Paul 'Bear' Bryant Awards announce 2022 college football coaches watch list

The Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards have announced their 25 coaches for the 2022 Coach of the Year Award watch list. The Coach of the Year Award is given annually to an active college football coach for their contributions both on and off the field who demonstrate “grit, integrity, and a winning approach” to fans and athletes. Last year, Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell took home the Bear Bryant award, becoming just the third coach to receive the award from a Group of Five conference.

This year’s watchlist features four coaches from Group of Five conferences, with the SEC and Big 12 tying for the most coaches on the list with five each, including former award winners Nick Saban and Mike Gundy. The Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards will also present a Conference Coach of the Year Award for each of the Power Five conferences, as well as one from Group of Five conferences, which will all be announced January 11, 2023.

The Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards watch list coaches for 2022 can be seen below.

Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards watch list

Dino Babers – Syracuse

Mack Brown – North Carolina

Dave Clawson – Wake Forest

Dabo Swinney –Clemson

Bret Bielema – Illinois

Ryan Day – Ohio State

Jim Harbaugh – Michigan

Sonny Dykes – TCU

Mike Gundy – Oklahoma State

Chris Klieman – Kansas State

Lance Leipold – Kansas

Steve Sarkisian – Texas

Willie Fritz – Tulane

Gus Malzahn – UCF

Jeff Traylor – UTSA

Kane Wommack – South Alabama

Chip Kelly – UCLA

Dan Lanning – Oregon

Lincoln Riley – USC

Kyle Whittingham – Utah

Josh Heupel – Tennessee

Lane Kiffin – Ole Miss

Nick Saban – Alabama

Kirby Smart – Georgia

Mark Stoops – Kentucky