With an impact both on
and off the field, the best coaching performances in FCS
college football are recognized by the Eddie Robinson Award. A
national voting panel will select the 2025 recipient from 15
finalists.
Stats Perform has announced 15 finalists for the 2025 Eddie
Robinson Award, which is presented to the national coach of the
year in Division I FCS college football.
The award, first presented in 1987 and in its 39th season, is
named for legendary Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson. Past
recipients include Mark Duffner, Erk Russell, Chris Ault, Jim
Tressel, Houston Nutt, Andy Talley, Paul Johnson, Joe Glenn, Mike
Ayers, Jerry Kill, Jerry Moore, K.C. Keeler, Deion Sanders, John
Stiegelmeier, Brent Vigen and two-time recipients Mickey Matthews,
Sean McDonnell and Craig Bohl.
All 13 FCS leagues are represented by an Eddie Robinson Award
finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel,
will be announced on Dec. 4 and honored at the Stats Perform FCS
National Awards Show on Jan. 3 in Nashville, Tennessee.
2025 Eddie Robinson Award Finalists
Andrew Aurich, Harvard (Ivy
League)
Season: Second; Team Record:
9-1, 6-1 Ivy (Tie/1st); Notable: Playoff-bound
Crimson reached program-high No. 7 national ranking
Travis Bush, UT Rio Grande
Valley (Southland Conference)
Season: First; Team Record:
9-3, 5-3 Southland (Tie/3rd); Notable: Won nine
times as FCS start-up program
Kevin Cahill, Lehigh (Patriot
League)
Season: Third; Team Record:
12-0, 7-0 Lehigh (1st); Notable: No. 5 playoff
seed is 12-0 for first time since 2000
Colby Carthel, Stephen F.
Austin (Southland Conference)
Season: Seventh; Team Record:
10-2, 8-0 Southland (1st); Notable: No. 7 playoff
seed is riding first-ever same-season 10-game winning streak
Steve Englehart, Presbyterian
(Pioneer Football League)
Season: Fourth; Team Record:
10-2, 6-2 Pioneer (Tie/2nd); Notable: Blue Hose
achieved first national ranking on FCS level
Jim Fleming, Rhode Island (CAA
Football)
Season: 12th; Team Record:
10-2, 8-0 CAA (1st); Notable: Rams collected first
outright conference title since 1985
Bobby Hauck, Montana (Big Sky
Conference)
Season: 15th (two stints); Team
Record: 11-1, 7-1 (2nd); Notable: No. 3
playoff seed didn’t return a defensive starter, opened with 11-0
mark
DeSean Jackson, Delaware State
(Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Season: First; Team Record:
8-4, 4-1 MEAC (2nd); Notable: Hornets posted an
FCS-best seven-win improvement from 2024
Tremaine Jackson, Prairie View
A&M (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Season: First; Team Record:
9-3, 7-1 SWAC West (1st); Notable: SWAC West champ
has nine wins for first time since 2009 season
Mike Jacobs, Mercer (Southern
Conference)
Season: Second; Team Record:
9-2, 8-0 SoCon (1st); Notable: No. 6 playoff seed
is SoCon’s first back-to-back outright champion since 2009
Adam Lechtenberg, Central
Connecticut State (NEC Football)
Season: Third; Team Record:
8-4, 6-1 (1st); Notable: CCSU returning to
playoffs after capturing NEC-leading eighth championship
Tim Polasek, North Dakota
State (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Season: Second; Team Record:
12-0, 8-0 MVFC (1st); Notable: Bison have been
top-ranked since preseason, are No. 1 playoff seed
Joel Taylor, West Georgia
(United Athletic Conference)
Season: Second; Team Record:
8-3, 5-3 (4th); Notable: Wolves doubled last
year’s four wins in second FCS season
Todd Whitten, Tarleton State
(United Athletic Conference)
Season: 18th (two stints); Team
Record: 11-1, 7-1 UAC (Tie/1st); Notable:
No. 4 playoff seed one of four FCS teams to beat an FBS opponent
(Army)
Bobby Wilder, Tennessee Tech
(OVC-Big South Football Association)
Season: Second; Team Record:
11-1/8-0 OVC-Big South (1st); Notable: Golden
Eagles opened 10-0 for first time in program history
Also this season, the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player
of the Year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the
Year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman Player of the Year), HBCU
National Player of the Year and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of
the Year will be presented at the Stats Perform National Awards
Show.
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