TCU’s Dykes called AP Coach of the Year
TCU’s Sonny Dykes was named Associated Press Coach of the Year on Monday after leading the No. 3 Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff in his first season with the school.Dykes got 37 of 46 first-place votes and 120 points from AP Top 25 citizens to become the second TCU coach to win the award, which exists by Regions Bank. The very first two for the school were won by Gary Patterson (2009, 2014), the coach Dykes changed after last season.”It’s the ultimate group award,”Dykes informed AP.
“It’s indicative of actually everyone in our office, coaches, players, everyone, because more so than ever in college football, it is genuinely a synergy.”Coach Overall Points 1. Sonny Dykes, TCU(37)120 2.
| Willie Fritz, Tulane( 2)40 3. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Heupel, Tennessee ( | 1)38 4. Jim Harbaugh | , Michigan (5 | )28 5. Kirby Smart, | Georgia (1)15 6. Lincoln Riley, USC(0) | 13 |
| 7. Kalen DeBoer, Washington (0 | )6 | ||||
| 8. Lance Leipold, Kansas (0 ) | 5 | ||||
| 9. Mike Elko, Duke (0 ) | 3 | ||||
| 10. Jim Mora, UConn (0 ) | 3 | ||||
| 11. Jonathan Smith, Oregon St. ( | 0 | ||||
| )2 12. Shane Beamer, South | Carolina(0) 1 13. Chris Klieman, Kansas | St.(0) | |||
| 1 14. Brett Bielema, Illinois (0 ) | 1 | ||||
| TCU (12-1 )will deal with No. 2 Michigan (13-0)on Dec. 31 | |||||
| in the Carnival Bowl for a berth in the nationwide | champion game.Tulane coach Willie Fritz was second with 40 points and two | first-place |
votes, followed by Tennessee’s John Heupel(38 points, one )and in 2015’s winner, Jim Harbaugh of Michigan(28 points, 5).
Georgia’s Kirby Smart (15 points )also received a first-place vote. Dykes, 53, is in his 4th stop after
stints with Louisiana Tech, California and SMU. The Texan and son of long time Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes, Sonny Dykes is 83-64 in 13 seasons as a head coach.”It’s not constantly like this, and I’ve been on both ends and so something like this probably suggests more to me than it might somebody,” Dykes said.” I have actually been 1-11 and I have actually been fired. I have actually been sort of on top and then on bottom, too. I’m constantly thankful for those hard times since it actually genuinely does make you appreciate the great times more. “Dykes’course to AP Coach of the Year is distinct. The award was developed in 1998, and no coach had actually ever won his first coach
of the year award on his fourth stop as a bowl neighborhood head coach.Dykes moved across town to take control of at TCU after being with competing SMU for 5 years. Playing against the Horned Frogs annually, he had an excellent concept of what type of team he
was getting.Instead of a significant lineup overhaul of last season’s 5-7 TCU group, Dykes dipped into the transfer portal to fill some holes, however mainly took what he inherited and turned it into among the best teams in the nation.”Sometimes it’s more about the chemistry of things and attempting to get the chemistry of those rooms right instead of always including talent,”Dykes stated.”That part of it, I believe, is actually overlooked.
Simply the chemistry and creating competitors and all that.” The Horned Frogs began the season unranked however didn’t lose till dropping the Big 12 championship in overtime to Kansas State. “We really had no expectations whatsoever when the year started,”Dykes said.”
We thought we had an opportunity to be pretty good, however we just acquired confidence each week, and we had some kids that truly was difficult and like to
compete, and that made whatever a lot better.” Dykes is among a number of head coaches in significant college football right now who worked for Mike Leach early in his career. Leach passed away recently at 61 of complications from a heart condition. He was in his third season at Mississippi State after stints at Texas Tech and Washington State.Dykes called Leach among the most influential people in his profession, 2nd only to his dad. “One of a kind, for sure, “Dykes stated.