Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart is one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, which is given to the top assistant coach each year.

Smart, who has been Nick Saban’s defensive coordinator since 2008 and annually has some of the NCAA’s best defenses, was nominated along with defensive coordinators Gene Chizik of North Carolina and Brent Venables of Clemson, and offensive coordinators Lincoln Riley of Oklahoma and Kendal Briles of Baylor.

Chizik is the former head coach at Auburn.

The award, sponsored by The Rotary Club of Little Rock, will be given out Dec. 8 in Little, Ark. Tom Herman of Ohio State won the award last year. He is currently the head coach at Houston.