Head Football Coach Bobby Wilder Named Finalist for Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
Tennessee Tech Head Football Coach Bobby Wilder has been named one of 15 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, as announced today by Stats Perform.
By Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech Head Football Coach Bobby Wilder has been named one of 15 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, as announced today by Stats Perform.
Coach Wilder led the Golden Eagles to their most wins in a single season in program history (11), as well as becoming just the second football team in school history to win 10 games. Tech earned a No. 13 national seed and will host a first-round playoff game for just the second time.
The Golden Eagles had the top scoring offense and scoring defense for 11 of 12 weeks this season and went 8-0 in OVC-Big South Association play for the first time.
Read more about the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Finalists here.
Stats Perform has announced 15 finalists for the 2025 Eddie Robinson Award, which is presented to the national coach of the year in Division I FCS college football.
The award, first presented in 1987 and in its 39th season, is named for legendary Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson. Past recipients include Mark Duffner, Erk Russell, Chris Ault, Jim Tressel, Houston Nutt, Andy Talley, Paul Johnson, Joe Glenn, Mike Ayers, Jerry Kill, Jerry Moore, K.C. Keeler, Deion Sanders, John Stiegelmeier, Brent Vigen and two-time recipients Mickey Matthews, Sean McDonnell, and Craig Bohl.
All 13 FCS leagues are represented by an Eddie Robinson Award finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced on Dec. 4 and honored at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show on Jan. 3 in Nashville, Tennessee.
2025 Eddie Robinson Award Finalists
Andrew Aurich, Harvard (Ivy League)
Season: Second; Team Record: 9-1, 6-1 Ivy (Tie/1st); Notable: Playoff-bound Crimson reached program-high No. 7 national ranking
Travis Bush, UT Rio Grande Valley (Southland Conference)
Season: First; Team Record: 9-3, 5-3 Southland (Tie/3rd); Notable: Won nine times as FCS start-up program
Kevin Cahill, Lehigh (Patriot League)
Season: Third; Team Record: 12-0, 7-0 Lehigh (1st); Notable: No. 5 playoff seed is 12-0 for first time since 2000
Colby Carthel, Stephen F. Austin (Southland Conference)
Season: Seventh; Team Record: 10-2, 8-0 Southland (1st); Notable: No. 7 playoff seed is riding first-ever same-season 10-game winning streak
Steve Englehart, Presbyterian (Pioneer Football League)
Season: Fourth; Team Record: 10-2, 6-2 Pioneer (Tie/2nd); Notable: Blue Hose achieved first national ranking on FCS level
Jim Fleming, Rhode Island (CAA Football)
Season: 12th; Team Record: 10-2, 8-0 CAA (1st); Notable: Rams collected first outright conference title since 1985
Bobby Hauck, Montana (Big Sky Conference)
Season: 15th (two stints); Team Record: 11-1, 7-1 (2nd); Notable: No. 3 playoff seed didn't return a defensive starter, opened with 11-0 mark
DeSean Jackson, Delaware State (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Season: First; Team Record: 8-4, 4-1 MEAC (2nd); Notable: Hornets posted an FCS-best seven-win improvement from 2024
Tremaine Jackson, Prairie View A&M (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Season: First; Team Record: 9-3, 7-1 SWAC West (1st); Notable: SWAC West champ has nine wins for first time since 2009 season
Mike Jacobs, Mercer (Southern Conference)
Season: Second; Team Record: 9-2, 8-0 SoCon (1st); Notable: No. 6 playoff seed is SoCon's first back-to-back outright champion since 2009
Adam Lechtenberg, Central Connecticut State (NEC Football)
Season: Third; Team Record: 8-4, 6-1 (1st); Notable: CCSU returning to playoffs after capturing NEC-leading eighth championship
Tim Polasek, North Dakota State (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Season: Second; Team Record: 12-0, 8-0 MVFC (1st); Notable: Bison have been top-ranked since preseason, are No. 1 playoff seed
Joel Taylor, West Georgia (United Athletic Conference)
Season: Second; Team Record: 8-3, 5-3 (4th); Notable: Wolves doubled last year's four wins in second FCS season
Todd Whitten, Tarleton State (United Athletic Conference)
Season: 18th (two stints); Team Record: 11-1, 7-1 UAC (Tie/1st); Notable: No. 4 playoff seed one of four FCS teams to beat an FBS opponent (Army)
Bobby Wilder, Tennessee Tech (OVC-Big South Football Association)
Season: Second; Team Record: 11-1/8-0 OVC-Big South (1st); Notable: Golden Eagles opened 10-0 for first time in program history
Also, this season, the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman Player of the Year), HBCU National Player of the Year and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be presented at the Stats Perform National Awards Show.
