Kelly led the Irish to a 12-0 regular season and a spot in the Jan. 7 BCS Championship. The top-ranked Irish will play Alabama. Kelly will be presented the award the night before the national championship game.
"Notre Dame, under coach Kelly, has returned to national prominence in the college football ranks," Football Writers Association of America president Lenn Robbins said in a statement. "This award recognizes that accomplishment for the 2012 season, a season that began with 124 teams vying for an elusive undefeated campaign. Notre Dame was the only bowl-eligible school to accomplish that impressive feat."
The award is named after the late Grambling State coach, the winningest coach in Division 1 history with 408 victories.