For Will Healy, receiving Christmas presents early seems to be a habit with the 32-year-old Chattanooga native
Now in only his second year as head football coach of the Austin Peay Governors, he has been selected as the FCS Coach of the Year as he guided APU to an 8-4 record this season.
He was hired as APU had coach Dec. 19, 2015, was a member of the Richmond Spiders football team which won the FCS national championship in Dec. 19, 2008 in his hometown of Chattanooga and was selected as a first team all-state prep player for Boyd Buchanan in December of his junior and senior years.
In two years at APU, Healy’s teams have gone from 0-11 in 2016 to 8-4 in 2017.
"I am truly honored to receive this award," Healy said. "You see the list of former winners and it's a who's who of successful coaches on this level and there is no one more reputable and respected than Eddie Robinson. To be a part of an award named for him is a dream come true. And so is every day I come to work, because really, this is not my award. Every coach, player, administrator and fan who had a hand in this, this is your award. I am so proud of what we have achieved together and I cannot wait to see what our future holds."
In seven seasons as an assistant coach at UTC, Healy helped guide the Mocs to three Southern Conference championships and a pair of FCS playoff appearances.
As quarterback at Boyd Buchanan he established a city career record of 7,700 plus passing years in four seasons and a state runner-up finish as a senior.
The annual FCS Awards Banquet will be held on January 5th at the Embassy Suites Frisco in Frisco, Texas. Coach Healy, and other national award winners and nominees, will be recognized for their outstanding achievements on the gridiron this season.
2017 FCS Coach of the Year voting
A first-place vote was worth five points, a second-place vote four points, a third-place vote three points, a fourth-place vote two points and a fifth-place vote one point.
1. Will Healy, Austin Peay: 49-19-11-6-8 …374 points
2. Mike Houston, James Madison: 28-18-21-21-15-332
3. Brian Bohannon, Kennesaw State: 15-27-26-14-12-301
4. Curt Cignetti, Elon: 11-20-15-16-10-222
5. Rod Broadway, North Carolina A&T: 9-18-9-13-13-183
6. Demario Warren, Southern Utah: 11-6-8-10-12-135
7. Al Bagnoli, Columbia: 6-7-12-9-11-123
8. John Grass, Jacksonville State: 4-1-14-6-8-86
9. Tim Rebowe, Nicholls: 5-5-6-5-9-82
10. Kevin Callahan, Monmouth: 2-4-6-13-10-80
11. Chris Klieman, North Dakota State: 2-7-5-5-13-76
12. Mike Ayers, Wofford: 3-5-4-8-6-69
13. Charlie Fisher, Western Illinois: 2-5-4-6-5-59
14. Pete Rossomando, Central Connecticut State: 2-4-5-4-6-55
15. Mike London, Howard: 0-4-2-12-6-52
16. Dan Hunt, Colgate: 1-1-1-3-1-19
17. Dave Cecchini, Valparaiso: 1-0-2-0-4-15
18. Fred McNair, Alcorn State: 0-0-0-0-2-2
contact B.B Branton at williambranton1962@gmail,com