Drew Cronic — shown with LRU President Fred K. Whitt, left, and Bears Athletic Director Kim Pate, right, at the press conference announcing his hiring as Bears head football coach — has been named the NCAA Division II national football coach of the year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA)./LRU PHOTO
HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY – Lenoir-Rhyne University head football coach Drew Cronic — who orchestrated the best turnaround in NCAA Division II in his first season with the Bears — has been named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coach of the Year.
The Bears won 12 games last season after having won three the year before.
LRU’S 2018 SEASON: https://lrbears.com/schedule.aspx?path=football
LRU’S 2018 FINAL STATS: https://lrbears.com/cumestats.aspx?path=football&year=2018
Cronic left an assistant coaching job at Furman to guide LRU, leading the Bears to 12 straight wins after a loss in his debut.
LRU advanced to the Super Region 2 finals for just the second time in school history.
The Bears were picked by South Atlantic Conference (SAC) head coaches to finish sixth in the league but they went 7-0 in the SAC and won the conference title for the eighth time.
LRU moved into the NCAA Division II poll on Oct. 22 at No. 24 and moved up to No. 21 with following week. The Bears were No. 17 in the next rankings.
After the national playoffs, LRU finished at No. 8 in rankings for NCAA Division II.
Cronic’s offense produced some record-breaking numbers in his inaugural season, as quarterback Grayson Willingham’s 26 touchdowns shattered the previous single-season record of 18 and his 2,281 yards ranks as the second-most in team history.
The Bears’ 2,570 team passing yards and 30 team passing touchdowns are new records, along with 574 points scored.
LRU had 13 players win awards under Cronic, highlighted by a National Special Teams Player of the Week honor going to Kyle Dugger.
Also, Sherrod Williams won three SAC Defensive Player of the Week awards and Jason Poe won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy and was named First Team All-Region.
Cronic is the second LRU head football coach to gain recognition as a national coach of the year; the late Clarence Stasavich earned the same distinction in 1959.
With Cronic picking up his award, LRU has four national coaches of the year in its current athletic department, with Cronic and Greg Paradine (men’s lacrosse) earning their honors in the last month.