Eddie Eviston, the head football coach at Covington Catholic High School who last season led the Colonels to an undefeated season and Kentucky Class 5A state title, was named today as the 2017 season winner of the Paul Brown Excellence in Coaching Award.
The award has been given annually by the Bengals since 2002. It honors outstanding high school football coaches in the region and includes a $5000 Bengals donation to Covington Catholic's athletic department.
In Eviston's three seasons at CovCath, he has led the Colonels to at least the third round of the KHSAA playoffs three times, and won two district titles. The Colonels' 2016 district title ended a 10-year drought for the school. Last season, Eviston led CovCath to the first undefeated season in school history and a Kentucky Class 5A state title.
Bengals president Mike Brown presented Eviston with the Paul Brown Excellence in Coaching Award at the Bengals' annual pre-training camp media luncheon.
"Eddie Eviston has been a presence in the local football world for most of his life," Brown said. "His coaching record is extraordinarily successful, and there's going to be a lot more to come. He is certainly worthy of receiving the Paul Brown Excellence in Coaching Award."
As a player, Eviston was a standout QB at Newport (Ky.) Central Catholic High School, before moving on to a decorated career at Georgetown (Ky.) College, where he was a two-time team captain, three-time NAIA National Player of the Year and three-time All-American. He compiled a 41-1 record as a starter at Georgetown and led the school to national titles in 2000 and '01.
Eviston signed as a college free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2002, before playing six seasons of professional indoor football. He retired from playing in 2008 and moved to the coaching ranks, where he spent time as an assistant at Thomas More College, Norwood High School and Newport Central Catholic. He was named head coach at NCC in 2010 and led the Thoroughbreds to Kentucky Class 2A state titles in 2010 and '12. Eviston then returned to Georgetown, where he spent two seasons as offensive coordinator, before joining Covington Catholic as head coach in 2015.
Eviston and his wife, Selina, have four daughters — Hadley (9), Harper (7), Dani (4) and Neecie (1).
Eviston is the 17th winner of the Paul Brown Excellence in Coaching Award. Previous winners have been Noel Rash of Beechwood High School (2016 season), Dan McSurley of Clinton-Massie (2015), Nate Moore of La Salle (2014), Tim Goodwin of Marion (Ohio) Local (2013), Tom Crosby of Mariemont (2012), Bruce Kozerski of Covington Holy Cross (2011), Steve Klonne of Moeller (2010), Troy Everhart of Winton Woods (2009), Dale Mueller of Fort Thomas Highlands (2008), Jeff Giesting of Anderson (2007), Scott Datillo of Sycamore (2006), Steve Specht of St. Xavier (2005), Charles "Doc" Gamble of Withrow (2004), Doug Ramsey of Elder (2003), and Vince Suriano of Anderson and Mike Martin of Taft (2002 co-winners).
