NDSU's Klieman Named American Football Monthly/Rawlings Football FCS Coach of the Year

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. - Rawlings Football has named North Dakota State’s Chris Klieman as the Football Championship Subdivision Coach of the Year for 2014. In addition, the annual awards include college coaches of the year for the FBS, Division II, Division III, NAIA and Junior College.  The awards were given in association with American Football Monthly, the leading resource for coaches everywhere.
 
Klieman guided North Dakota State to its fourth straight FCS title, defeating Illinois State, 29-27, in the championship game. It was Klieman’s first year as head coach and he led the Bison to a 15-1 record.
 
The other college winners include:
 
FBS – Urban Meyer, Ohio State – Meyer guided the Buckeyes to a 14-1 record and the national championship, defeating Oregon in the title game, 42-20. Ohio State won their last three games – victories over Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon – with their third string quarterback, Cardale Jones.
 
Division II – John Wristen, Colorado State-Pueblo – Wristen started the program in 2007 and this past fall won the Division II Championship, defeating Minnesota State-Mankato, 13-0, in the championship game. CS-Pueblo finished with a 14-1 record.
 
Division III – Lance Leipold, Wisconsin-Whitewater – Under Leipold, UW-W won six Division III championships in his 8 years as head coach. UW-W defeated Mount Union, 43-34, in December’s title game. Leipold recently accepted the head coaching position at the University of Buffalo.
 
NAIA – Craig Howard, Southern Oregon – Under Howard, Southern Oregon completed a 13-2 record with a 55-31 win over Marion University in the NAIA Championship game. It was the Raiders first NAIA title.
 
JUCO – Brad Smiley, Trinity Valley Community College – TVCC averaged 58.5 points per game in completing an undefeated – 12-0 – season. In the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl, Trinity Valley defeated Coffeyville CC, 27-24.