the national championship game.

Tulane coach Willie Fritz was second with 40 points and two first-place votes, followed by Tennessee’s John Heupel (38 points, one) and last year’s winner, Jim Harbaugh of Michigan (28 points, five). Georgia’s Kirby Smart (15 points) also received a first-place vote.

Dykes, 53, is in his fourth stop after stints with Louisiana Tech, California and SMU. The Texan and son of longtime Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes, Sonny Dykes is 83-64 in 13 seasons as a head coach.

“It’s not always like this and I’ve been on both ends and so something like this probably means more to me than it might somebody,” Dykes said. “I’ve been 1-11 and I’ve been fired. I’ve been kind of on top and then on bottom, too. I’m always thankful for those bad times because it really truly does make you appreciate the good times more.”

Dykes’ path to AP coach of the year is unique. The award was established in 1998 and no coach had ever won his first coach of the year on his fourth stop as an Bowl Subdivision head coach.

Dykes moved across town to take over at TCU after being with rival SMU for five years. Playing against the Horned Frogs annually, he had a good idea of what kind of team he was getting.

Instead of a major roster overhaul of last season’s 5-7 TCU team, Dykes dipped into the transfer portal to fill some holes, but mostly took what he inherited and turned it into one of the best teams in the country.

“Sometimes it’s more about the chemistry of things and trying to get the chemistry of those rooms right as opposed to necessarily adding talent,” Dykes said. “That part of it, I think, is really overlooked. Just the chemistry and creating competition and all that.”

The Horned Frogs started the season unranked and didn’t lose until dropping the Big 12 championship in overtime to Kansas State.

“We really had no expectations whatsoever when the year started,” Dykes said. “We thought we had a chance to be pretty good, but we just gained confidence every week and we had some kids that really were tough and like to compete, and that made everything so much better.”

Dykes is one of several head coaches in major college football right now who worked for Mike Leach early in his career. Leach died last week at 61 of complications from a heart condition. He was in his third season at Mississippi State after stints at Texas Tech and Washington State.

Dykes called Leach one of the most influential people in his career, second only to his father.

“One of a kind, for sure,” Dykes said.

—

AP Coach of the Year voting (1st place votes, 2nd, 3rd, total points):

Sonny Dykes, TCU 37 4 1 – 120

Willie Fritz, Tulane 2 12 10 – 40

Josh Heupel, Tennessee 1 13 9 – 38

Jim Harbaugh, Michigan 5 5 3 – 28

Kirby Smart, Georgia 1 4 4 – 15

Lincoln Riley, USC 0 4 5 – 13

Kalen DeBoer, Washington 0 1 4 – 6

Lance Leipold, Kansas 0 2 1 – 5

Mike Elko, Duke 0 1 1 – 3

Jim Mora, UConn 0 0 3 – 3

Jonathan Smith, Oregon St. 0 0 2 – 2

Shane Beamer 0 0 1 – 1

Chris Klieman, Kansas St. 0 0 1 – 1

Bret Bielema, Illinois 0 0 1 – 1

Vick, Fitzgerald and Suggs among stars on College Football Hall of Fame ballot for 1st time

Associated PressJun 5, 2023, 9:04 PM EDT

RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Vick, Larry Fitzgerald and Terrell Suggs are among the college football stars who will be considered for induction to the Hall of Fame for the first time this year.

The National Football Foundation released Monday a list of 78 players and nine coaches from major college football who are on the Hall of Fame ballot. There also are 101 players and 32 coaches from lower divisions of college football up for consideration.

Vick, who led Virginia Tech to the BCS championship game against Florida State as a redshirt freshman in 1999, is among the most notable players appearing on the ballot in his first year of eligibility.

Vick finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1999. He played one season of college football before being drafted No. 1 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2001. Vick’s professional career was interrupted when he served 21 months in prison for his involvement in dog fighting.

Fitzgerald was the Heisman runner-up in 2003 to Oklahoma quarterback Jason White. He scored 34 touchdowns in just two seasons at Pitt.

Suggs led the nation in sacks with 24 in 2002 for Arizona State.

The 2024 Hall of Fame class will be chosen by the National Football Foundation’s Honors Court and announced in January. Induction into the Atlanta-based hall is the following December.

Alabama freshman DB Mitchell says he wasn’t sure he’d get to play again after arrest

Associated PressJun 5, 2023, 8:59 PM EDT

Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama defensive back Tony Mitchell said he feared his football career was over after his arrest on a drug charge.

The Crimson Tide freshman said in a video posted Sunday on social media that he knew “something much bigger could have happened.”

A judge in Holmes County, Florida, sentenced Mitchell to three years of probation with a fine and community service on May 24 after Mitchell pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of more than 20 grams of cannabis.

“I didn’t know if I’d be able to play football again, but I continued to work out and stay close with the Lord and those who love me unconditionally,” Mitchell said. “During those times, it helped me to keep my mind off it. But when I was by myself looking at social media, what everybody had to say about it, it just felt like it happened again.

“I didn’t sleep at night.”

He was suspended from the Alabama team following the arrest, but Mitchell’s father, Tony Sr., posted on Facebook last week that the defensive back had been reinstated. An Alabama spokesman declined to comment on Mitchell’s status.

Tony Mitchell Sr. shared his son’s video on Facebook, saying it was filmed during a talk to youth.

“I was doing things I knew I shouldn’t to try to fit in,” the younger Mitchell said, “but not everybody’s your friend.”

Mitchell, who is from Alabaster, Alabama, was a four-star prospect and the 15th-rated safety in the 247Composite rankings.

He had been charged in March with possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell after a traffic stop when authorities said he drove over 141 mph (227 kph) while trying to evade deputies in the Florida Panhandle. A deputy had spotted Mitchell’s black Dodge Challenger traveling 78 mph (125 kph) in a 55 mph (88 kph) zone on a rural highway north of Bonifay.

He also received 100 hours of community service and paid a fine of $1,560.

Mitchell and a passenger were both charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to sell or deliver, according to a Holmes County Sheriff’s Office arrest report. The other man also was charged with carrying a concealed gun without a permit.