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. The award recognizes individuals without previous head coaching experience at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level who demonstrate exceptional achievement in their inaugural season.
Mack will receive the honor during the 40th Annual Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards ceremony presented by Memorial Hermann Health System on January 21, 2026, at Houston's Post Oak Hotel. The event will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network at 12:30 a.m. CST on January 22. The selection process involves voting by members of the National Sports Media Association, the Bryant Awards' Executive Leadership Team, and the Bryant Family.
In his first year leading the Kennesaw State program, Mack orchestrated what may be the most significant turnaround in college football during the 2025 season. He transformed a team that finished 2-10 in its initial FBS campaign to a 10-4 record and Conference USA championship. This eight-game improvement represents the seventh-largest year-over-year turnaround in college football history.
The Owls' 10-win season marks only the fourth instance of a program achieving 10 or more victories in its second year of FBS reclassification, joining Sam Houston State University (2024), Appalachian State University (2015), and Marshall University (2017). During this historic season, Kennesaw State defeated five programs with .500 records or better and concluded the regular season receiving votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today top 25 polls. The team recently completed its 2025 campaign with a matchup against Western Michigan in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.
For his on-field success, Mack was previously honored as the Conference USA Coach of the Year. The American Heart Association presents the Bear Bryant Awards annually to celebrate coaching excellence, honor the legacy of coach Bryant—who died from a heart attack in 1983—and raise awareness and critical funds for its mission. The organization describes itself as a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere.
The awards ceremony will also recognize other coaching legends. Phillip Fulmer, former head coach of the University of Tennessee, will receive the 2026 Paul "Bear" Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award. The late Mike Leach, innovator of the Air Raid offense and former head coach at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State universities, will be honored posthumously with the 2026 Paul "Bear" Bryant Heart of a Champion Award presented by St. Luke's Health.
This recognition highlights the intersection of athletic achievement and health awareness, particularly cardiovascular health—a significant concern given coach Bryant's death from a heart attack. The awards serve as both a celebration of coaching excellence and a platform for the American Heart Association's mission. Fans can follow the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards at https://www.facebook.com/bryantawards or https://x.com/bryantawards, or by following the hashtag #BryantAwards. Information about the event is available at https://bryantawards.org.
