Dec. 17, 2009
Chattanooga, TN - Prairie View A&M head football coach Henry Frazier was voted the Eddie Robinson FCS National Coach of the Year at the 23rd annual Sports Network Football Championship Awards Banquet Thursday night.
Frazier became the first coach from a Historically Black College and University to win the Eddie Robinson Award, established in 1987 in honor of the former Grambling State head coach and College Football Hall of Famer who retired as college football's all-time winningest coach with 408 victories.
"It is a humbling honor," said Frazier, who has posted a 36-27 record at PV in his six seasons as head coach, including an impressive 25-5 mark over the past three seasons that concluded with the 2009 SWAC Football Championship. "It's a great honor to be considered the top coach in your conference and it's an even greater honor to be considered the top coach in the country."

Frazier, who earned SWAC Coach of the Year honors after the Panthers' 30-24 win over Alabama A&M in the Farmers Insurance SWAC Football Championship last Saturday, won the national award in the second-closest vote ever. Frazier edged Stephen F. Austin head coach J.C. Harper 237-235, in voting done by a panel of sports information directors and media who regularly cover the FCS.
The Panthers were ranked 18th in the final regular season Sports Network Poll, the highest ranking ever by a PV gridiron team. PV finished second in the final rankings in both the Sheridan Broadcasting Poll and the BASN/Boxtorow.com Polls, narrowly missing out on a Black College Football National Championship.
Additionally, Grambling State DE Christian Anthony finished fourth in voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, presented to the top defensive player in the country. Anthony, voted the 2009 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, received the second-highest total of first place votes (19), trailing only the 2009 Buchanan Award winner DE Arthur Moats of James Madison. Alabama A&M DE Jeremy Maddox was also a finalist for the Buchanan Award, established in 1995 and named in honor of the Grambling State great and College and Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Southern QB Bryant Lee was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, awarded to the top player in the FCS. The award was established in 1987 and named for the Jackson State legend and Chicago Bear great who earned College and Pro Football Hall of Fame honors. QB Armanti Edwards of Appalachian State became the first two-time winner of the award.