WACO, Texas – South Dakota State University offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Jason Eck was named Tuesday as the 2019 recipient of the Football Championship Subdivision Assistant Coach of the Year Award by the American Football Coaches Association.
One assistant coach from each of the five divisions of college football was selected for their dedication to their teams and communities. A total of 53 nominees from the Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA were nominated in 2019.
Eck is in his first season as the Jackrabbits’ offensive coordinator after previously serving as offensive line coach and run game coordinator since joining the staff in 2016. SDSU has compiled a 38-13 record over the past four seasons and is in line for its eighth consecutive postseason appearance in 2019.
The Jackrabbits led the nation in yards per play during the 2018 season and are currently averaging 32.3 points and 400.2 yards of total offense per game. SDSU ranks 17th among FCS teams in rushing with an average of 212 yards per game.
In addition, Eck has led efforts for the Jackrabbit football team’s annual “Get in the Game” bone marrow donor registry drive through Be the Match and the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation. He has served on the AFCA’s Awards-General Session Committee and has been a presenter at the organization’s annual convention.
The Assistant Coach of the Year award was first presented in 1997 and was created to honor assistant coaches who excel in community service, commitment to the student-athlete, on-field coaching success and AFCA professional organization involvement.
Eck and the other award winners will be honored Jan. 13, 2020, in Nashville, Tennessee, during the AFCA’s annual convention.
