FootballScoop is proud to announce that Mack Butler (Oklahoma State) is the 2014 Director of Football Operations of the Year presented by ProGrass.
Simply put, Mack Butler is more than a Director of Football Operations.
In addition to being a Hall of Fame high school coach, Butler runs or is heavily involved with nearly all day to day activities of the program.
"Mack is an ultimate pro, I couldn't rave enough about him," head coach Mike Gundy said. "He has the coaching background; but he's just so good in this role. He has more energy and passion toward Oklahoma State football than anyone I've ever met."
In fact, Gundy told us a story of the Cowboys arriving home from a far-away bowl game at three in the morning, with many players set to head home for their winter breaks beginning at seven that more - four hours later. Butler didn't go to sleep. He showered, changed, brewed himself a pot of coffee and saw every player off to his respective destination.
Butler is also impeccably organized. "He's always a year ahead of us," Gundy said, working to prepare for games and events two years ahead. Gundy says, "Mack has an operations 'bible' and man he's on top of his stuff."
Hailing from Fairfax, Okla., Butler holds degrees from the University of Central Oklahoma and Southeastern Oklahoma State. A successful high school coach, Butler is a member of the Oklahoma Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and also coached at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and Tulsa. He first served as Oklahoma State's director of football operations under Les Miles from 2001-04, and then followed Miles to LSU from 2005-08. He returned to Oklahoma State in 2009, and has served as a regional representative on the Director of Football Operations National Committee since 2007.
Miles added simply, "Mack has always been one of the best in the business, extremely deserving of recognition."
Butler, a longtime member of the national committee of director of football operations, is renowned in the profession for his work ethic and his enthusiasm for the sport, his players and future of the profession. "Mack is always willing to lend a hand, and truly is one of the leaders in our profession" a fellow DFO told FootballScoop when nominating him for this award.
The FootballScoop Coaches of the Year awards presented by ProGrass are the only set of awards that recognize the most outstanding position coaches in college football. The finalists (Mark Robinson [Florida State], John Miller [Ole Miss] and Butler) were selected based off of nominations by coaches, athletic directors, and athletic department personnel. The prior winners selected this year's winner.
Butler will receive his award and be recognized at an event at the AFCA Convention Monday.
Previous winners of the Director of Football Operations of the Year award are Tom Deahn (Temple, 2009), Mike Kerin (West Virginia, 2010), Mike Sinquefield (TCU, 2011), Matt Doyle (Stanford, 2012) and Jason Grooms (Ohio, 2013).