MTM Midwest Trophy Manufacturing of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is the manufacturer of the trophy memorializing the award. MTM is the leading manufacturer of trophies for major awards across the spectrum of sports. Among other nationally known awards, MTM makes trophies for the Heisman Memorial Award; the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award; the NCAA Championships; the Orange, Fiesta, Sugar, and Cotton Bowls; the World Series MVP; the Big 12 Conference Championship; and more than a dozen NASCAR races.

MTM and the Over the Mountain Touchdown Club of Birmingham painstakingly designed the trophy to evoke the characteristics that Bowden and the award's presenters share and, most importantly, honor Bowden's legacy. The trophy, which stands at more than twenty-three inches tall and fourteen inches wide, is made of wood, granite, iron and gold. It features an image of Bowden topped with a fourteen-pound iron football, which features the logos of its presenters.

The trophy incorporates images of two offset mountain ranges, which also appear on the logo of the Over the Mountain Touchdown Club. The mountain ranges symbolize Red Mountain, a long ridge defining Birmingham, which is part of the Ridge-and-Valley region of the Appalachian Mountains. Red Mountain drew its name from its rust-stained rock faces and prominent seams of red iron ore. The mountains on the trophy are made of rose-colored maple wood to replicate the red coloring of Red Mountain. Fourteen-karat gold overlay backs the mountain ranges to establish that the award is the gold standard of all coaching awards. Bowden's image, etched into the black granite stone of the trophy, is perched atop the mountain ranges, signifying that the award winner has reached the summit of his coaching career.

The trophy features a circular granite disk upon which the crowning iron football sits. The disk's iron is from Birmingham, which was once the primary industrial center of the Southern United States. Like Pittsburgh in the North, Birmingham's major industries used to be iron and steel production, which earned it the nickname "The Pittsburgh of the South." The iron used in the trophy forges the connection between Bowden and his hometown.

The disk's circular shape evokes the letter "O," in recognition of the word "Over" in the presenting club's name, and the disk itself rests "over" the mountain images on the trophy. The disk's circular shape is also representative of the never ending effect Bowden's influence will have on his former players, who will doubtlessly impart to others the lessons they have learned from him.

Inscribed on the trophy are the words "perseverance," "attitude," "integrity," and "determination." Bowden has exemplified these attributes throughout his coaching career and life. These attributes have been P.A.I.D and are a part of the standards used in determining the recipient of the award.

Gene Chizik, a Clearwater, Florida native, just completed his second season as head football coach at Auburn University, a season in which he led the Tigers to an undefeated 14-0 season, the SEC title and the BCS National Championship. With his 21-5 record at Auburn, Chizik owns the school's second-best mark after 26 games, and he has a 15 game winning streak, which is the longest in the SEC.

Chizik’s 2010 squad was the consensus national champion, winning the BCS National Championship and also being ranked #1 by the AP, Coaches Poll, National Football Foundation and Football Writers Association of America. In marching toward its undefeated season, Auburn defeated seven teams ranked in the final BCS standings and ten teams that played in bowl games. Chizik’s team featured winners of the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award and Lombardi Award, and Chizik’s coaching staff featured the Frank Broyles Award winner, which recognizes the nation’s top assistant coach.

Chizik rose to national prominence in 2002, when he became the defensive coordinator at Auburn. He served as defensive coordinator through Auburn's 2004 season, when the team went 13-0 and he earned the Frank Broyles Award for being the nation's best assistant coach. From 2005 through the 2006, Chizik was the assistant head coach and codefensive coordinator at Texas, where he helped the Longhorns to a perfect season and national championship in 2005. At one point, he was a part of 29 consecutive victories, which began in 2003 at Auburn and ended in 2006 at Texas.

In 2007, Iowa State named Chizik as its head coach, where he stayed for two seasons before Auburn lured him back to become its 25th head coach and rebuild a team that had posted a record of 5-7 the prior season.

During his first season as Auburn head coach, Chizik led the Tigers to an 8-5 record and a victory over Northwestern in the 2010 Outback Bowl on New Year's Day. Chizik became the first head coach in Auburn history to lead his team to a bowl game in his first season, just the third coach in Auburn history to win his first five games as head coach, and only the third SEC coach since the conference expanded in 1992 to win his first five games.

Chizik's first Auburn squad set numerous team and individual records, including team records for most points (433) and total yards (5,613) in a season. The Tigers had a knack for playing well in big games, winning four games against teams that played in bowl games during the 2009 season.

Chizik is known as a relentless recruiter. In his first triumph as Auburn's head coach, Auburn landed a nationally ranked class, despite beginning a rebuilding effort from a losing season under the prior staff. Building on momentum from his first season, Chizik's 2010 recruiting class was a consensus top five class nationally. The 2010 National Championship has helped propel Auburn's 2011 recruiting class to its second straight consensus top ranked national class.

