Bear Bryant Award Winner Cuts It Up With the Texans’ John Harris — Luke Fickell Unplugged

What: The Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Awards luncheon, hosted by the American Heart Association

Where: King Ranch Texas Kitchen on Post Oak Boulevard

PC Moment: The lively Q&A between John Harris, Houston Texans team analyst, and 2021 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Luke Fickell, head football coach at the University of Cincinnati, was highlight of the luncheon that included presentation of the award to Fickell by Zach Dailey of Marathon Oil, the presenting sponsor.

“It is not about what one person achieves,” Fickell said during his discussion with Harris. “When the whole team is humble and works hard, everyone succeeds. It is amazing how much you can grow as a program and a team when no one cares who gets the credit.”

The Coach of the Year award is voted on by the National Sports Media Association, current NCAA College football coaches, former Coach of the Year Award winners, the Bryant Awards’ executive leadership team and the Bryant family. University of Houston coach Dana Holgorsen, whose team went 12-2 and lost to Fickell’s Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference championship game, was one of the finalists.

Of course, Cincinnati became the first non power five team to make the college football playoffs last season.

Both Daily and award luncheon chair Shawn Lafferty, senior partner at Houston’s KPMG advisory group, remarked on the importance of the award and the legacy of the Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards.

The American Heart Association hosts the award as an opportunity to bring attention to heart disease and stroke. Thus, Melissa Edwards, the American Heart Association senior vice president of development, kicked off the luncheon program.

PC Seen: Bear Bryant Awards vice president Dan D’Armond, Brian Ventre, Ryan Hohensee, Bobby Rogers, Monika Harris, Sondra Ruhman, George Lindsey, Cindy and Allan Taylor, Thurmon Andress, David Fletcher, Jack Fenimore, Leanne Schneider, Josh Sherman, Neil Tofsky, Steve Newmyer, Kim Wilkins, and Lisa Blackwood.