Given to the coach of the year, the award is selected by the panel of sports writers and broadcasters of the AP college football poll. Year - coach, school 2009 - Gary Patterson, TCU 2008 - Nick Saban, Alabama 2007 - Mark Mangino, Kansas 2006 - Jim Grobe, Wake Forest 2005 - Joe Paterno, Penn State 2004 - Tommy Tuberville, Auburn 2003 - Nick Saban, Louisiana State 2002 - Kirk Ferentz, Iowa 2001 - Ralph Friedgen, Maryland 2000 - Bob Stoops, Oklahoma 1999 - Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech 1998 - Bill Snyder, Kansas State