wachenheim-afca-region 2 - coach of year
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Football

Wachenheim Named AFCA Region 2 Coach of the Year

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WACO, Texas – After leading the team to its first Southern Conference title since 1977, VMI head football coach Scott Wachenheim was named the Region 2 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Wednesday morning.
 
The AFCA recognizes five regional Coach of the Year winners in each of the Association's five divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III and NAIA. The winners are selected by active members of the Association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions.
 
The 2021 Spring AFCA FCS Regional Coach of the Year winners are:
Region 1: Danny Rocco, Delaware
Region 2: Scott Wachenheim, VMI
Region 3: Dean Hood, Murray State
Region 4: Matt Entz, North Dakota State
Region 5: Jay Hill, Weber State
 
The AFCA will announce the 2021 Spring AFCA FCS National Coach of the Year during the week leading up to the FCS National Championship. The five regional winners are finalists for the AFCA National Coach of the Year.
 
A first-time AFCA regional award winner, Wachenheim led the Keydets to a 6-1 record, the program's first SoCon title in 43 years and the program's first-ever FCS playoff appearance in his sixth season at the helm. Earlier this week, he was named one of 16 national finalists for the Stats Perform Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award. The 2020-21 campaign marked the program's first winning season since 1981.
 
VMI football also attained its first FCS national ranking in March and was ranked as high as 10th in both the coaches and media polls (8th by the NCAA FCS Playoff Selection Committee) after starting the season 5-0 following a dramatic 36-31 win over Wofford on March 27. The 5-0 start was the first since 1960.
 
The Keydets triumphed in all three road tests to finish the regular road record undefeated for the first time since 1922. All three away wins - Western Carolina, Samford, and Wofford - occurred where VMI had never won before.
 
VMI got the season started with a 14-13 upset of then-#10 ranked Furman on February 27 at Foster Stadium. It was the first Keydet win over a nationally ranked team since the 2002 season.
 
Three football cadets-athletes attained National FCS Player of the Week honors. Outside linebacker Connor Riddle was selected for the award after posting a career-high 13 tackles including 4.5 for loss against Furman. Junior wide receiver Jakob Herres earned the award after catching 15 passes for 207 yards and three touchdowns – all career bests – in the win at Wofford, and redshirt freshman quarterback Seth Morgan was named the National Freshman Player of the Week after throwing for 328 yards and three touchdowns against The Citadel to keep the Silver Shako in Lexington.
 
Senior quarterback Reece Udinski became VMI's all-time leading passer and finished his career with 7,862 yards to surpass Al Cobb (2014-16). Udinski led VMI to a 4-0 record before sustaining a season-ending injury. VMI rallied from a 13-point fourth quarter deficit with Udinski throwing three touchdown passes and a game-winning two-point pass to lead VMI over Samford 39-38 on March 20. Udinski finished 2021 completing 72% of his passes for 1,087 yards and seven touchdowns. He was also selected as the 2020-21 Southern Conference preseason offensive player of the year.
 
Ranked #11 in the country after the regular season, VMI will travel to #1 James Madison to face the Dukes in the first round of the playoffs.
 
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Award History: The AFCA began recognizing district coaches of the year following the 1960 season. The awards were established the same year Eastman Kodak agreed to sponsor the AFCA Coach of the Year award. Prior to 1960, the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain had sponsored the program, which recognized one national Coach of the Year.
 
About AFCA
The AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 10,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was formed, in part, to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and in the coaching profession" and to "provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Jakob Herres

#14 Jakob Herres

WR
6' 4"
Junior
Seth Morgan

#4 Seth Morgan

QB
6' 3"
Redshirt Freshman
Reece Udinski

#2 Reece Udinski

QB
6' 4"
Senior
Connor Riddle

#31 Connor Riddle

LB
6' 1"
Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

Jakob Herres

#14 Jakob Herres

6' 4"
Junior
WR
Seth Morgan

#4 Seth Morgan

6' 3"
Redshirt Freshman
QB
Reece Udinski

#2 Reece Udinski

6' 4"
Senior
QB
Connor Riddle

#31 Connor Riddle

6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
LB