Chizik's reputation as an outstanding teacher is evident by the fact that he has tutored the winners of a remarkable three consecutive Thorpe Awards (awarded to the top defensive back in college football), starting with Auburn's Carlos Rogers in 2004, followed by Texas' Michael Huff in 2005 and Aaron Ross in 2006. In Chizik’s three years as Auburn’s defensive coordinator, Chizik tutored three All-Americans in Rogers, Karlos Dansby, and Junior Rosegreen, nine first-team All-SEC honorees and ten NFL draft picks. In Chizik’s two years at Texas, Chizik tutored six All-Americans and 18 All-Big 12 honorees.

Auburn's undefeated season of 2004 saw one of the best defensive teams ever to wear a Tigers uniform. They lead the nation in scoring defense and surrendered just four rushing touchdowns all season, including none over the first eight games of the season. Eight of eleven starters that season went on to play in the NFL, including 2005 first-round draft pick cornerback Carlos Rogers and defensive lineman Jay Ratliff, who earned All-Pro honors with the Dallas Cowboys in 2008.

The 2003 AU defense under Chizik was just as talent laden as the undefeated squad, as eight of eleven starters went on to play in the NFL. Led by first-team All-SEC picks Dansby, DeMarco McNeil and Dontarious Thomas, Auburn was fifth nationally in total defense, seventh in rushing defense and ninth in the country in scoring defense. During his 39 games at Auburn as defensive coordinator, the Tigers defeated nine Top 10 programs, won three straight bowl games, and held 24 of 39 opponents to two touchdowns or less, including 14 that only managed to score single digits against his aggressive, physical defenses.

Chizik earned a B.A. degree in education from Florida in 1985 and an M.A. in guidance and counseling from Clemson in 1991. Chizik and his wife, Jonna, have identical twin daughters, Landry Grace and Kennedy Danielle, and a son, Cally.

2010 Bobby Bowden National Collegiate Coach of the Year Award Gene Chizik

Eugene "Gene" Chizik (born December 28, 1961, in Tarpon Springs, Florida) is the current head coach of the Auburn Tigers football team. Previously, he was the head coach of the Iowa State Cyclones football team during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Chizik played at the University of Florida during the 1981 season for head coach Charley Pell.

Personal

Eugene Chizik is married to Jonna Chizik, the daughter of his high school football coach. They have identical twin daughters named Landry and Kennedy, as well as a son, Cally. Chizik earned a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Florida in 1985, and went on to receive a master's degree in guidance and counseling from Clemson University in 1991.

Coaching Career

Early years

He began his coaching career at Seminole High School, serving as their defensive coordinator and inside linebacker coach from 1986-1988. He then became a graduate assistant at Clemson from 1988-1989, working with the outside linebackers. During his time at Clemson he coached in the 1988 Citrus Bowl and the 1989 Gator Bowl, under secondary coach Bill Oliver.

His initial full-time coaching job was as the defensive ends coach at Middle Tennessee State from 1990–1991. In 1990, the Blue Raiders won the Ohio Valley Conference championship. His next assignment was at Stephen F. Austin, serving as their linebackers coach from 1992–1995. SFA advanced to the Division I-AA semifinals in 1995. He was then promoted to the defensive coordinator role, which he held from 1996–1997. He then served as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach for Central Florida from 1998–2001.While at Central Florida in Orlando, Chizik frequently visited practice sessions of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers studying the Bucs' defensive scheme developed by then-Bucs head coach Tony Dungy, defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and linebackers coach Lovie Smith.

Chizik later employed a very similar scheme at Auburn, where he served again as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach from 2002–04. During this time, he had some of the greatest successes of his career to date. He coached in three bowl games, the 2003 Capital One Bowl, 2004 Music City Bowl, and 2005 Sugar Bowl. His 2004 defensive unit led the country in scoring defense, giving up 11.3 points per game, and the total defense ranked 5th, which is the same ranking the 2003 team recorded. He garnered the 2004 Broyles Award, which is given each year to the top assistant coach in the nation. The 2004 Auburn Tigers football team finished 13-0 that year, won the SEC title, and defeated Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl. It placed second in the final AP and Coaches polls.

In 2005 he was hired by Texas to serve as their co-defensive coordinator, assistant head coach, and linebackers coach. During his time at Texas, the team won the 2005 NCAA Division I-A national football championship by defeating USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl.

Iowa State

In November 2006, Chizik was hired to replace outgoing coach Dan McCarney as head football coach of Iowa State. McCarney resigned after going 4–8 in his final season, despite 5 bowl appearances during his tenure, the most of any Iowa State coach. Chizik's contract with ISU was a six-year deal worth a guaranteed $6.75 million. With incentives, the total had the potential to be more than $10 million. In Chizik's first season, Iowa State finished 3-9, including a 15-13 upset victory over Iowa, and back-to-back wins against Kansas State and Colorado. The Cyclones also experienced a notable improvement on defense. In the year prior to Chizik's arrival, Iowa State was ranked 102nd nationally in total defense and in Chizik's first year, they improved to 65th.In 2008, Iowa State won their first two games against South Dakota State and Kent State before losing their final 10 games to finish the season 2–10.

Auburn Transition efforts

On December 13, 2008, Auburn University hired Chizik to succeed former head coach Tommy Tuberville, who left the position after finishing 5–7 in the 2008 season. Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs released a statement that said: "I know that we have found the right fit for Auburn. Gene's body of work during his 23 years in this profession is remarkable. He has a strong knowledge of this athletics program, this university and the community, and he knows how to be successful in the Southeastern Conference. He is a high-energy coach that is an outstanding motivator and demands a tough, physical style of football."

