CHADRON - Chadron State head football coach Bill O'Boyle is one of five finalists in Division II for the 2007 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award.

O'Boyle, who's posted a career record of 28-8 in three years and back-to-back 12-1 seasons guiding the Eagles, joins Chuck Broyles of Pittsburg State, Dr. George Mihalik of Slippery Rock, Dale Lennon of North Dakota and Pat Behrns of Nebraska-Omaha as the finalists in Division II.

Liberty Mutual will also honor coaches from Division I, Division I-AA, and Division III. More than 600 coaches were eligible when voting began on Sept. 6.

Fan voting for the top coaches began Wednesday. The voting will conclude Dec. 15. Fans may vote by visiting www.coachoftheyear.com.

A selection committee including College Football Hall of Fame-inducted players and coaches, and national media members, also will cast votes. The winners will be determined using the following weight: fans (20 percent), Hall of Fame (55 percent), and media (25 percent).

The winner in each of the four divisions will receive a $50,000 cash award to support civic and charitable activities, as well as a $20,000 scholarship donation to the school's alumni association.

On Monday, O'Boyle received another coaching honor as he and UNO's Behrns were named the American Football Coaches Association Region 5 Coaches of the Year. It was the second consecutive year O'Boyle received the accolade. O'Boyle has also been named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Coach of the Year two straight seasons.

O'Boyle, who graduated high school from Des Moines East High School in 1982, began his coaching career at Western Illinois as a student coach after breaking his neck in a football game his sophomore year. Once he earned his bachelor's degree from Western Illinois, O'Boyle served as a graduate assistant and then assistant coach at Chadron State. After a four-year stint coaching in Western Illinois, O'Boyle returned to Chadron in 1994 and has coached the Eagles' offensive line and served as offensive coordinator. During his 14 years as an assistant coach, the Eagles posted a 106-41 record.