TicketsDec. 9, 2008
CINCINNATI - After leading the University of Cincinnati football team to the 2008 BIG EAST Conference Championship and a berth in the 75th FedEx Orange Bowl, head coach Brian Kelly has been named the American Football Coaches' Association Region 1 Coach of the Year.
It is the first AFCA regional coaches award for the Bearcats. Kelly is now eligible for the AFCA National Coach of the Year award, which will be announced at the 2009 AFCA Convention in Nashville, Tenn. from Jan. 11-14.
Under the direction of the second-year head coach, Cincinnati achieved a school-record 11 victories in 2008, had back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in school history, won the school's first outright conference championship since 1964, and earned the school's first berth in a Bowl Championship Series game.
UC posted its best-ever ranking to close the regular season. The Bearcats are currently ranked at No. 12 in the Associated Press poll, USA Today Coaches poll, and the BCS standings.
UC finished the regular season on a six-game winning streak and for the first time captured all three of its rivalry trophies, the Victory Bell (Miami [OH]), Keg Of Nails (Louisville), and River City Rivalry (Pittsburgh) in the same season.
UC, which was picked fifth in the BIG EAST coaches' preseason poll, has a 22-5 record since Kelly's arrival in Dec. of 2006 and has played in three-straight bowl games.
It is Kelly's third-career AFCA honor as he was named the AFCA Division II Coach of the Year in both 2002 and 2003.
The other Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) winners were: Houston Nutt (Region 2, Mississippi), Brady Hoke (Region 3, Ball State), Mike Leach (Region 4, Texas Tech), and Mike Riley (Region 5, Oregon State).
The Bearcats (11-2) will face No. 21/19 Virginia Tech in the 75th FedEx Orange Bowl at Dolphin Stadium on Jan. 1. The game is scheduled to be televised nationally on FOX. Tickets are available by calling 1-877 CATS-TIX or visiting CATSTIX.com.