HOUSTON – Kennesaw State football head coach and 2025 Conference USA Coach of the Year
Jerry Mack has been named the recipient of the American Heart Association's 2025 Paul "Bear" Bryant Newcomer Coach of the Year Award. The award celebrates outstanding achievements of an individual who has not had previous head coaching experience at the FBS level.
Mack is only the third recipient of the Bear Bryant Newcomer of the Year Award, joining David Braun at Northwestern (2023) and Fran Brown at Syracuse (2024). The recipient is voted on by members of the National Sports Media Association, the Bryant Awards' Executive Leadership Team and the Bryant Family.
Named the head coach on Dec. 1, 2024, Mack immediately made an impact in his first year, orchestrating one of the best turnarounds in college football this season, taking a 2-10 Kennesaw State team in their first year of FBS play and turning them into a 10-4 Conference USA Championship team.
Kennesaw State's 10 wins in 2025 mark:
- Only the fourth time a team has won 10 or more games in its second year of FBS reclassification (Sam Houston – 2024; Appalachian State 2015; Marshall – 1997).
- The seventh-biggest year-over-year turnaround in college football history (+8 games)
- The fifth-largest year-over-year turnaround since 2000 and the third-largest in the last 10 seasons.
Ranking eighth in ESPN's regular-season strength of record among Group of Five teams, KSU defeated five .500 or better programs. The Owls also finished the regular season receiving votes in the Associated Poll Top 25 and the USA Today Coaches Poll for the first time in program history.
Mack was able to mesh a strong group of transfers with the fifth-fewest returns (43) into a team that fought to win more one-possession games (6) than any other FBS program in 2025.
Impressively, the Owls led CUSA in scoring (28.3) and touchdowns (47), while allowing the third-fewest points (24.3) in the league and leading the league in sacks (31).
Mack will be recognized with the honor during the 40
th Annual Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards ceremony on Jan. 21 at the Post Oak Hotel in Houston, Texas. The event will also be broadcast on CBS Sports Network at 1:30 a.m. EST on Jan. 22.
Kennesaw State opens its highly anticipated 2026 season with two-straight home games at Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium – Sept. 5 vs. West Georgia and Sept. 12 vs. Georgia State. Owl Nation can place deposits on 2026 season tickets for all the action now by visiting
KSUOwls.com/tickets.
The Owls Fund
The Owls Fund is the primary fundraising arm of Kennesaw State Athletics with the goal of supporting our student-athletes, coaches and each of our 18 NCAA Division I programs. Through initiatives such as Legacy Lockers, the Dot Martin Scholarship Golf Classic, sport-specific giving opportunities, general donations and season tickets, The Owls Fund connects fans with KSU's programs and student-athletes. Members receive exclusive benefits such as hospitality seating areas and events at Kennesaw State home games, and more. Join The Owls Fund here and discover more opportunities on how you can support Kennesaw State Athletics.
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