Photo by: Jordan Segelken
Carthel Named Finalist for Eddie Robinson Award
11/24/2025 3:33:00 PM | Football
Seventh-year head coach among 15 HCs in running for FCS Coach of the Year honor
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin head football coach Colby Carthel has been named one of 15 finalists for the Stats Perform FCS Eddie Robinson Award which is presented annually to the FCS Coach of the Year. The announcement was made by the outlet on Monday morning and among the finalist include UTRGV's Travis Bush and former Lumberjack quarterback and current Tarleton State head coach Todd Whitten.
In his seventh season, Carthel has led the 'Jacks (10-2, 8-0 SLC) to the program's fifth Southland Conference title and its ninth FCS postseason appearance. SFA received the seventh seed in the upcoming FCS Playoffs and will host a non-opening round home game inside Homer Bryce Stadium for the first time since 1989. The December 6 second-round kickoff marks the latest home game on the calendar in program history and the first Christmas month home game since 2010.
The 'Jacks concluded the regular season on a 10-game win streak, the longest single-season streak in program history and tied for the longest overall. It's the program's fifth season of 10+ wins and first since 2009. SFA produced the program's first eight-win conference season and first perfect finish in league play. Carthel led SFA to the program's ninth unbeaten regular season home record in program history. Additionally, he captured career win No. 100 in the victory at Houston Christian and has moved into third place all-time on SFA's coaching wins list.
SFA enters the playoffs as a consensus Top 10 team holding the No. 10 ranking in both the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Media Poll and the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. The 'Jacks hold top 10 team statistical marks nationally in team tackles for loss (1st), punt return average (1st), total defense (2nd), third-down defense (2nd), first downs defense (3rd), rushing defense (3rd), scoring defense (3rd), red zone defense (4th), team sacks (7th), net punting (7th) and punt return defense (8th). Eight times this season a Lumberjack was named a Southland Conference Player of the Week with Jaydon Southard (10/6) and Bugs Mortimer (11/24) earning Stats Perform FCS National Player of the Week plaudits.
The award, first presented in 1987 and in its 39th season, is named for legendary Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson. Past recipients include Mark Duffner, Erk Russell, Chris Ault, Jim Tressel, Houston Nutt, Andy Talley, Paul Johnson, Joe Glenn, Mike Ayers, Jerry Kill, Jerry Moore, K.C. Keeler, Deion Sanders, John Stiegelmeier, Brent Vigen and two-time recipients Mickey Matthews, Sean McDonnell and Craig Bohl.
All 13 FCS leagues are represented by an Eddie Robinson Award finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced on Dec. 4 and honored at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show on Jan. 3 in Nashville, Tennessee.
2025 Eddie Robinson Award Finalists
Andrew Aurich, Harvard (Ivy League)
Season: Second; Team Record: 9-1, 6-1 Ivy (Tie/1st); Notable: Playoff-bound Crimson reached program-high No. 7 national ranking
Travis Bush, UT Rio Grande Valley (Southland Conference)
Season: First; Team Record: 9-3, 5-3 Southland (Tie/3rd); Notable: Won nine times as FCS start-up program
Kevin Cahill, Lehigh (Patriot League)
Season: Third; Team Record: 12-0, 7-0 Lehigh (1st); Notable: No. 5 playoff seed is 12-0 for first time since 2000
Colby Carthel, Stephen F. Austin (Southland Conference)
Season: Seventh; Team Record: 10-2, 8-0 Southland (1st); Notable: No. 7 playoff seed is riding first-ever same-season 10-game winning streak
Steve Englehart, Presbyterian (Pioneer Football League)
Season: Fourth; Team Record: 10-2, 6-2 Pioneer (Tie/2nd); Notable: Blue Hose achieved first national ranking on FCS level
Jim Fleming, Rhode Island (CAA Football)
Season: 12th; Team Record: 10-2, 8-0 CAA (1st); Notable: Rams collected first outright conference title since 1985
Bobby Hauck, Montana (Big Sky Conference)
