Kennesaw State University's Jerry Mack has been named the recipient of the American Heart Association's 2025 Paul "Bear" Bryant Newcomer Coach of the Year Award, recognizing his outstanding first season as a head coach at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The award will be presented during the 40th Annual Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards ceremony on January 21, 2026, at Houston's Post Oak Hotel, hosted by Memorial Hermann Health System. The event will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network on January 22 at 12:30 a.m. CST.
The Newcomer Coach of the Year is selected through a vote by members of the National Sports Media Association, the Bryant Awards' Executive Leadership Team, and the Bryant family. The award celebrates a first-time FBS head coach who has made a significant impact in their debut season.
In his inaugural year at Kennesaw State, Mack engineered one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football history. The Owls improved from a 2-10 record in 2024, their first FBS season, to a 10-4 record in 2025, capturing the Conference USA championship. The 10 wins mark only the fourth time a team has achieved double-digit victories in its second year of FBS reclassification, joining Sam Houston State (2024), Appalachian State (2015), and Marshall (2017). The +8 game improvement is the seventh-biggest year-over-year turnaround in college football history.
During the historic season, Kennesaw State defeated five teams with .500 or better records and received votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today top 25 polls at the end of the regular season. The Owls concluded their campaign with a Myrtle Beach Bowl appearance against Western Michigan. For his efforts, Mack was also named Conference USA Coach of the Year.
The American Heart Association presents the Bear Bryant Awards annually to honor coaching excellence and raise awareness and funds for its mission. The awards commemorate the legacy of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, who died of a heart attack in 1983. Other honorees at this year's gala include former University of Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, who will receive the Paul "Bear" Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award, and the late Mike Leach, who will be posthumously honored with the Paul "Bear" Bryant Heart of a Champion Award presented by St. Luke's Health.
The Bear Bryant Awards continue to celebrate the achievements of coaches while supporting the American Heart Association's efforts to advance cardiovascular health. For more information, visit bryantawards.org.
