Leach Among Top Honorees at AAFF Banquet
May 04, 2006 | Football
May 4, 2006
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach will receive the Johnny Vaught Head Coach Award at the All-American Football Foundation's 78th Banquet of Champions in Dallas on May 9. This year's banquet has been dedicated to Leach, former Minnesota Vikings owner Billy Joe (Red) McCombs, former University of Texas head football coach Darrell K. Royal and former Rice University coach Ken Hatfield.
Leach, who has six seasons under his belt at Texas Tech, led the Red Raiders to their best record since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1996 with a 9-3 mark and a program-best 6-2 record in conference play. The Red Raiders advanced to the prestigious AT&T Cotton Bowl for the third time in school history. Additionally, Leach has guided the program to 48 wins in his brief tenure and six-straight bowl games. The wins and bowl stretch are bests for Tech coaches after six years, and Texas Tech is the only program in the Big 12 Conference to maintain bowl eligibility each of the last 10 seasons.
Texas Tech defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich and co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Daniel "Sonny" Dykes are among nine recipients of the Mike Campbell Top Assistant Coach Award. In three years leading the defense, Setencich has taken a unit that ranked 110th in total defense in 2003 to 30th following the 2005 season. Dykes' group continues to set records and receive national recognition as both Joel Filani and Jarrett Hicks have been named preseason All-Americans by various media outlets.
In addition to Leach receiving the award, Hatfield also will be honored with the Johnny Vaught Head Coach Award. Leach's wife, Sharon, along with Hatfield's wife, will receive the First Lady of Football awards.
Reservations for the $150-a-plate banquet can be made by contacting the All-American Football Foundation at (601) 206-8877. Tables of ten are available for groups and the Foundation is tax exempt.