Season: 15th (two stints); Team Record: 11-1, 7-1 (2nd); Notable: No. 3 playoff seed didn't return a defensive starter, opened with 11-0 mark
DeSean Jackson, Delaware State (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Season: First; Team Record: 8-4, 4-1 MEAC (2nd); Notable: Hornets posted an FCS-best seven-win improvement from 2024
Tremaine Jackson, Prairie View A&M (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Season: First; Team Record: 9-3, 7-1 SWAC West (1st); Notable: SWAC West champ has nine wins for first time since 2009 season
Mike Jacobs, Mercer (Southern Conference)
Season: Second; Team Record: 9-2, 8-0 SoCon (1st); Notable: No. 6 playoff seed is SoCon's first back-to-back outright champion since 2009
Adam Lechtenberg, Central Connecticut State (NEC Football)
Season: Third; Team Record: 8-4, 6-1 (1st); Notable: CCSU returning to playoffs after capturing NEC-leading eighth championship
Tim Polasek, North Dakota State (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Season: Second; Team Record: 12-0, 8-0 MVFC (1st); Notable: Bison have been top-ranked since preseason, are No. 1 playoff seed
Joel Taylor, West Georgia (United Athletic Conference)
Season: Second; Team Record: 8-3, 5-3 (4th); Notable: Wolves doubled last year's four wins in second FCS season
Todd Whitten, Tarleton State (United Athletic Conference)
Season: 18th (two stints); Team Record: 11-1, 7-1 UAC (Tie/1st); Notable: No. 4 playoff seed one of four FCS teams to beat an FBS opponent (Army)
Bobby Wilder, Tennessee Tech (OVC-Big South Football Association)
Season: Second; Team Record: 11-1/8-0 OVC-Big South (1st); Notable: Golden Eagles opened 10-0 for first time in program history
TICKETS ON SALE
Information regarding ticket sales for the FCS second-round matchup will be made available at www.SFAjacks.com. Once live, tickets will be available for purchase here: https://sfajacks.evenue.net/events/FPO.
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA football, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
In his seventh season, Carthel has led the 'Jacks (10-2, 8-0 SLC) to the program's fifth Southland Conference title and its ninth FCS postseason appearance. SFA received the seventh seed in the upcoming FCS Playoffs and will host a non-opening round home game inside Homer Bryce Stadium for the first time since 1989. The December 6 second-round kickoff marks the latest home game on the calendar in program history and the first Christmas month home game since 2010.
The 'Jacks concluded the regular season on a 10-game win streak, the longest single-season streak in program history and tied for the longest overall. It's the program's fifth season of 10+ wins and first since 2009. SFA produced the program's first eight-win conference season and first perfect finish in league play. Carthel led SFA to the program's ninth unbeaten regular season home record in program history. Additionally, he captured career win No. 100 in the victory at Houston Christian and has moved into third place all-time on SFA's coaching wins list.
SFA enters the playoffs as a consensus Top 10 team holding the No. 10 ranking in both the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Media Poll and the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. The 'Jacks hold top 10 team statistical marks nationally in team tackles for loss (1st), punt return average (1st), total defense (2nd), third-down defense (2nd), first downs defense (3rd), rushing defense (3rd), scoring defense (3rd), red zone defense (4th), team sacks (7th), net punting (7th) and punt return defense (8th). Eight times this season a Lumberjack was named a Southland Conference Player of the Week with Jaydon Southard (10/6) and Bugs Mortimer (11/24) earning Stats Perform FCS National Player of the Week plaudits.
The award, first presented in 1987 and in its 39th season, is named for legendary Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson. Past recipients include Mark Duffner, Erk Russell, Chris Ault, Jim Tressel, Houston Nutt, Andy Talley, Paul Johnson, Joe Glenn, Mike Ayers, Jerry Kill, Jerry Moore, K.C. Keeler, Deion Sanders, John Stiegelmeier, Brent Vigen and two-time recipients Mickey Matthews, Sean McDonnell and Craig Bohl.
