BOONE, N.C. — First-year App State head coach
Eliah Drinkwitz has been named one of 22 semifinalists for the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, which is presented by the Maxwell Football Club.
Under Drinkwitz's direction, App State (9-1, 5-1 Sun Belt) is No. 22 in this week's Amway Coaches Poll, No. 23 in the AP Poll and No. 24 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Playing in the third-ranked Group of Five conference, the Mountaineers have posted road wins at North Carolina of the ACC, South Carolina of the SEC as well as Sun Belt West Division leader Louisiana (8-2) after last beating a Power Five conference opponent in 2007.
App State and Louisiana are the only G5 teams among eight FBS programs that rank in the top 25 nationally this season in both scoring offense (No. 11 at 38.4 points) and scoring defense (No. 21 at 19.9 points).
The season of firsts for App State also includes being the first Sun Belt team to win a game as a ranked team, the first Sun Belt team to reach the top 20, the first Sun Belt team to beat two P5 teams in one season and the first Sun Belt team to receive an in-season College Football Playoff ranking.
Of the 22 semifinalists, Drinkwitz and three others are first-year head coaches at that school. Drinkwitz and Ohio State's Ryan Day are in their first seasons overall as college head coaches.
Semifinalist voting for the Maxwell Football Club Collegiate Coach of the Year award will begin on Thursday and close Dec. 8.
2019 George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Semifinalists
| Troy |
Calhoun |
Air Force |
| Eli |
Drinkwitz |
Appalachian State |
| Matt |
Rhule |
Baylor |
| Bryan |
Harsin |
Boise State |
| Jim |
McElwain |
Central Michigan |
| Luke |
Fickell |
Cincinnati |
| Dabo |
Swinney |
Clemson |
| Dan |
Mullen |
Florida |
| Kirby |
Smart |
Georgia |
| Tom |
Allen |
Indiana |
| Scott |
Satterfield |
Louisville |
| Ed |
Orgeron |
LSU |
| Mike |
Norvell |
Memphis |
| P.J. |
Fleck |
Minnesota |
| Ken |
Niumatalolo |
Navy |
| Ryan |
Day |
Ohio State |
| Lincoln |
Riley |
Oklahoma |
| Mario |
Cristobal |
Oregon |
| James |
Franklin |
Penn State |
| Rocky |
Long |
San Diego State |
| Sonny |
Dykes |
SMU |
| Kyle |
Whittingham |
Utah |
