Nov. 29, 2006

Football: Sam Eddy Tabbed AFCA Division I-AA Assistant Coach of the Year

    Waco, Texas – Veteran Youngstown State assistant coach Sam Eddy was named the 2006 American Football Coaches Association Division I-AA Assistant Coach of the Year, the organization announced on Wednesday.

   Eddy, who has been with the Youngstown State program for 13 seasons, serves as the Assistant Head Coach and running backs coach. During his career Eddy has churned out numerous successful running backs, including 2006 Payton Award fourth-place finisher Marcus Mason.

   Since joining the Gateway in 1997, Eddy has turned out seven first-team All-Gateway selections, 10 all-conference picks and two Gateway Offensive Players of the Year (Mason in 2006 and P.J. Mays in 2001).

    Mason has had a memorable 2006 campaign being named the Gateway’s Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection. During the regular season, Mason ranked second in Division I-AA in rushing yards per game and scoring.

    Under Eddy, a back has produced 200 yards in a game on nine occasions -- including three in 2006 -- and the Guins have had six 1,000-yard rushing performers in a single season.

    Eddy’s first-team all-conference backs are Mason (2006), Demetrius Ison (2004 and 2005), Mays (2001 and 2002), Adrian Brown (1999) and Jake Andreadis (1997). Mason was the first to be named to the second team in 2005, while Brown was a two-time honorable-mention pick (1997 and 1998).

    Eddy has been a member of the staff since 1994 and has been a collegiate coach since 1978. Since coming to YSU in 1994 he has helped tutor some of the best running backs in school history.