Herrington a finalist for inaugural Coach of the Year award

ALLEN PARK, MICH. – Twenty-eight football coaches from across the country have been named finalists for the inaugural Don Shula NFL Coach of the Year Award. The Detroit Lions have selected Farmington Hills Harrison High School coach John Herrington as their nominee.

This new award was created to honor exemplary football coaches at all levels of the sport that display the integrity, achievement, and leadership demonstrated by the winningest coach in NFL history, Don Shula.

Herrington is in his 41st year as varsity head football coach at Farmington Hills Harrison High School and is the only coach in the history of the school’s program. On November 26, 2010, Herrington guided his Harrison Hawks to a state-record 13th state title by capturing the Michigan Division 2 championship at Ford Field in Detroit. His career record now stands at 376-87-1 which includes a perfect 14-0 record in 2010. Herrington is a member of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame. He was also named the Detroit Lions first ever High School Coach of the Year in 1997.

The coaches were nominated by NFL teams and by USA Football, the sport’s national governing body on youth and amateur levels. Nominees are active football coaches at NFL, college, high school and youth levels. They were chosen for their character and integrity, inspirational leadership, commitment to the community, and on-field success.

The Don Shula NFL Coach of the Year Award selection panel is comprised of

Coach Shula
NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL
Former Indianapolis Colts Coach and current NBC analyst TONY DUNGY
Former Raiders Coach and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame JOHN MADDEN
General RAYMOND ODIERNO, Commander, United States Joint Forces Command
SAM PALMISANO, Chairman, CEO and President of IBM
Former Secretary of State, Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution and faculty member at the Stanford Graduate School of Business CONDOLEEZA RICE
AARON THOMAS, Athletic Director at Aplington-Parkersburg High School and son of the school’s late football coach Ed Thomas.

"I am honored that the NFL has put this award in my name. I think it is great that we are recognizing coaches from all levels—high school, collegiate and professional,” said Shula. “Congratulations to all of the nominees, and I look forward to presenting the first annual award at this year's Super Bowl in North Texas."

The national Shula Award winner will receive $25,000 and be invited to the Super Bowl, where he will be recognized at a press conference.