Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
January 14, 2026

Kennesaw State's Jerry Mack Wins Prestigious Bear Bryant Newcomer Coach Award

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Original Source

TLDR

  • Kennesaw State's Jerry Mack demonstrates that strategic coaching can turn a 2-10 team into a 10-4 conference champion, offering a blueprint for rapid program turnaround.
  • Jerry Mack's selection for the Paul 'Bear' Bryant Newcomer Coach of the Year Award involved voting by the National Sports Media Association, Bryant Awards leadership, and the Bryant family.
  • The American Heart Association's Bryant Awards honor coaching excellence while raising funds and awareness for cardiovascular health, continuing Bear Bryant's legacy to improve community wellbeing.
  • Jerry Mack achieved the seventh-biggest year-over-year turnaround in college football history, winning 10 games in only Kennesaw State's second year of FBS play.

Impact - Why it Matters

This news matters because it highlights a significant achievement in college sports that transcends athletics. Coach Mack's award-winning turnaround at Kennesaw State demonstrates the impact of effective leadership and strategic coaching, offering a blueprint for program building that can inspire other universities and coaches. Furthermore, the event's connection to the American Heart Association underscores the important intersection of sports and public health, using a high-profile platform to raise critical funds and awareness for cardiovascular disease—the leading cause of death globally. The recognition of legends like Phillip Fulmer and Mike Leach also preserves coaching legacies, contributing to the historical narrative of the sport. For fans, alumni, and the broader community, this story represents hope, resilience, and the tangible results of dedication, while the health advocacy component reminds everyone of the vital cause behind the celebration.

Summary

In a remarkable achievement for a first-year head coach, Kennesaw State University's Jerry Mack has been named the recipient of the American Heart Association's prestigious 2025 Paul "Bear" Bryant Newcomer Coach of the Year Award. The award, voted on by the National Sports Media Association, the Bryant Awards' Executive Leadership Team, and the Bryant Family, honors a coach with no prior head coaching experience at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Mack will be formally recognized during the 40th Annual Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards ceremony, presented by Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System, at the Post Oak Hotel on January 21, 2026, with the event broadcast on CBS Sports Network. This gala, which raises critical funds for the American Heart Association's mission, also features special honors for legendary former University of Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, who will receive the 2026 Paul "Bear" Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award, and the late, innovative coach Mike Leach, who will be posthumously honored with the 2026 Paul "Bear" Bryant Heart of a Champion Award presented by St. Luke's Health.

Coach Mack's recognition comes after he engineered one of the most impressive turnarounds in recent college football history during his debut season leading the Kennesaw State Owls. Taking over a program that finished 2-10 in its first year of FBS play, Mack guided the team to a stellar 10-4 record, a Conference USA championship, and votes in the final Associated Press and USA Today top 25 polls. This eight-game improvement represents the seventh-biggest year-over-year turnaround in college football history. The Owls' 10-win season is a rare feat, marking only the fourth time a team has achieved ten or more victories in its second year of FBS reclassification, joining the ranks of Sam Houston State University (2024), Appalachian State University (2015), and Marshall University (2017). For this historic success, Mack was also honored as the Conference USA Coach of the Year, capping a season that concluded with a bowl game appearance in the Myrtle Beach Bowl against Western Michigan.

The American Heart Association, a relentless force for global health, presents the Bear Bryant Awards annually to celebrate coaching excellence, honor the legacy of the legendary coach who died from a heart attack in 1983, and raise vital awareness and funds for cardiovascular disease and stroke prevention. Fans can follow the event's progress and engage with the awards through social media platforms like facebook.com/bryantawards and x.com/bryantawards, or by using the hashtag #BryantAwards. Those interested in attending the exclusive virtual VIP experience can find more information at bryantawards.org. The organization, supported by millions of volunteers worldwide, continues its mission through groundbreaking research, advocacy, and public health resources, connecting with communities via heart.org and other channels to advance longer, healthier lives for all.

Source Statement

This curated news summary relied on content disributed by NewMediaWire. Read the original source here, Kennesaw State's Jerry Mack Wins Prestigious Bear Bryant Newcomer Coach Award

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