NATCHEZ — Local fans will be able to hear one of the SEC’s most dynamic coaches at this year’s Miss-Lou chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Banquet on Feb. 26.

Ole Miss football coach Houston Nutt will be the keynote speaker at the event, which will conclude with the awarding of scholarship money to a local athlete from each of the seven local schools.

Nutt just completed his first year at Ole Miss after having coached for 10 years at Arkansas.

Nutt led one of the greatest turnarounds in Ole Miss football history in his first year in charge, improving the team’s record from 3-9 in 2007 to 9-4 in 2008, including a 47-34 win over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl.

The Rebels finished the season ranked No. 14, their highest finish in five years.

“We’re excited to have him at the banquet,” chapter president Terry Estes said. “It brings people in, but also these kids get a chance to see a high-profile, dynamic coach and hear what he has to say.”

The foundation will award a total of $10,000 in scholarship money to seven local athletes.

Each school — Adams County Christian, Trinity Episcopal, Cathedral, Natchez High, Vidalia, Huntington and Ferriday — nominated one player for the scholarship money based on academic prowess and community involvement, as well as athletic achievement.

An awards panel at Copiah-Lincoln Community College reviews the nominations and selects a first, second and third place winner.

The first place winner receives $2,250, while second place receives $2,000 and third receives $1,750. The other four nominees will receive $1,000 each.

The nominees are T.J. Johnson of ACCS, Harrison Burns for Cathedral, Levier Pryor for Ferriday, John Andrew Loomis from Huntington, Melvin Davis from Natchez High, Jackson Bryant from Trinity and Jacob Timothy Martin from Vidalia.

The 28th annual event is at 7 p.m. on Feb. 26 at the Natchez Eola Hotel. Tickets are $15 each and can be purchased at Estes’ State Farm Insurance office at 35 Seargent S. Prentiss Drive in Natchez.