ANNAPOLIS, Md.—Navy head football coach Brian Newberry is one of 27 head coaches named to the American Heart Association's Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award Watch List it was announced today.
 
The award, given each January to a college football coach of the year, recognizes contributions that make the sport better for athletes and fans alike by demonstrating grit, integrity and a winning approach to coaching and life – both on and off the field.  Now in its 39th year, the Coach of the Year award winner will be announced live from Houston's Post Oak Hotel on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, during an awards ceremony presented by Marathon Oil. The National Sports Media Association, the Bryant Awards' Executive Leadership Team and the Bryant Family vote on the watch list, finalists and Coach of the Year recipient.
 
Newberry has the Mids off to a 5-0 start and ranked No. 25 in the Associated Press poll.  Navy will play host to Charlotte on Saturday at 3:30 PM looking to start 6-0 for the first time since 1979 and for the seventh time ever.
 
A win on Saturday would make Navy bowl eligible for the first time since 2019.  Navy, picked 11^th in the 14-team AAC preseason poll, is one of 5 undefeated teams in the AAC conference race, which includes Saturday's opponent. Navy is one of just 11 undefeated teams overall in the FBS.
 
Saturday will mark the first time that Navy has played at home as an AP Top 25 team since Oct. 22, 2016, when No. 24 Navy defeated Memphis 42-28.
 
Navy is coming off a 34-7 win over Air Force, its first over the Falcons since 2019 and its first in Colorado Springs since 2012. The 34 points scored are the second-most points Navy has ever scored in Colorado Springs and the 7 points allowed are the fewest. The 27-point win was the largest by Navy in the series since 1978 when the Mids won 37-8 in Colorado Springs and the fourth largest ever.
 
Tickets still remain for Saturday's contest at navysports.com: https://navysports.evenue.net/list/F or by calling 1-800-US4-NAVY.