BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Russ Callaway was named one of three finalists for the American Football Coaches Association's Assistant Coach of the Year award Tuesday.
 
Callaway, South Dakota State's Jason Eck and Jeremy McDowell of Southeast Missouri were the three finalists for the award. Eck was named the winner of the award.
 
The award, first presented in 1997, honors assistant coaches who excel in community service, commitment to the student-athlete, on-field coaching success and AFCA professional organization involvement.
 
Over the last few years, Callaway has coordinated one of the top offenses in the FCS. For three-straight years, quarterback Devlin Hodges was named the Southern Conference's Offensive Player of the Year, and he earned the Walter Payton Award, the highest individual honor at the FCS level, last season.
 
This season, the Bulldogs lead the SoCon in scoring offense (35.2 ppg.), and rank second in the league in total offense (430.0 ypg.) and passing offense (255.2 ypg.).
 
Callaway and the Bulldogs will wrap up the 2019 season with a game at Auburn Saturday at 11 a.m. The game can be seen live on the SEC Network.