Former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock was the last Buckeye assistant to capture the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach. That drought is officially over.
Tom Herman was named the 2014 Broyles Award winner moments ago, beating out Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, Missouri defensive coordinator Dave Steckel, Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost, and TCU co-offensive coordinator Doug Meacham.
As Ohio State's co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Herman has held an instrumental hand in Ohio State's record-setting offense (which averages 45 points and 508 yards a game) and development of its current stable of talented quarterbacks including Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones.
In the latest testament to Herman's coaching prowess, Jones helped the Buckeyes smash Wisconsin and win the Big Ten Championship in his first-career start after losing Barrett to a season-ending injury against Michigan.
It's why Ohio State fans should enjoy Herman while they have him, because this will only raise the profile as one of America's fastest-rising assistants. He'll be hired by someone smart sooner rather than later.
2014 #BroylesAward winner Tom Herman (@CoachTomHerman) of @OhioStAthletics with the Broyles Award trophy. pic.twitter.com/0mUWEvcFIt
— Broyles Award (@BroylesAward) December 9, 2014
