AUBURN, Ala. – A finalist in 2017, Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele has again been nominated for the Broyles Award, presented to college football's top assistant coach.
In his fourth season leading Auburn's defense, Steele oversees a unit that ranks fourth nationally with 11 fumble recoveries and fifth nationally with 12 forced fumbles.
Auburn is one of six FBS teams that haven't allowed more than 24 points in a game this season. During Steele's Auburn tenure, the Tigers have allowed only 18.1 points per game, 10th among FBS teams.
The 41 nominees in this year's class were selected from approximately 1,500 assistant coaches representing 130 Division I programs across the country. The Broyles Award selection process includes the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), broadcasters, a college football Hall of Fame selection committee and current college head coaches.
The nominees include former Auburn offensive lineman Ryan Pugh (Troy), former Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee (SMU) and former Auburn defensive coordinator Ted Roof (Appalachian State).
A 20-member selection committee of distinguished former head coaches, broadcasters, and a committee representing the FWAA will select 15 semi-finalists and five finalists from the list of nominees and an overall winner. Those finalists will be invited to travel to Little Rock, Ark. where the 2019 Broyles Award winner will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at the Marriott Hotel.
Winners from the past five seasons are not eligible to be nominated for the Broyles Award, which is presented by Riceland Foods.
Proceeds from the 2019 Broyles Award support the mission of the Broyles Foundation; to provide a game plan through education, support, and resources to Alzheimer's caregivers. The Broyles Foundation can be followed on and Twitter and Instagram.
About the Broyles Award
The Broyles Award was created in 1996 recognizing Coach Frank Broyles' legacy of selecting and developing great assistants during his hall of fame career as head coach at Arkansas. You can follow the Broyles Award on Facebook and Twitter.
About the National College Football Awards Association
The National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 21 awards boast 699 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.
About the Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America, founded in 1941, consists of 1,300 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer