2009 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Winners Honored for Sportsmanship, Integrity, Responsibility, and Excellence On and Off The Field

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Liberty Mutual Insurance today announced its 2009 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award winners, celebrating college football coaches whose seasons were marked by the success and sportsmanship of their teams on the field, achievements by their student-athletes in the classroom, and their selfless support of charity and their communities. Gary Patterson of Texas Christian University, Jerry Moore of Appalachian State University, Mel Tjeerdsma of Northwest Missouri State University and Steve Staker of Coe College (Iowa) each earn a $50,000 charitable donation from Liberty Mutual and a $20,000 scholarship award for their school's alumni association. They also will be honored in the permanent Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year display at the College Football Hall of Fame.

"Countless student-athletes and communities benefit from the leadership, commitment and heart of college football coaches at every level," said Archie Manning, chair of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame. "These four men rose to the top in 2009 by displaying the four tenets of the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award: sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and excellence, on and off the field."

Coaches Patterson, Moore, Tjeerdsma and Staker were selected from a group of 25 finalists (10 coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision, and five coaches each from the Football Championship Subdivision, Division II and Division III) through fan votes cast December 15-29 at www.CoachoftheYear.com and ballots from elite selection committees of national media and College Football Hall of Fame players. Fans votes contributed 20 percent to each coach's final score, and the media and College Football Hall of Fame accounted for 25 percent and 55 percent, respectively.

2009 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award Winners

Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) - Gary Patterson, Texas Christian University

No TCU football team accomplished what the 2009 squad did under the leadership of Coach Gary Patterson. Twelve wins and a top-five national ranking earned the Horned Frogs a Mountain West Conference title and the school's first-ever BCS bowl appearance. In his nine seasons since being named head coach at TCU, Coach Patterson has led the Horned Frogs to two Mountain West Conference championships, six 10-plus win seasons, and eight bowl appearances. In addition to Patterson's coaching accolades in 2009, twenty-one TCU football players earned post-season honors, including seven All-Americans. In the classroom, the Horned Frog student-athletes achieved Academic Progress Rate scores that were, on average, 18 points higher than programs of other Mountain West schools. Off the field, Coach Patterson devotes much time, heart, and energy as chairman of the Gary Patterson Foundation, which provides positive educational, physical fitness and life-skills opportunities for local disadvantaged children in the Fort Worth area. He also serves on the board of directors for the Rudy Awards, which honor Division I football players who demonstrate the exemplary values of inspirational football.

Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) - Jerry Moore, Appalachian State University

Jerry Moore's twenty-first season as the Appalachian State football coach was like many others: 11 wins, a playoff appearance, and national rankings among the best in the FCS (number three, in both the media and the coaches' final polls). While a semifinal loss to eventual runner-up Montana stopped the Mountaineers' quest for a fourth national title under Moore's leadership, his teams remain the only FCS/Division I-AA program ever to capture three consecutive championships (2005-2007). The talent of three Walter Camp All-Americans helped lead the Mountaineers on the field in 2009. Off the field, Coach Moore's student-athletes produced 2009 Academic Progress Rate scores that were 25 points higher than the previous season and 19 points higher than the Southern Conference average. Coach Moore and his team are leaders in the Boone, N.C., community as well, volunteering for Samaritan's Purse relief efforts, Boone Celebrity Serve, an annual fundraiser that benefits different local charities each year, and Kids Across America Kamps, which builds leaders by encouraging, equipping, and empowering urban youth and their mentors through sports camping.

Division II - Mel Tjeerdsma, Northwest Missouri State University

For the third time in 16 seasons, Coach Mel Tjeerdsma's Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats sit atop Division II as national champions, capping a 14-1 season with a 30-23 victory over Grand Valley State. Following a first-year 0-11 record, Tjeerdsma's teams have gone 171-30 in his next 15 seasons, also winning national titles in 1998 and 1999 and 11 MIAA championships. Coach Tjeerdsma has had his share of talented players to help produce this on-field success (more than 40 All-Americans in his 16 years), yet he has helped nurture classroom champions as well (three Academic All-Americans since 2007). Coach Tjeerdsma and his players are known throughout the Maryville, Mo., area for their civic and philanthropic endeavors. For the past 15 years the team participates in the community spring clean-up day, removing trash, mowing lawns, and cleaning yards and streets around the community. Coach Tjeerdsma also is a frequent speaker at local schools and D.A.R.E. programs, and volunteers to bring meals to local senior citizens.

