• TCU head coach to be honored during 32nd Annual The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN
• Archie Manning to receive the 2022 NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award
• UNC’s Tylee Craft to be awarded the 2022 Disney Spirit Award

Fresh off TCU earning its first-ever berth in the College Football Playoff, Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes has been recognized as 2022’s The Home Depot Coach of the Year. Dykes will receive the award during the 32nd annual The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

TCU finished the season 12-1 in Dykes’ first year at the helm, resurrecting a program that went 5-7 in 2021. Picked to finish seventh in the Big 12, TCU instead became just the second team in the history of the CFP to begin the season unranked and end up in the playoff, joining Michigan in 2021. Dykes recently signed a contract extension following the team’s historic regular season run.

Dykes arrived at TCU after serving the last four seasons as head coach at SMU where his teams went 30-18 with a 25-10 record over his last three seasons. Dykes also served as head football coach at Cal (2013-16) and Louisiana Tech (2010-12).

No. 3 TCU will face No. 2 Michigan in the CFP semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31 on ESPN.

College Football Hall of Famer and Chairman of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Archie Manning has been recognized as the 2022 recipient of the NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award, presented annually in recognition of exceptional contributions to the sport of college football. The legendary Ole Miss quarterback was the 1969 SEC Player of the Year and his No. 18 was retired by the Rebels before becoming a Pro Bowler for the New Orleans Saints. Manning was honored as the NFF Gold Media Recipient in 2016 for his role in the organization beginning on the NFF Board in 1993 and later named the Chairman in 2007. He continued his significant contributions to the college football landscape as one of the 13 inaugural members of The College Football Playoff Selection Committee before stepping down in 2014. Manning is the patriarch of the Manning family, preceding sons Peyton and Eli as successful college and NFL quarterbacks. He is the 21st recipient of the award.

The 2022 Disney Spirit Award will honor North Carolina’s Tylee Craft for his commitment to helping others while dealing with his own adversity. The junior receiver was diagnosed in March with stage 4 large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, a rare form of lung cancer. While Tylee and his family were told the diagnosis was fatal, aggressive chemotherapy and additional treatments have the 21-year-old on the road to recovery. Craft’s cancer has been in retreat since May 3, and since then, he’s visited cancer patients every Friday before home games at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. He has also served as an ambassador for the White Ribbon Project which raises awareness for lung cancer and provides support for those with the disease and is an adamant supporter of the V Foundation for Cancer Research, founded by ESPN and legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano working to achieve Victory Over Cancer®.

The Disney Spirit Award has been presented annually since 1996 to the most inspirational player, team or figure in college football. The award is not based on statistics or other on-field records or achievements, but on bravery, courage, overcoming adversity and passion for college football.

-30-

Media Contact:
Julie McKay, ESPN Communications – [email protected], @McKay_Julie