Manatee's Kinnan finalist for national award

Manatee head football coach Joe Kinnan is one of six finalists for the 2013 Xenith National Coach of the Year award.

Kinnan's Hurricanes are 13-0 and ranked No. 1 in the nation by ESPN, MaxPreps and USA Today heading into Friday's Class 7A state semifinal against Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas.

Kinnan is the only Florida coach among the six finalists. Other nominees are Claude Mathis, DeSoto (Texas); J.T. Curtis, Curtis (Lousiana); Butch Goncharoff, Bellevue (Washington); Brian Hales, Butler (North Carolina); and Mike Jinks, Steele (Texas).

The winner will be announced Friday, Jan. 4 at the U.S. Army All-American Awards dinner in San Antonio.

Manatee has won five state titles under Kinnan, who took over the program in 1981.

-- Herald staff report