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Dodd Trophy names 5 B1G coaches to its preseason watch list
By Andrew Olson
Published:
With the 2023 college football season approaching, preseason watch list season is upon us. The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. released the preseason watch list for the 2023 Dodd Trophy on Thursday, featuring 5 B1G coaches.
Ryan Day, Kirk Ferentz, P.J. Fleck, Jim Harbaugh and Mel Tucker are all on the watchlist for the national coach of the year honor. Ferentz is 1 of 6 past winners to make the watchlist. The longtime Iowa head coach won the award in 2015.
In addition to a team’s on-field success, the Dodd Trophy also considers scholarship, leadership and integrity – the 3 pillars of Bobby Dodd’s coaching philosophy. The Dodd Trophy watch list was created through a selection process that considered each program’s graduation rate, Graduation Success Rate (GSR), commitment to service and charity in the community, projected success for the 2023 season and Academic Progress Rate (APR).
Coaches named to this year’s preseason watch list were required to have an APR higher than 980. A coach is not eligible for The Dodd Trophy until their second season at the school.
A midseason watch list – adding to or narrowing the field – will be released in the fall. Starting in September, the Dodd Coach of the Week Award will also honor coaches on a weekly basis.
Here’s the full list of coaches:
Coach School APR
Dave Aranda Baylor 990
Andy Avalos Boise State 982
Mack Brown North Carolina 984
Dave Clawson Wake Forest 1000
Ryan Day Ohio State 1000
Dave Doeren NC State 988
Kirk Ferentz Iowa 980
P.J. Fleck Minnesota 994
Marcus Freeman Notre Dame 991
Willie Fritz Tulane 981
Jim Harbaugh Michigan 1000
Gus Malzahn UCF 986
Joey McGuire Texas Tech 997
Mike Norvell Florida State 981
Sam Pittman Arkansas 994
Nick Saban Alabama 997
Steve Sarkisian Texas 983
Dabo Swinney Clemson 985
Mel Tucker Michigan State 982
Brent Venables Oklahoma 997
Kyle Whittingham Utah 988
Presenting the #DoddTrophy Preseason Watch List 🏆
21 of the nation’s top coaches representing all Power Five conferences, as well as the AAC, Mountain West and an independent are hopefuls for college football's most coveted coaching award 👏
📰 https://t.co/6wlW1pMyiF@PNCBank pic.twitter.com/nkClJA3Udh
— The Dodd Trophy (@thedoddtrophy) July 13, 2023
Featured image via The Dodd Trophy on YouTube
A former Florida beat reporter, Andrew writes for the Saturday Tradition News Desk.