ATLANTA (July 13, 2021) – The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. today released the preseason watch list for the 2021 Dodd Trophy presented by PNC. This year’s list includes 17 of the nation’s top college football coaches representing all Power Five conferences, as well as the AAC, Sun Belt and an independent.
Managed by Peach Bowl, Inc., The Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted national 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 coaching philosophy.
The watch list was created through a selection process by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc., taking into consideration each program’s graduation rate, commitment to service and charity in the community, projected success for the 2021 season and Academic Progress Rate (APR). Coaches in the first year with their current team are ineligible to receive The Dodd Trophy.
“The Dodd Trophy is the most coveted coach of the year award because it looks beyond just the results on the field and measures the overall impact these coaches have had on their players, universities and communities. This was never more pivotal than last season,” said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. “Each of these coaches showed unwavering commitment to the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, despite all of the obstacles and challenges they had to overcome this past year in the face of the pandemic.”
The 2021 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List presented by PNC:
| Coach | School | Conference |
| Tom Allen | Indiana | Big Ten |
| Mack Brown | North Carolina | ACC |
| Matt Campbell | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| Jamey Chadwell | Coastal Carolina | Sun Belt |
| Paul Chryst | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
| Ryan Day | Ohio State | Big Ten |
| Kirk Ferentz | Iowa | Big Ten |
| Luke Fickell | Cincinnati | AAC |
| Jimbo Fisher | Texas A&M | SEC |
| James Franklin | Penn State | Big Ten |
| Brian Kelly | Notre Dame | Independent |
| Jimmy Lake | Washington | Pac-12 |
| Dan Mullen | Florida | SEC |
| Lincoln Riley | Oklahoma | Big 12 |
| Nick Saban | Alabama | SEC |
| Kirby Smart | Georgia | SEC |
| Dabo Swinney | Clemson | ACC |
“These coaches are coming off one of the most unprecedented and trying seasons in the history of college football, but found a way to persevere in the face of adversity,” said Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO & President Gary Stokan. “They have consistently found success no matter the circumstances and we look forward to seeing how they lead their teams as we return to a sense of normalcy this season.”
This collective group of coaches has won 11 National Championships, 37 FBS conference titles and secured 1,594 career wins throughout their careers.
Of the 17 coaches on the watch list, five are previous winners of The Dodd Trophy, including Brian Kelly (2018), Kirk Ferentz (2015), Nick Saban (2014), Dabo Swinney (2011) and Mack Brown (2008). Additionally, four of the finalists for last year’s award are represented, including Luke Fickell, Tom Allen, Matt Campbell and Brian Kelly.
The Big Ten leads all conferences with five coaches making the list, followed closely by the SEC with four representatives.
A midseason watch list – adding to or narrowing the field – will be released in the fall. 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 2021 season. The winner of the 2021 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Starting in September, the Dodd Coach of the Week Award will also honor coaches on a weekly basis 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.
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About the Dodd Trophy presented by PNC
The Dodd Trophy presented by PNC 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.
About Peach Bowl, Inc.
Peach Bowl, Inc. operates the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, one of the New Year’s Six Bowls selected to host the College Football Playoff. The Bowl has earned a reputation as one of the most competitive bowls in the country, with 53 percent of its games being decided by a touchdown or less. Peach Bowl, Inc. has disbursed $292.5 million in total team payouts over its 53-year history and have drawn an all-time ESPN viewership of 280.4 million for both the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and Chick-fil-A Kickoff Games. Peach Bowl, Inc. also leads all other bowl game organizations in charitable and scholarship contributions, having donated or committed $57.9 million to organizations in need since 2002. Peach Bowl, Inc. created and manages the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, the Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament, manages The Dodd Trophy national coach of the year award and led the relocation and financial foundation of the College Football Hall of Fame to Atlanta. For more information, visit Chick-fil-APeachBowl.com or follow us on Twitter at @CFAPeachBowl and find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/CFAPeachBowl.
