American Football Monthly has selected Murray State University Head Football Coach Matt Griffin to its list of the 80 ‘hot’ coaches for 2006.  The magazine published its annual list of the top coaching prospects at eight levels, NCAA Division-IA, Division-IAA, Division-II, Division-III, NAIA, Junior College, High School and NFL, in its August issue.

Griffin enters his first season at the helm of the Racer program.  Before being introduced on Dec. 12 as the new MSU coach, Griffin spent three seasons rebuilding the University of Tennessee-Martin program.

“I have a great deal of respect for American Football Monthly and to be recognized by this magazine is quite an honor,” said Griffin.  “I see this as more of a team honor.  This kind of recognition speaks to the hard work and dedication to excellence of all our coaches, and to the commitment, both on and off the field, that our players have displayed.”

American Football Monthly had this to say about Griffin:  “Griffin takes over at Murray State in 2006 after turning around a downtrodden program at Tennessee-Martin.  When he took the helm at Tennessee-Martin in 2003, the Skyhawks hadn’t posted a winning season since 1993 and hadn’t finished at .500 or above in the Ohio Valley Conference play since 1995.”

“It’s an honor for Matt to be recognized by American Football Monthly,” MSU Director of Athletics Allen Ward said.  “It doesn’t surprise me that his name would be on the list, Matt and his staff did a great job at UT-Martin.  Matt’s energy and passion will lead Murray State football back to a championship level.”

The magazine listed just 10 NCAA Division I-AA coaches among its list.  Others making the list of 80 include University of Louisville Head Coach Bobby Petrino, Rich Rodriquez (head coach, West Virginia), Dan Hawkins (head coach, Colorado), Mike Haywood (offensive coordinator, Notre Dame), Jim Harbaugh (head coach, San Diego), Marvin Lewis (head coach, Cincinnati Bengals), Sean Payton (head coach, New Orleans Saints) and Ron Rivera (defensive coordinator, Chicago Bears).

“To be mentioned with these other great coaches is really something,” Griffin said.  “This is quite a list and I’m very pleased to be a part of it."

At UTM, Griffin turned around a program that had not won an Ohio Valley Conference football game in the six years before his arrival as head coach.  In 2005 the Skyhawks completed the turnaround by finishing 6-5 overall and 4-4 in the OVC.  The winning season was just the second in the school’s NCAA D-IAA history.

The list of D-IAA coaches included Griffin, Harbaugh, Chip Kelly (offensive coordinator, New Hampshire), Frank Tavani (head coach, Lafayette), Willie Totten (head coach, Mississippi Valley State), Rich Ellerson (head coach, California Polytechnic State), Jay Thomas (head coach, Nicholls State), Jay Mills (head coach, Charleston Southern), David Bailiff (head coach, Texas State) and Dave Clawson (head coach, Richmond).

American Football Monthly said this about the entire group of coaches:  “Innovation and renovation – the theme for this fall.  AFM’s annual ‘Hot’ coaching list includes many coaches starting their first year and many others retooling offenses and defenses.  The year’s listing of 80 of the best and the brightest at all levels – from the NFL to the high school ranks – marks those coaches ready to lead their teams to outstanding seasons.  All are primed for a breakout season.”

Murray State opens its 82nd season of college football on Sept. 2 when the team travels to Columbia, Mo., to face the University of Missouri at 6 p.m.  The Racers first home game of the Matt Griffin era will be on Sept. 23 when the team faces Illinois State at 6 p.m., at Stewart Stadium.

The Skyhawks’ achievements in 2005 led to Griffin being named one of the 16 finalists for The Sports Network’s Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.  In addition, Griffin was chosen as the recipient for the 2005 Tennessee Sports Writers Association College Football Coach of the Year award.

The six wins in 2005 tied the 1993 Tennessee-Martin squad for the most in the program’s history as an NCAA Division I-AA institution.  The four OVC victories in 2005 tied for the second most in school history.  Only the 1993 team (5-3) had more league wins.

In his three seasons at Martin, Griffin led the Skyhawks to six OVC wins, which is more than the five victories UTM had in the previous eight years combined.

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