All 13 FCS leagues are represented by an Eddie Robinson Award finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced on Dec. 4 and honored at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show on Jan. 3 in Nashville, Tennessee.
No one better. He's OUR head coach. ??
— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) November 24, 2025
Congrats @CoachCarthel on being named one of 15 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award given annually to the FCS Coach of the Year!#AxeEm x #EastTexasTough pic.twitter.com/kGbRTTSJZ1
2025 Eddie Robinson Award Finalists
Andrew Aurich, Harvard (Ivy League)
Season: Second; Team Record: 9-1, 6-1 Ivy (Tie/1st); Notable: Playoff-bound Crimson reached program-high No. 7 national ranking
Travis Bush, UT Rio Grande Valley (Southland Conference)
Season: First; Team Record: 9-3, 5-3 Southland (Tie/3rd); Notable: Won nine times as FCS start-up program
Kevin Cahill, Lehigh (Patriot League)
Season: Third; Team Record: 12-0, 7-0 Lehigh (1st); Notable: No. 5 playoff seed is 12-0 for first time since 2000
Colby Carthel, Stephen F. Austin (Southland Conference)
Season: Seventh; Team Record: 10-2, 8-0 Southland (1st); Notable: No. 7 playoff seed is riding first-ever same-season 10-game winning streak
Steve Englehart, Presbyterian (Pioneer Football League)
Season: Fourth; Team Record: 10-2, 6-2 Pioneer (Tie/2nd); Notable: Blue Hose achieved first national ranking on FCS level
Jim Fleming, Rhode Island (CAA Football)
Season: 12th; Team Record: 10-2, 8-0 CAA (1st); Notable: Rams collected first outright conference title since 1985
Bobby Hauck, Montana (Big Sky Conference)
Season: 15th (two stints); Team Record: 11-1, 7-1 (2nd); Notable: No. 3 playoff seed didn't return a defensive starter, opened with 11-0 mark
DeSean Jackson, Delaware State (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Season: First; Team Record: 8-4, 4-1 MEAC (2nd); Notable: Hornets posted an FCS-best seven-win improvement from 2024
Tremaine Jackson, Prairie View A&M (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Season: First; Team Record: 9-3, 7-1 SWAC West (1st); Notable: SWAC West champ has nine wins for first time since 2009 season
Mike Jacobs, Mercer (Southern Conference)
Season: Second; Team Record: 9-2, 8-0 SoCon (1st); Notable: No. 6 playoff seed is SoCon's first back-to-back outright champion since 2009
Adam Lechtenberg, Central Connecticut State (NEC Football)
Season: Third; Team Record: 8-4, 6-1 (1st); Notable: CCSU returning to playoffs after capturing NEC-leading eighth championship
Tim Polasek, North Dakota State (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Season: Second; Team Record: 12-0, 8-0 MVFC (1st); Notable: Bison have been top-ranked since preseason, are No. 1 playoff seed
Joel Taylor, West Georgia (United Athletic Conference)
Season: Second; Team Record: 8-3, 5-3 (4th); Notable: Wolves doubled last year's four wins in second FCS season
Todd Whitten, Tarleton State (United Athletic Conference)
Season: 18th (two stints); Team Record: 11-1, 7-1 UAC (Tie/1st); Notable: No. 4 playoff seed one of four FCS teams to beat an FBS opponent (Army)
Bobby Wilder, Tennessee Tech (OVC-Big South Football Association)
Season: Second; Team Record: 11-1/8-0 OVC-Big South (1st); Notable: Golden Eagles opened 10-0 for first time in program history
TICKETS ON SALE
Information regarding ticket sales for the FCS second-round matchup will be made available at www.SFAjacks.com. Once live, tickets will be available for purchase here: https://sfajacks.evenue.net/events/FPO.
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA football, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
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