Hatters’ Roger Hughes Selected as PFL Coach of the Year
Little was expected of the Stetson football program entering the 2018 season with the Hatters coming off a 2-9 season in 2017. But Stetson turned the tables this fall, finishing with an 8-2 overall record, including a 6-2 mark in Pioneer Football League play.
That six-game improvement in Stetson’s overall record, as well as earning a tie for second place in the PFL race after being picked to finish ninth in the 10-team league, helped Stetson coach Roger Hughes earn his first PFL Coach of the Year honor.
Hughes is the 15th coach to be recognized by the PFL as its coach of the year in the 26 years the award has been presented. Former Dayton coach Mike Kelly owns the record, having been named PFL coach of the year seven times.
Hughes completed his sixth season as the Hatters’ head coach in 2018 and his 16th year overall as a college head coach. He spent 10 seasons as the head coach at Princeton from 2000-09, helping the Tigers to a share of the Ivy League title in 2006.
In addition to the PFL Coach of the Year honor, Hughes is one of 15 finalists for the annual Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award, which is presented to the top head coach in all FCS football. That award, and other national FCS awards, will be presented at the annual STATS FCS Award Banquet on January 4 in Frisco, Texas, the night before the FCS national championship game.
In addition to the Coach of the Year Award, the PFL also announced its other annual award winners on Monday, Nov. 26. Selected in a vote of the league’s head coaches, the six award winners for 2018 are:
Offensive Player of the Year – Anthony Lawrence, Senior, QB, San Diego
Defensive Player of the Year – Nathan Clayberg, Senior, DL, Drake
Special Teams Player of the Year – Michael Armstead, Junior, RS, San Diego
Freshman Offensive Player of the Year – Jack Cook, QB, Dayton
Co-Freshman Defensive Player of the Year – Mickey Kane, DL Butler
Co-Freshman Defensive Player of the Year – Dreylan Hines, DB, Davidson
The PFL will release its 2018 All-Conference teams on Tuesday, followed by the announcement of the league’s scholar-athlete of the year and Academic All-PFL squads on Wednesday.
