Danny Hale to Be Featured on ABC-TV This Weekend

BLOOMSBURG--Bloomsburg University head football coach Danny Hale will be featured this Saturday, Dec. 9, on the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Finalist Show. The program will air on ABC-TV at 2 p.m. and will feature the 10 finalists for the first-ever award. Legendary ABC broadcaster Keith Jackson will serve as host of the show.

Danny Hale

Hale has guided the Huskies to a 12-1 record this season and a berth in the NCAA Division II national semi-finals against another finalist for the award, Mel Tjeerdsma of Northwest Missouri State. That game will be played on Sunday, Dec. 10, in Maryville, Mo at 5:30 p.m. and will be shown on ESPNU.

Selected based on professional competence and achievement in 2006, commitment to the well-being and development of student-athletes, high ethical standards, and civic and charitable stewardship, the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year will receive $100,000 to support civic and charitable activities. In addition, Liberty Mutual will grant $20,000 in scholarship to the alumni association of the winning coach's school.

Each of the 10 finalists scored in the top 20 percent of the online fan vote within his division during the first phase of competition. The selection of the award winner will be revealed on December 16 on ABC-TV.

In addition to the finalists-phase fan vote, the 10 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year candidates were judged against the award criteria by an elite selection committee comprised of reputable College Football Hall of Fame players and coaches, national college football media, and Liberty Mutual representatives.

Media voters include: Colin Cowherd (ESPN Radio), Keith Jackson (ABC Sports, retired), Dan Jenkins (Sports Illustrated/College Football Hall of Fame historian), Stewart Mandel (CNN-SI.com), Tim Brando (CBS Sports, Sporting News Radio), Craig Bennett (USA Today), Ivan Maisel (ESPN.com), Teddy Greenstein (Chicago Tribune), Bill King (Rivals Sports Network/Sirius Radio), and Bud Withers (Seattle Times). Hall of Fame voters include: Terry Donohue, LaVell Edwards, Archie Griffin, Bo Jackson, Ron Johnson (Chair, National Football Foundation), Gordie Lockbaum, Archie Manning, Tom Osborne, Jim Sochor, and Herschel Walker.