TCU’s Sonny Dykes Named AP College Football Coach of the Year

In his first year with the program, the 53-year-old led the Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff.

TCU’s Sonny Dykes was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year on Monday after leading the Horned Frogs to their first College Football Playoff in his first year with the program. 

Dykes garnered 37 of 46 first-place votes and 120 points from the AP Top 25 voters to join Gary Patterson as just the second TCU coach ever to win the award. Patterson, whom Dykes replaced after last season, earned the honor in 2009 and ’14. 

“It’s the ultimate team award,” Dykes told AP. “It’s indicative of literally everybody in our office, coaches, players, everybody, because more so than ever in college football it is truly a team effort.”

Tulane coach Willie Fritz finished second with 40 points and two first-place votes. Tennessee’s Josh Heupel (38 points, one) was third and last year’s winner–Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh (28 points, five)–was fourth. Georgia coach Kirby Smart (15 points, one first-place vote) rounded out the top five.

Dykes, 53, landed at TCU this past offseason after stops with Louisiana Tech, California and SMU. He took over a Horned Frogs team that finished 5–7 last year and began the season unranked, before turning the program into a force in the Big 12. 

TCU went through the regular season undefeated, before finally falling in a rousing Big 12 championship game to then-No. 11 Kansas State. The Horned Frogs still finished the campaign 12–1, earning them a spot in the Fiesta Bowl, where they’ll play No. 2 Michigan on Dec. 31 with a spot in the national championship up for grabs.