Dec. 11, 2008

SALT LAKE CITY - Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham has been named as one of nine finalists for the 2008 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, which is selected by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

Whittingham is a first-time finalist for the award after leading Utah to a 12-0 record and a berth in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The 2008 Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year is also a finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award.

Joining Whittingham on the finalists list are Texas' Mack Brown, USC's Pete Carroll, Texas Tech's Mike Leach, Florida's Urban Meyer, Penn State's Joe Paterno, Boise State's Chris Petersen, Alabama's Nick Saban and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops.

The winner of the FWAA/Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award will be announced and honored at a reception on Jan. 6 in Miami sponsored by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and presented in conjunction with the FedEx BCS Championship Game.