Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele is finally getting the recognition he has long deserved.
Steele was named a finalist for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach, on Monday.
“He probably should win it,” Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said after Auburn’s upset of Alabama in the Iron Bowl. “I’ll go ahead and say that right now. I think it’s, I’m not going to say common sense, but it’s close. Our defense is playing as good as anybody in the country.”
Auburn has the No. 11 scoring defense in the country to go along with the No. 21 rushing defense and No. 14 passing defense.
Other finalists include Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliot, Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, Oklahoma offensive coordinator Bill Bedenbaugh and UCF offensive coordinator Troy Walters.
“Well, it’s like anything else. It’s like any award that comes to a group in this business,” Steele said. “This is not golf. We don’t go out there and play with our own bag and our own clubs and our own ball and everything counts for us. It’s a group effort. The players play. Coaches don’t play. Any award that comes, it’s the players. It’s the players. So my deal is whatever award that the group gets, they deserve it.”
The winner of the Broyles Award will be announced on Dec. 5, 2017 in Little Rock, Ark.
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