Coach Gene Chizik Wins 2010 Coach of the Year at Marathon Oil Corporation Paul 'Bear' Bryant Awards

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Jan 18, 2011, 11:58 ET

HOUSTON, Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- American Heart Association and Marathon Oil Corporation proudly announce Coach Gene Chizik with Auburn University as the 2010 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101025/AHABEARLOGO )

Selected by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, Chizik accepted the trophy during a live announcement at an awards dinner in Houston, which benefited the American Heart Association. The award honors excellence in coaching while raising funds to fight heart disease and stroke.

In just two seasons at Auburn University, Chizik guided the Tigers to the BCS National Championship Game, won an SEC title and was named Home Depot National Coach of the Year. Chizik guided Auburn to a 13-0 regular season record and a No. 1 ranking in the BCS standings, and Associated Press top 25 poll. The Tigers last second, 22-19 win over Oregon gave Auburn University its first national football title in 53 years.

Chizik will be recognized as the 25th winner of the annual "Coach of the Year" award. Previous winners include:


1986 – Joe Paterno, Penn State	1998 – Bill Snyder, Kansas State
1987 – Dick MacPherson, Syracuse	1999 – Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
1988 – Lou Holtz , Notre Dame	2000 – Bob Stoops, Oklahoma
1989 – Bill McCartney, Colorado	2001 – Larry Coker, Miami
1990 – Bobby Ross, Georgia Tech	2002 – Jim Tressel, Ohio State
1991 – Don James, Washington	2003 – Nick Saban, Louisiana State
1992 – Gene Stallings, Alabama	2004 – Tommy Tuberville, Auburn
1993 – Terry Bowden, Auburn	2005 – Mack Brown, Texas
1994 – Rich Brooks, Oregon	2006 – Chris Petersen, Boise State
1995 – Gary Barnett, Northwestern	2007 – Mark Mangino, Kansas
1996 – Bruce Snyder, Arizona State	2008 – Kyle Whittingham, Utah
1997 – Lloyd Carr, Michigan	2009 – Chris Petersen, Boise State

Chizik competed against several of the nation's top football coaches for the award including Chris Ault, University of Nevada; Mark Dantonio, Michigan State; Chip Kelly, University of Oregon; Bobby Petrino, University of Arkansas; and, Mike Sherman, Texas A&M University.

Former Florida State University Coach Bobby Bowden received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the ceremony, which was presented by last year's winner, Vince Dooley.

The Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards honor excellence in coaching while raising funds to fight heart disease and stroke, the nation's No. 1 and No. 4 killers. Funds raised benefit research, community education and outreach programs for the American Heart Association. www.heart.org/bryantawards.

Marathon Oil Corporation is an integrated international energy company engaged in exploration and production; oil sands mining; integrated gas; and refining, marketing and transportation operations. Marathon, which is based in Houston, has principal operations in the United States, Angola, Canada, Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia, Libya, Norway and the United Kingdom. Marathon is the fourth largest United States-based integrated oil company and the nation's fifth largest refiner. http://www.marathon.com.