However, many Auburn supporters and alumni were vocally unsupportive of the hire, but Chizik would prove his critics wrong in a very short time frame. There was also an incident made famous by you tube where an Auburn fan loudly booed athletic director Jay Jacobs upon his arrival after Chizik's hiring, shouting "We want a leader, not a loser." Undoubtedly, Jay Jacobs got the hire right, and now Auburn has its first National Championship in over 50 years. One has to wonder where that fan is now! Coach Chizik’s story surely will be one for the ages because of the integrity that showed through adversity and doubt. His determine attitude of “ALL IN” was contagious with the Auburn family and created a wave of excitement that the Tiger rode all of the way to the National Championship!

Congratulations to Coach Gene Chizik and the Auburn Tigers for an unforgettable season!

The University of Alabama
2009 Bobby Bowden National Collegiate Coach of the Year Award
Nick Saban

Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban (born October 31, 1951), Head Coach of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide is the inaugural winner of the Bobby Bowden ~ National Collegiate Coach of the Year Award presented by the Over the Mountain Touchdown Club of Birmingham Alabama and The Alabama Sports Foundation.

The 2009 football season at the University of Alabama will be one that will go down in history as one of the greatest seasons ever enjoyed by a collegiate football team. Coach Nick Saban led the Crimson Tide to its second straight undefeated regular season. The season began in front of a national audience as Bama came from behind in the 4th quarter to take control of Virginia Tech and sent a message to the rest of the country that this might in fact be their year to win it all.

The early part of the special season saw a typical Nick Saban Defense that was dominating. The swarming defense combined with a very potent offense that would produce Alabama’s first Heisman winner in Mark Ingram. Coach Saban seemed to always be one step ahead of the competition throughout the early part of the season, but there would be many tests ahead that the Crimson Tide had to pass if it wanted to achieve all of the goals that it had set when it kicked off the 2009 season. An exciting mid-season game against arch rival Tennessee was one of the many highlights when Alabama blocked two field goals to preserve the victory and started the talk of another undefeated season.

Bama only had one more obstacle to overcome when it faced the Auburn Tigers but just when their in state rival thought they might have the Tide on the ropes, Alabama wouldn't go down. Instead, the Tide methodically marched down the field for a late go ahead touchdown. The go ahead touchdown involved Coach Saban changing a 3rd down safe offensive play to instead be a play fake pass. With a legendary comeback drive, capped by the touchdown pass that worked to perfection, the Crimson Tide was 12-0 once again. "The character that we showed and the resiliency that we showed to overcome the adversity that we overcame in the game, on the road, getting behind, I don't think you could say enough about the competitive character that this team showed and that's what I'm most proud of," Saban said.

Alabama entered the SEC Championship Game in the Georgia Dome with a mile-wide chip on its shoulder and promptly smashed it down on the heads of the defending national champion Florida Gators. Not only did the Tide vanquish any lingering disappointment from the previous year's loss here in the initial No. 1 vs. No. 2 meeting for the Southeastern Conference championship, but also a decade of frustration to get back to the top of college football. Alabama finished off a 17-play touchdown drive that went 88 yards and ate up 8 minutes and 47 seconds to complete the scoring, 32-13. "I've never been prouder of a team in terms of just everyone playing great," Saban said less than 24 hours after Alabama beat Florida in the SEC Championship game, 32-13.

Alabama finished the season in the BCS National Championship Game. It was Bama’s eighth time to play at the prestigious venue hosted by the Rose Bowl, (1926, 1927, 1931, 1935, 1938, 1946, and 2009). Both the first trip and the last were significant to college football. The 1926 victory against Washington was the breakthrough game for Southern college football. The game capped off one of the most celebrated seasons ever. The Tide defeated 3 other top ten teams during the year, finished the season 14-0, and celebrated its 13th National Championship.

"We came into this season with the attitude that we weren't going to be denied," Ingram said. "That we weren't going to be stopped, there wasn't going to be anything to keep us from winning the National Championship. We played with a lot of passion and put our hearts and soul into it."

Coach Saban has previously served as head coach at LSU, Michigan State and Toledo. He appeared on the September 1, 2008 cover of Forbes magazine as "Sports' Most Powerful Coach” and the 2009 season proved that statement true. Saban's career record as a collegiate head coach is 124–50–1. Coach Saban led LSU to the 2003 BCS national championship, and Alabama to the 2009 BCS and AP national championship, making him the only coach since 1950 to win a national championship with two different schools. Saban and Paul "Bear" Bryant are the only coaches to win an SEC championship at two different schools.

"This means everything to our university to enjoy the kind of year that we were able to enjoy. The awards that the players received were indicative of the type of year that it was to our University, Coach Saban, our assistant coaches, and everybody else involved in our athletic department," director of athletics Mal Moore said. "I'm very proud."

Faces in the Crowd
2010 Bobby Bowden National Collegiate Coach of the Year Award Banquet