Tuberville Honored

Tommy Tuberville was named Associated Press coach of the year on Friday.

In his sixth season at Auburn, Tuberville has led the third-ranked Tigers to a 12-0 regular season and their first Southeastern Conference championship in 15 years.

Tuberville was a runaway winner, getting 35 of the 63 votes from the panel of media members.

Utah Coach Urban Meyer was second with 14 votes. Meyer led the Utes to an unbeaten season and a berth in the bowl championship series before taking the Florida job.

USC’s Pete Carroll and Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz received four votes, California’s Jeff Tedford got three votes and Texas El Paso’s Mike Price got two. Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops and Louisville’s Bobby Petrino each received one vote.

Tuberville is the second consecutive SEC coach to win the AP award. Louisiana State’s Nick Saban was last year’s winner.

Tuberville was nearly replaced during a disappointing 8-5 season in 2003. It became public that Auburn officials, including the university president, had covertly courted Louisville’s Petrino to replace Tuberville.

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Tulane Coach Chris Scelfo received a contract extension through 2009. The Green Wave finished 5-6 this season and Scelfo is 31-40 in six seasons as coach.