TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Vince Kehres has been nominated for the Broyles Award, the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation announced Tuesday.

The Broyles Award is handed out annually to the top FBS assistant coach in the country.

The 51 nominees in this year's class were selected from approximately 1,500 assistant coaches representing 131 FBS programs across the country. The Broyles Award selection process includes the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), broadcasters, a college football hall-of-fame selection committee, and current college head coaches.

A 43-member selection committee of distinguished former head coaches, broadcasters and a committee representing the FWAA will select 15 semi-finalists, five finalists from the list of nominees, and an overall winner.

In his third season at Toledo, Kehres has helped build the Rockets' defense into one of the best in the Mid-American Conference. This season, Toledo ranks first in in the MAC in total defense (340.8) and passing defense (116.4) and second in scoring defense (26.3). Last season, UT led the league in scoring defense (21.8) and defensive pass efficiency (118.8), and ranked second in the MAC in total defense (349.7) and third in passing defense (198.2). Toledo is 7-3 (5-1 MAC) and has already clinched a spot in the MAC Championship Game on Dec. 3.

About the Broyles Award

The Broyles Award was created in 1996 recognizing Coach Frank Broyles' legacy of selecting and developing great assistants during his hall of fame career as head coach at Arkansas. You can follow the Broyles Award on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.