Division III - Steve Staker, Coe College

In just two years at the helm of the Coe College football program, Steve Staker's Kohawks have become a national force. After a four-win campaign last year, the 2009 team finished this season 10-2, just the third 10-win season in school history, reached the second round of the Division III playoffs and earned a school-best final season D3football.com ranking of #10 in the nation. Off the field, Coach Staker and his program are making a great impact in the community as well. He and his players volunteer for the Special Olympics in the off-season and at local elementary school events. Coach Staker also volunteers his time to maintain baseball diamonds for the Hiawatha Kids' League, and continues to help out at Fredericksburg High School track meets, where he was the head track coach for 28 years and head football coach for 35 years and head baseball coach for 31 years before arriving at Coe as a defensive coach in 2005. As the Fredericksburg football coach, Staker's teams won six district titles and a state championship in 2001 when he was Class A Coach of the Year. He was named to the Iowa Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1994.

"More than 1.2 million passionate college football fans embraced the spirit of the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award by casting votes for coaches who not only lead their team to victory, but lead in the community as well," said Greg Gordon, senior vice president of Consumer Marketing at Liberty Mutual. "We are proud to suitably honor these winners by supporting their favorite charities and providing scholarship money to their schools -- a commitment that now approaches $1 million since we founded the award in 2006."

2009 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Selection Committee

College Football Hall of Fame Voters included: Bob Anderson, Jim Ballard, Tom Beck, Tom Brahaney, Roger Brown, Teel Bruner, Marino Casem, Jim Christopherson, John Cooper, Carmen Cozza, Jeff Davis, Dan Dierdorf, Jim Dombrowski, Terry Donahue, Jim Donnan, Vince Dooley, Joe Dudek, LaVell Edwards, Dick Farley, Joe Fusco, Bob Griese, Archie Griffin, Roger Harring, Chad Hennings, Lou Holtz, Jim Houston, Don James, Billy Joe, Johnnie Johnson, Ron Johnson, Roy Kidd, Gordie Lockbaum , Ronnie Lott, Archie Manning, Fred Martinelli, Mark May, Rueben Mayes, Randall McDaniel, Don McPherson, Darrell Mudra, Don Nehlen, Tom Osborne, Tubby Raymond, Bob Reade, Jerry Rice, James Saxton, Jeff Siemon, Bruce Smith, Jim Sochor, Jessie Tuggle, Herschel Walker, Frosty Westering, Paul Wiggin, Reggie Williams, Richard Wood and Ron Yary.

National media voters included: Craig Bennett (USA Today), Jack Bogaczyk (Charleston Daily Mail), Tim Brando (CBS Sports, Sporting News Radio), Chris Childers (Rivals Sports Radio Network), Pat Coleman (D3football.com), Steve Conroy (Boston Herald), Colin Cowherd (ESPN Radio), Greg Dewalt (D2 Hall of Fame), Bob Eblen (D2football.com), Teddy Greenstein (Chicago Tribune), Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN), Clyde Hughes (D3football.com), Keith Jackson (Hall of Fame Sportscaster), Dan Jenkins (Sportswriter/National Football Foundation historian), Bill King (Rivals Sports Radio Network), Ivan Maisel (ESPN.com), Stewart Mandel (Sports Illustrated), Gordie Mann (D3football.com), Keith McMillan (D3football.com), Brandon Misener (D2football.com), Ryan Tipps (D3football.com) and Bud Withers (Seattle Times).

About Liberty Mutual Group

"Helping people live safer, more secure lives" since 1912, Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group (Libertymutualgroup.com) is a diversified global insurer and fifth-largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2008 direct written premium. Liberty Mutual Group ranks 86th on the Fortune 500 list of largest U.S. corporations, based on 2008 revenue. The company has over 45,000 employees located in more than 900 offices throughout the world.

The eighth-largest auto and home insurer in the U.S., Liberty Mutual (libertymutual.com) sells full lines of coverage for automobile, homeowners, valuable possessions, personal liability, and individual life insurance. The company is an industry leader in affinity partnerships, offering car and home insurance to employees and members of more than 12,000 companies, credit unions, professional associations and alumni groups.

About the National Football Foundation & the College Football Hall of Fame

Founded in 1947 with leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 121 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, Play It Smart, the NFF-FWAA Football Forum, the NFF Gridiron Club of New York City, and scholarships of over $1 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF presents the MacArthur Trophy, the Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org or www.collegefootball.org.

SOURCE Liberty Mutual