ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson and Miami coach Randy Shannon are both on the Bryant watch list for the 2009 coach of the year. The Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards committee of the American Heart Association consists of current and past event chairmen, Bryant family representatives, national sportscasters and sportswriters association representatives, college football sports analysts and former collegiate players and coaches.

Both of these coaches are very deserving, and both of them have proven doubters wrong. In just two seasons, Johnson has shown his offense can and does work at the BCS level, and Shannon has proven he can clean things up off the field and win on it in three seasons.

They've got some tough competition, but they're also in excellent company. Here is the full list:

• Robb Akey -- University of Idaho
• Mack Brown -- University of Texas
• Pete Carroll -- University of Southern California
• Kirk Ferentz -- University of Iowa
• Al Golden -- Temple University
• Mike Gundy -- Oklahoma State University
• Paul Johnson -- Georgia Tech
• Brian Kelly -- University of Cincinnati
• Chip Kelly -- University of Oregon
• Bronco Mendenhall -- Brigham Young University
• Urban Meyer -- University of Florida
• Les Miles -- Louisiana State University
• Joe Paterno -- Penn State University
• Gary Patterson -- Texas Christian University
• Chris Petersen -- Boise State University
• Nick Saban -- University of Alabama
• Randy Shannon -- University of Miami
• Bill Stewart -- West Virginia University
• Kevin Sumlin -- University of Houston
• Dave Wannstedt -- University of Pittsburgh

The finalists will be announced in December and attend an awards dinner in Houston on Jan. 14, 2010. The winner will be announced live that evening. The award is the only college football coaching award voted on after all bowl games are played.