The American Football Coaches Association named former Alabama, Tennessee, Memphis and Mississippi State assistant Ken Donahue winner of the organization’s Outstanding Achievement Award. He is one of several assistants to be honored at the AFCA Convention next month.

Donahue, who died March 21, spent 38 years as an assistant coach, best known for coordinating strong defenses. The Outstanding Achievement Award recognizes him for his success in football coaching. He also was honored by the Southeastern Conference coaches and The Football News.

“There’s no one who coached the game of football who is more deserving than Ken Donahue to receive the 2008 Outstanding Achievement Award,” former Tennessee head coach Johnny Majors said. “I have been associated with several outstanding coaches throughout my career, and I know of no one who was more dedicated to achieving excellence on a day-to-day basis than coach Donahue. He was an extremely loyal individual to his school, his fellow coaches and to the players he coached. Ken demanded excellence and 100 percent effort from his players on every play, and those players respected him. Nobody could work players harder, or with more intensity than coach Donahue. He taught the players how to play the game like it should be played.”

The AFCA will also honor its assistant coaches of the year at their convention in Nashville. Honorees include:

•         Mac McWhorter, Football Bowl Subdivision, Texas associate head coach and offensive line coach

•         John Loose, Football Championship Subdivision, Lafayette defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach

•         Matt Entz, Division II, Winona State assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach

•         Dick Bowzer, Division III, Central (Iowa) quarterbacks and receivers coach.