The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Peach Bowl announced today that Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney has been named to the watch list for the Dodd Trophy. The full watch list and additional information from the award’s organizers are included below.
ATLANTA (July 8, 2024) – The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. today released the preseason watch list for the 2024 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank. This year’s list includes 21 of the nation’s top college football coaches representing all Power Four conferences, as well as an independent.
Managed by Peach Bowl, Inc. and presented by PNC Bank, 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 Academic Progress Rate (APR), Graduation Success Rate (GSR), commitment to service and charity in the community, as well as projected success for the 2024 season.
Coaches in the first year with their current teams were not included as they are ineligible to receive The Dodd Trophy until their second year with their program.
“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.”
The 2024 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank Preseason Watch List:
These collective coaches have combined for four national championships, 39 FBS conference titles and secured 2,135 career wins throughout their careers.
Of the 21 coaches on the watch list, five are previous winners of The Dodd Trophy, including Dabo Swinney (2011), Kirk Ferentz (2015), Brian Kelly (2018), Kyle Whittingham (2019) and Mike Norvell (2023).
Additionally, two of the finalists for last year’s award are represented with Mizzou’s Eliah Drinkwitz and eventual winner of the 2023 Dodd Trophy, Florida State head coach Mike Norvell.
The ACC and SEC lead all conferences with six coaches named to the preseason watch list, followed by the Big Ten and Big 12, who each have four coaches represented.
“PNC is proud to join the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. in presenting this prestigious award,” said Eddie Meyers, PNC regional president for Georgia. “We look forward to following this outstanding group of collegiate coaches throughout the season, as they develop new leaders both on and off the field.”
“Even as our sport constantly evolves, these 21 coaches have continuously exemplified what The Dodd Trophy stands for in their relentless commitment to scholarship, leadership and integrity,” said Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO & President Gary Stokan. “We’re looking forward to kicking off the new era of college football this season with the expanded College Football Playoff, and look forward to seeing how these coaches continue to set the standard on the field, in the classroom and in their communities.”
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 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.
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.
TheDoddTrophy.com@DoddTrophy
About the Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank: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. is a 501(c)3 organization that operates the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, the Aflac Kickoff Game, the Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament, and manages and operates The Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank national coach of the year award. It is the ninth-oldest bowl game in the country and is recognized as college football’s most charitable bowl organization, having donated more than $63.3 million to organizations in need since 2002.
Peach Bowl, Inc Events:
Our Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl is one of the New Year’s Six bowls selected to host the College Football Playoff including the CFP Quarterfinal in 2025 and the CFP Semifinal in 2026. Over its 56 years, the game has drawn 3.3 million fans in attendance, a total television audience of 239.8 million viewers on ESPN, delivered $245.1 million in team payouts, and has created $889.77 million in direct economic impact and $51.85 million in tax revenue for Atlanta and Georgia.
Our Aflac Kickoff Game is the nation’s longest-running kickoff game and has reshaped the opening weekend in college football. Over 20 games since 2008, the game has regularly hosted the nation’s top teams and has drawn 1.3 million fans, 100.4 million television viewers, distributed $117.7 million in team payouts and created an additional $564.8 million in economic impact and $39.2 million in tax revenue for Atlanta and Georgia.
The Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge is the nation’s premier charity golf tournament featuring top current and former college football coaches. Hosted at the beautiful Reynolds Lake Oconee resort outside Atlanta each spring, the event has generated $9.7 million for the various foundations and charities supported by its coaches.
The Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank is college football’s most coveted national coaching award. Named for legendary Georgia Tech coach Bobby Dodd, The Dodd Trophy annually honors the FBS football coach whose program represents three pillars of success: scholarship, leadership and integrity.
About PNC Bank:PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.
