Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was added to the watch list for the Dodd Trophy, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. announced Monday. According to the foundation, the trophy “celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity – the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd’s coaching philosophy.”
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Sarkisian just completed his best season as a head coach between his time at Texas, USC, and Washington, winning 12 games, taking home the Big 12 Championship, and earning a spot in the four-team College Football Playoff. He is 25-14 at Texas and 71-49 in his career.
Following the Longhorns’ 12-2 2023 campaign, Sarkisian was a finalist for three different coach of the year awards and earned Big 12 Coach of the Year honors from the Associated Press. The Longhorns finished No. 3 in the AP Poll, their highest finish since 2009.
The watch list was put created through a selection process with the foundation and the Peach Bowl that takes into consideration Academic Progress Rate (APR), Graduation Success Rate (GSR) commitment to service and charity in the community, and projected success in the 2024 season, per release.
“The Dodd Trophy continues to be the most coveted coach of the year award due to what we call the ‘Dodd Difference,’ where coaches are held to a higher standard, both on and off the field,” said Jim Terry, chairman of the Boddy Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. “This award is about more than just wins on the gridiron, but also focuses on how these coaches embody leadership with their student-athletes in the classroom and throughout their communities. As a result, we only consider coaches whose programs have earned the highest APRs and require coaches to have at least two years of experience leading their current programs, so that they have had time to establish a precedent at their universities.”
A midseason watch list will be released in the fall. Starting in September on a weekly basis, the Dodd Coach of the Week Award will also honor coaches whose program embodies the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, while also having success on the playing field during the previous week, per release.
According to the press release, a panel consisting of previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member will identify the final list of potential recipients at the conclusion of the 2024 season. The winner of the 2024 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
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Dodd Trophy Watch List
- Jeff Brohm, Louisiville
- Mario Cristobal, Miami (Fla.)
- Ryan Day, Ohio State
- Dave Doeren, NC State
- Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri
- Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
- James Franklin, Penn State
- Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame
- Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
- Josh Heupel, Tennessee
- Brian Kelly, LSU
- Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
- Chris Klieman, Kansas State
- Lance Leipold, Kansas
- Mike Norvell, Florida State
- Brent Pry, Virginia Tech
- Lincoln Riley, USC
- Steve Sarkisian, Texas
- Kirby Smart, Georgia
- Dabo Swinney, Clemson
- Kyle Whittingham, Utah
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