BOSTON -- Illinois coach Ron Zook won the Liberty Mutual
coach of the year award Saturday for leading one of the best
turnarounds in college football this season.
The Illini went 9-3 and earned a trip to the Rose Bowl a year
after going 2-10. Zook, in his third season with Illinois, took
over a program that hadn't had a winning season since 2001.
"It's very satisfying because we accomplished some of our goals
and got the program going in the right direction," Zook said in a
phone interview earlier this week as he prepared for the Rose Bowl
against Southern California on Jan. 1.
Jerry Kill, who led Southern Illinois to the Football
Championship Subdivision semifinals, was honored as the top coach
in FBS. Kill was hired by Northern Illinois earlier this month.
Chadron State's Bill O'Boyle won the Division II coach of the
year award and St. John's of Minnesota earned Division III honors.
Zook led No. 13 Illinois to a 28-21 victory over No. 1 Ohio
State in early November. That helped the Illini get to the Rose
Bowl for the first time since 1984.
"We don't have a football player on our team that's been to a
bowl," Zook said. "I told our players, 'Fellas, you don't
understand you're not just going to a bowl, you're going to the
Rose Bowl.'
"You talk about having the opportunity to make a name for
yourself."