Curt Cignetti, Billy Cosh, Tremaine Jackson, Sherman Wood, and Myles Russ Named AFCA’S 2024 National Coaches of the Year
December 16, 2024
The AFCA is honored to present its top coaching award — AFCA National Coach of the Year — to five outstanding coaches. The 2024 AFCA National Coach of the Year winners are: Indiana’s Curt Cignetti (FBS), Stony Brook’s Billy Cosh (FCS), Valdosta State’s Tremaine Jackson (Division II), Salisbury’s Sherman Wood (Division III) and Keiser’s Myles Russ (NAIA).
The winners are selected by a vote of the Active AFCA members at four-year schools in the Association’s five divisions. The AFCA has named a Coach of the Year since 1935. The AFCA Coach of the Year award is the oldest and most prestigious of all the Coach of the Year awards and is the only one chosen exclusively by coaches.
In his first season at Indiana, Cignetti won his first AFCA national honor by leading the Hoosiers to its best season in program history. Indiana is 11-1 on the season and earned the program’s first appearance in the College Football Playoff. The 11 overall wins and eight Big Ten victories this season are program best. Cignetti has an overall record of 130-36 in 14 seasons as a head coach at Indiana, James Madison, Elon and Indiana (Pa.).
Cosh takes home FCS Coach of the Year honors in his first season as a head coach. All he did was take a Stony Brook team, who went 0-10 in 2023, to an 8-4 season in 2024, which was the biggest turnaround in FCS this season. The Seawolves earned their most victories in a season since 2018, earned their first national ranking since 2018 and their highest ranking since 2017.
In just three short years, Jackson has brought Valdosta State back to the Division II national championship game. He has the Blazers sitting at 13-0 and will face Ferris State for the national title. Jackson has a 30-8 record at Valdosta State with two Gulf South Conference titles, and an overall record of 40-11 when you include his two seasons as head coach at Colorado Mesa.
Wood earned his first AFCA National Coach of the Year honor in his 32nd season as head coach. In 2024, Wood guided Salisbury to a 12-1 record, the New Jersey Athletic Conference title and an appearance in the quarterfinals of the Division III playoffs. The Sea Gulls recorded their fifth undefeated regular season and sixth quarterfinal appearance. The all-time wins leader at Salisbury, Wood has a record of 193-80 with the Sea Gulls and an overall record of 214-119-1 when you include his six seasons at Bowie State.
In his first season as a head coach, Russ has guided Keiser to a 12-0 record, the Sun Conference title and the program’s third straight trip to the NAIA National Championship game where they will face Grand View. He has been with the program since it was started in 2018, serving as assistant head coach, running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. Russ has been a part of six straight conference championships and the 2023 national title.
Award History
Lynn “Pappy” Waldorf, then of Northwestern, was named as the first AFCA Coach of the Year in 1935. One national winner was selected from 1935 through 1959. From 1960 through 1982, two national winners were selected — one representing the University Division and one from the College Division. From 1983-2005, four national winners were chosen.
In 2006, the AFCA started honoring an NAIA Coach of the Year, bringing the total to the five honorees we have today. Prior to 2006, the NAIA was a part of the AFCA’s Division II membership category.
Voting Process
The current balloting procedure involves selection of 25 regional winners: five regional winners in each of the five divisions – FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA, who become finalist for national coach of the year. Following regional voting, five national winners – one from each division – are chosen.
First Year Coach of the Year: In 2024, Stony Brook’s Billy Cosh and Keiser’s Myles Russ join Colorado Mines’ Brandon Moore, Richmond’s Mike London and Valdosta State’s David Dean as the only coaches to earn AFCA National Coach of the Year honors in their first season as a head coach. Dean was the Division II winner in 2007, London was the FCS winner in 2008, and Moore was the Division II winner in 2022.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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The AFCA is honored to present its top coaching award — AFCA National Coach of the Year — to five outstanding coaches. The 2024 AFCA National Coach of the Year winners are: Indiana’s Curt Cignetti (FBS), Stony Brook’s Billy Cosh (FCS), Valdosta State’s Tremaine Jackson (Division II), Salisbury’s Sherman Wood (Division III) and Keiser’s Myles Russ (NAIA).
The winners are selected by a vote of the Active AFCA members at four-year schools in the Association’s five divisions. The AFCA has named a Coach of the Year since 1935. The AFCA Coach of the Year award is the oldest and most prestigious of all the Coach of the Year awards and is the only one chosen exclusively by coaches.
In his first season at Indiana, Cignetti won his first AFCA national honor by leading the Hoosiers to its best season in program history. Indiana is 11-1 on the season and earned the program’s first appearance in the College Football Playoff. The 11 overall wins and eight Big Ten victories this season are program best. Cignetti has an overall record of 130-36 in 14 seasons as a head coach at Indiana, James Madison, Elon and Indiana (Pa.).
Cosh takes home FCS Coach of the Year honors in his first season as a head coach. All he did was take a Stony Brook team, who went 0-10 in 2023, to an 8-4 season in 2024, which was the biggest turnaround in FCS this season. The Seawolves earned their most victories in a season since 2018, earned their first national ranking since 2018 and their highest ranking since 2017.
In just three short years, Jackson has brought Valdosta State back to the Division II national championship game. He has the Blazers sitting at 13-0 and will face Ferris State for the national title. Jackson has a 30-8 record at Valdosta State with two Gulf South Conference titles, and an overall record of 40-11 when you include his two seasons as head coach at Colorado Mesa.
Wood earned his first AFCA National Coach of the Year honor in his 32nd season as head coach. In 2024, Wood guided Salisbury to a 12-1 record, the New Jersey Athletic Conference title and an appearance in the quarterfinals of the Division III playoffs. The Sea Gulls recorded their fifth undefeated regular season and sixth quarterfinal appearance. The all-time wins leader at Salisbury, Wood has a record of 193-80 with the Sea Gulls and an overall record of 214-119-1 when you include his six seasons at Bowie State.
In his first season as a head coach, Russ has guided Keiser to a 12-0 record, the Sun Conference title and the program’s third straight trip to the NAIA National Championship game where they will face Grand View. He has been with the program since it was started in 2018, serving as assistant head coach, running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. Russ has been a part of six straight conference championships and the 2023 national title.
Award History
Lynn “Pappy” Waldorf, then of Northwestern, was named as the first AFCA Coach of the Year in 1935. One national winner was selected from 1935 through 1959. From 1960 through 1982, two national winners were selected — one representing the University Division and one from the College Division. From 1983-2005, four national winners were chosen.
In 2006, the AFCA started honoring an NAIA Coach of the Year, bringing the total to the five honorees we have today. Prior to 2006, the NAIA was a part of the AFCA’s Division II membership category.
Voting Process
The current balloting procedure involves selection of 25 regional winners: five regional winners in each of the five divisions – FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA, who become finalist for national coach of the year. Following regional voting, five national winners – one from each division – are chosen.
First Year Coach of the Year: In 2024, Stony Brook’s Billy Cosh and Keiser’s Myles Russ join Colorado Mines’ Brandon Moore, Richmond’s Mike London and Valdosta State’s David Dean as the only coaches to earn AFCA National Coach of the Year honors in their first season as a head coach. Dean was the Division II winner in 2007, London was the FCS winner in 2008, and Moore was the Division II winner in 2022.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
