WACO, Tex. – The architect of the Presbyterian College football team's rapid resurgence and 10-win 2025 season, Steve Englehart made Blue Hose history on Monday afternoon when he was selected as the AFCA National Coach of the Year at the FCS level.

Voted on by active members of the American Football Coaches Association, the AFCA National Coach of the Year is the oldest and most prestigious of any Coach of the Year award. It is the only such accolade determined exclusively by active coaches.

Five individuals are chosen for National Coach of the Year across their respective divisions. Englehart is joined in the 2025 class by Indiana's Curt Cignetti (FBS), Kutztown's Jim Clements (Division II), North Central's Brad Spencer (Division III), and Benedictine's Joel Osborn (NAIA).

"This is a very special award to receive and I am honored to help bring recognition to our team and PC at large", commented Englehart. "This award is voted on by peers in the profession, so it's especially gratifying that our accomplishments were recognized on a national level."

Englehart is the first coach in the history of the Pioneer Football League (1991 onward) to be named National FCS Coach of the Year by the AFCA.

The Association began naming an annual National Coach of the Year in 1935. Englehart joins six others across all divisions who have been named AFCA National Coach of the Year at a South Carolina university.






 
#PULLTHEROPE

 
- Successfully rebuilding the Blue Hose football program from a 1-10 record in his first season (2022) to never-before-seen heights this fall, Englehart was also chosen as the PFL Coach of the Year and was a top-10 finalist for the FCS Stats Perform Eddie Robinson Award (presented to the nation's top head coach).

- Presbyterian achieved their third 10-win record in school history, last occurring in 2005. Starting the season at 7-0 and riding an 11-game winning streak, the Blue Hose reached as high as #16 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.

- It was the highest that any PFL institution had seen in 16 years, as PC was ranked in both the Coaches Poll and Stats Perform poll simultaneously for six consecutive weeks.

- PC managed to surpass a full calendar year without taking a loss after a 42-7 Homecoming victory against Stetson. They were one of the final eight undefeated FCS teams, defeating seven straight conference opponents during the 11-game win streak.

- Coach Englehart's crew never lost at Bailey Memorial Stadium in six attempts this year, the first time that PC boasted a 6-0 home record since 1998. They averaged a sizzling 45 points per game when playing in Clinton.


 
RECORDS GALORE

 
- In response to PC's glorious season, the Blue Hose witnessed a program-record 11 all-conference picks (as voted by the other coaches around the league). Six of those players were deemed All-PFL First Team.

- Quarterback Collin Hurst was named the PFL Offensive Player of the Year and a top-30 finalist for the Walter Payton Award, presented annually to the top offensive player in FCS football.

- In all four seasons that Englehart has been in charge of the Blue Hose, he has coached a Freshman All-American. Punt returner Darriel Harper was the recipient this year, selected by FCS Football Central.

- Presbyterian's defense was magnificent all year, ranking sixth in the country for fewest points allowed per game (16). They held their opponents to a 30-percent success rate on third-down snaps, the third-lowest number in America.

- PC ranked inside the nation's top ten in numerous statistical categories, including total defense (4^th), pass efficiency against (4^th), passing yards allowed (5^th), first downs allowed (6^th), and turnovers gained (7^th).

- On the offensive end, the Scotsmen were equally explosive. Englehart's unit set a new D-I-era record with 2,124 rushing yards, accounting for 56 total touchdowns and an overall scoring margin of +219.

- The Blue Hose eclipsed 5,000 yards of total offense en route to their 10 wins, narrowly missing out on an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs. They were deemed one of the "First Four Out" in the field of 24, despite holding a better record than 14 of the 16 teams that qualified for the first round.


 
ENGLEHART IS ELITE

 
- With a career record of 91-74 in 17 seasons (four at PC), Englehart holds the second-most wins of any active Pioneer Football League head coach.

- He achieved his 90^th career victory in a 23-9 result over St. Thomas, which was also his 20^th total win at Presbyterian.

- PC's season started with major headlines in back-to-back weeks, as they knocked off the last two Southern Conference champions (Mercer and Furman) to enter the national conversation.

- The 15-10 victory over then-#11 Mercer was the Bears' only regular season loss to another FCS school all year. Seven days later, the Blue Hose erased an early 21-point deficit to defeat Furman 39-38 in overtime.

- The Mercer upset was the PFL's first win over a top-15 program since 2010, downing a team that would eventually make it to the FCS Playoffs for the third time in a row. The Week 1 stunner ended a 35-game losing streak from the PFL against non-conference top-25 foes.


 
NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR HISTORY

 
- The current balloting procedure to determine the AFCA National Coach of the Year involves selecting five regional winners from each division. Englehart was revealed to have made the cut back on November 25, making him a top-five finalist for the prestigious honor.

- After naming their first FBS winner 48 years earlier, the Association began naming an FCS, Division II, and Division III National Coach of the Year in 1983. They would later expand again to also include NAIA coaches in 2006.

- Six other coaches from a South Carolina college have been voted the AFCA National Coach of the Year: Danny Ford (Clemson – 1981), Dick Sheridan (Furman – 1985), Jimmy Satterfield (Furman – 1988), Charlie Taaffe (The Citadel – 1992), Bobby Johnson (Furman – 2001), and Dabo Swinney (Clemson – 2015).


 
Past AFCA National Coach of the Year Winners (FCS)

2024 – Billy Cosh (Stony Brook)

2023 – Greg Gattuso (Albany)

2022 – John Stiegelmeier (South Dakota State)

2021 – Matt Entz (North Dakota State)

2020 – Scott Wachenheim (VMI)

2019 – Matt Entz (North Dakota State)

2018 – Joe Harasymiak (Maine)

2017 – Brian Bohannon (Kennesaw State)

2016 – Mike Houston (James Madison)

2015 – John Grass (Jacksonville State)

2014 – Sean McDonnell (New Hampshire)

2013 – Craig Bohl (North Dakota State)

2012 – Craig Bohl (North Dakota State)

2011 – Willie Fritz (Sam Houston State)

2010 – K.C. Keeler (Delaware)

2009 – Andy Talley (Villanova)

2008 – Mike London (Richmond)

2007 – Jerry Moore (Appalachian State)

2006 – Jerry Moore (Appalachian State)

2005 – Jerry Moore (Appalachian State)

2004 – Mickey Matthews (James Madison)

2003 – Dick Biddle (Colgate)

2002 – Jack Harbaugh (Western Kentucky)

2001 – Bobby Johnson (Furman)

2000 – Paul Johnson (Georgia Southern)

1999 – Paul Johnson (Georgia Southern)

1998 – Mark Whipple (Massachusetts)

1997 – Andy Talley (Villanova)

1996 – Ray Tellier (Columbia)

1995 – Don Read (Montana)

1994 – Jim Tressel (Youngstown State)

1993 – Dan Allen (Boston University)

1992 – Charlie Taaffe (The Citadel)

1991 – Jim Tressel (Youngstown State)

1990 – Tim Stowers (Georgia Southern)

1989 – Erk Russell (Georgia Southern)

1988 – Jimmy Satterfield (Furman)

1987 – Mark Duffner (Holy Cross)

1986 – Erk Russell (Georgia Southern)

1985 – Dick Sheridan (Furman)

1984 – Dave Arnold (Montana State)

1983 – Rey Dempsey (Southern Illinois)