LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Ohio State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tom Herman was named the winner of the Broyles Award on Tuesday, after the Buckeyes made the College Football Playoff despite losing two starting quarterbacks to season-ending injuries.
The Buckeyes went 12-1 this season, averaged more than 45 points per game and beat Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big Ten championship game despite using their third starter of the year.
“It’s the hand we were dealt and we played it,” Herman said.
Other finalists included offensive coordinators Lane Kiffin at Alabama, Scott Frost for Oregon and Doug Meacham at TCU and Missouri defensive coordinator Dave Steckel.
Ohio State plays Alabama in the Sugar Bowl in a national semifinal Jan. 1. Oregon will play Florida State in the Rose Bowl in the other semifinal, and the national championship is Jan. 12 in Arlington, Texas.
Cardale Jones, Ohio State’s third QB, completed 12 of 17 passes for 257 yards in the Big Ten title game.
“We told him, “Don’t go out there and lose the game,” Herman said.
Jones was playing because J.T. Barrett broke his right ankle in the last regular-season game and preseason Heisman hopeful Braxton Miller injured his right shoulder in August.
The Broyles Award, presented by the Rotary Club of Little Rock and Delta Dental, is named for former Arkansas athletic director and football coach Frank Broyles, who had a number of assistants go on to successful careers in college and professional football. Those included Joe Gibbs, Hayden Fry, Jimmy Johnson, Johnny Majors, Jackie Sherrill and Barry Switzer.
Fry, Majors and Switzer are on the award’s selection committee, along with Broyles and former coaches Bobby Bowden of Florida State, Mack Brown of Texas, Vince Dooley of Georgia and LaVell Edwards of BYU.
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