Notre Dame's Bob Diaco wins Broyles Award

— Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco was named the 17th winner of the Broyles Award at the awards ceremony at The Peabody Hotel in downtown Little Rock.

Diaco, who is entering his third season as defensive coordinator of the Fighting Irish, leads a defensive that ranks sixth in the nation in total defense and has held six opponents to 10 points or less this season.

Individually, Diaco coaches senior linebacker Manti T'eo, a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and a recent winner of the Nagurski Award, given to the top defensive player in college football.

In all, Diaco beat out four other assistants for the award. Texas A&M offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Stanford defensive coordinator Derek Mason, Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and Florida defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Diaco, who played collegiately at Iowa, is the second straight defensive coordinator to win the award, joining last year's winner, John Chavis, who holds the same position at LSU.

Notre Dame will take on Alabama for the BCS National Championship in January.

Read more about this story in tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

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