Jan. 7, 2009
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State's new head football coach Brady Hoke finished sixth in the Associated Press vote for Coach of the Year, the AP announced Dec. 23.
Hoke earned two votes in the poll of college football writers, one vote ahead of Texas' Mack Brown, Buffalo's Turner Gill, Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, Cincinnati's Brian Kelly and Boise State's Chris Peterson. Alabama's Nick Saban was named AP Coach of the Year after earning 32 of a possible 62 votes. He outdistanced Texas Tech's Mike Leach (nine votes), Utah's Kyle Whittingham (six votes), Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson (five votes) and Penn State's Joe Paterno (three votes).
Hoke, who was also one of 10 finalists for the Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year award, led Ball State to a 12-win campaign, a No. 12 national ranking this season and an invitation to the GMAC Bowl. The Cardinals were undefeated in the Mid-American Conference regular season with an 8-0 mark in 2008. The No. 12 ranking was the first ever for Ball State in the national polls. For his efforts, Hoke was named coach of the year by the Mid-American Conference and in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Football Bowl Subdivision Region 3.
Hoke was named the 17th head coach in San Diego State football history on Dec. 16, 2008.
AP Coach of the Year voting
1. Nick Saban, Alabama, 32 votes
2. Mike Leach, Texas Tech, 9 votes
3. Kyle Whittingham, Utah, 6 votes
4. Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech, 5 votes
5. Joe Paterno, Penn State, 3 votes
6. Brady Hoke, Ball State, 2 votes
7. Mack Brown, Texas, 1 vote
Turner Gill, Buffalo, 1 vote
Bob Stoops, Oklahoma, 1 vote
Brian Kelly, Cincinnati, 1 vote
Chris Peterson, Boise State, 1 vote