Mitch Browning Named Finalist For Broyles Award

University of Minnesota co-offensive coordinator Mitch Browning is one of five finalists for The Broyles Award, given annually to the top football assistant coach at the NCAA Division I level.

Michigan offensive coordinator Terry Malone, Miami (Ohio) offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery, Southern Mississippi defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix and Georgia defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder have also been named as finalists.

Browning has helped the Gophers earn their first nine-victory season since 1905 by producing the nation's No. 3 total offense (501.4 yards per game), No. 3 rushing offense (293.1 yards per game) and No. 7 scoring offense (39.3 points a game). In his seventh season at Minnesota, Browning has helped the Gophers set new school records in several categories including: points (472), touchdowns (62), total offense (6,017), rushing yards (3,518), rushing touchdowns (42), yards per play (6.7), completion percentage (61.7%), first downs (303) and 500-yard games (7).

The Broyles Award is named in honor of longtime University of Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles, who developed a reputation during a stellar coaching career of producing top-notch assistants.

The previous Broyles Award winners are: Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews (1996); Michigan defensive coordinator Jim Herrmann (1997), former Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe (1998), who was named the head coach at Ole Miss shortly before receiving the Broyles Award; former Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen (1999); former Oklahoma offensive coordinator Mark Mangino (2000), now the coach at Kansas; Miami defensive coordinator Randy Shannon (2001); and Southern California offensive coordinator Norm Chow (2002). The winner will be announced during the first week of January.