On Thursday afternoon, Miami Hurricanes Head Coach Mark Richt was named as one of 16 semifinalists for the George Munger College Coach of the Year award.

Here’s more from Miami Athletics:

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- University of Miami head coach Mark Richt was among those coaches announced as semifinalists for the 2017 George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, the Maxwell Football Club announced Thursday.

The list includes a field of 16 candidates for the award who have been selected by the MFC National Selection Committee.

Richt is off to the third-best start for any head coach in the modern era of Hurricanes football (since 1979) with an 18-4 record through his first 22 games at the helm. After a 41-8 trouncing of Notre Dame last time out, Miami rose to No. 3 in the College Football Playoff rankings, marking the program’s highest position since the CFP’s inception in 2014.

All semifinalists are listed in alphabetical order with the coach's school designated.

2017 George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Semifinalists

· Matt Campbell Iowa State University

· Paul Chryst University of Wisconsin

· Bill Clark University of Alabama Birmingham

· Mark Dantonio Michigan State University

· Scott Frost University of Central Florida

· Lane Kiffin Florida Atlantic University

· Gus Malzahn Auburn University

· Jeff Monken United States Military Academy

· Dan Mullen Mississippi State University

· Mark Richt University of Miami

· Lincoln Riley University of Oklahoma

· Rich Rodriguez University of Arizona

· Nick Saban University of Alabama

· Kirby Smart University of Georgia

· Dabo Swinney Clemson University

· Jeff Tedford Fresno State University

Semifinalist voting for the Maxwell Football Club Collegiate Coach of the Year award will begin on Friday, Nov. 17 and close on Monday, Dec. 11. The finalist round will include the top three coaches as selected in the semifinalist round. Finalist voting will open Dec. 12 and run until Dec. 26. The winner will be announced Dec. 27.

The formal presentation of the George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award will take place at the Maxwell Football Club's National Awards Gala on Friday, March 9, 2018 at the Tropicana Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA Head Football Coaches, Sports Information Directors and selected national media.

In just his 2nd season at his alma mater, Richt has guided the Canes to a 9-0 record, a #3 ranking in the College Football playoff, and a nation-long 14 game winning streak dating back to last year.

After more than a decade of mediocrity at best and deplorable performances at worst, Richt has helped resurrect the Canes to national prominence. Miami was always relevant because they’re a cultural force, just look at the Turnover Chain and its impact, but Miami hadn’t been good at football for a while, and Richt is changing that.

To help bolster his case for this COY award, Richt looks to lead Miami to wins against Virginia and Pittsburgh to close out the regular season, before playing Clemson in the ACC Championship game on December 2nd.

Congrats, Coach!

Go Canes