ATLANTA (October 11, 2018) – Officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl released the midseason watch list for the 2018 Dodd Trophy. The list includes 17 of the nation’s top college football coaches representing six conferences and Notre Dame.
The Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted coaching award, 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 philosophy.
The midseason watch list was created through a selection process by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, taking into consideration each program’s current performance during the 2018 season, Academic Progress Rate (APR), and each coach’s commitment to service and charity in the community.
Of the 17 coaches on the midseason watch list, the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC all lead the way with three coaches represented. Nine of the 17 coaches remain undefeated going into week seven.
This year’s midseason watch list includes four former winners of the Dodd Trophy with Mike MacIntyre (2016), Chris Petersen (2010), Nick Saban (2014) and Dabo Swinney (2001) all making the list. Additionally, four of the coaches were finalists for last year’s award, including Paul Chryst, Mark Richt, Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney.
“We know this is a different kind of Coach of the Year award. The Dodd Trophy doesn’t just reflect success on the field, it tries to measure the ‘whole’ coach and his positive impact on his players, school and community,” said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. “Each coach on this list represents more than wins and losses. We celebrate coaches who try to live up to Coach Dodd’s example of scholarship, leadership and integrity.”
The 2018 Dodd Trophy Midseason Watch List:
| Coach: | School: | Current AP Ranking: | Current Record | APR Score: |
| Paul Chryst | Wisconsin (Big Ten) | No. 15 | 4-1 | 986 |
| Dave Doeren | N.C. State (ACC) | No. 20 | 5-0 | 964 |
| Luke Fickell | Cincinnati (American) | No. 25 | 6-0 | 982 |
| James Franklin | Penn State (Big Ten) | No. 8 | 4-1 | 980 |
| Jim Harbaugh | Michigan (Big Ten) | No. 12 | 5-1 | 990 |
| Tom Herman | Texas (Big 12) | No. 9 | 5-1 | 972 |
| Dana Holgorsen | West Virginia (Big 12) | No. 6 | 5-0 | 950 |
| Brian Kelly | Notre Dame (Independent) | No. 5 | 6-0 | 966 |
| Mike MacIntyre | Colorado (Pac-12) | No. 19 | 5-0 | 970 |
| Ed Orgeron | LSU (SEC) | No. 13 | 5-1 | 956 |
| Chris Petersen | Washington (Pac-12) | No. 7 | 5-1 | 986 |
| Mark Richt | Miami (ACC) | No. 16 | 5-1 | 964 |
| Lincoln Riley | Oklahoma (Big 12) | No. 11 | 5-1 | 956 |
| Nick Saban | Alabama (SEC) | No. 1 | 6-0 | 984 |
| Kirby Smart | Georgia (SEC) | No. 2 | 6-0 | 963 |
| Charlie Strong | South Florida (American) | No. 23 | 5-0 | 960 |
| Dabo Swinney | Clemson (ACC) | No. 4 | 6-0 | 987 |
Considering the Dodd Trophy represents more than just a coach’s performance on the field, a coach in his first year, who has not had a full season to establish his own impact on APR and the local community, is not eligible to win.
“We have a very competitive field vying for this year’s Dodd Trophy halfway through the season,” said Gary Stokan, Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO & President. “We look forward to seeing which coaches can separate themselves from the rest of the pack as we get into the heart of conference play these next few weeks.”
A panel consisting of all previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame members will identify a list of finalists at the conclusion of the 2018 season. The winner of the 2018 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Week.
About the Dodd Trophy
The Dodd Trophy was established in 1976 to honor the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1A) head football coach whose program represents the highest ideals on and off the field. The award honors the coach of a team which enjoys a successful football season, while also stressing the importance of academic excellence and character, as did Coach Dodd’s teams during his 22 years as head football coach of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Coach Dodd remains one of college football’s legendary figures, both as a coach and a player. Coach Dodd was a native of Galax, Virginia, and played his college ball at the University of Tennessee where his team had 27 wins, one loss and two ties during the three years he played. Coach Dodd was selected to the National College Football Hall of Fame both as a coach and as a player. Additional information about the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation can be found at www.TheDoddTrophy.com. For news, updates and insider information, follow us on Twitter at @DoddTrophy or find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/DoddTrophy.
