Kirk Ferentz is back up for one of the most prestigious coaching awards in college football, named as one of 21 coaches on The Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List.
Named after legendary Georgia Tech head football coach Bobby Dodd, The Dodd Trophy is awarded annually to the head coach of a team who most enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity. Those are the three pillars of Dodd’s coaching philosophy.
“The Dodd Trophy is the most coveted coach of the year award because it holds coaches to a higher standard of commitment beyond their team’s success on the field, but also to their involvement in the community and their student-athlete’s achievements in the classroom.
“This is why we only consider coaches whose programs have earned an APR above 980, and also require coaches to have at least two years of experience leading their current programs, so that they have had time to establish a precedent, both on and off the field,” said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation.
Kirk Ferentz is 1️⃣ of 2️⃣1️⃣ coaches named to @thedoddtrophy preseason watch list.#Hawkeyes
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) July 13, 2023
Presented by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc., the 2023 watch list includes football coaches from all Power Five conferences, as well as the AAC, Mountain West and an independent.
It is created through a selection process that takes into consideration 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 are required to lead a program with an APR higher than 980. They also must not be first-year head coaches at a program in order to be eligible for the watch list.
Ferentz joins a list of five Big Ten coaches that also includes Ohio State‘s Ryan Day, Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck, Michigan‘s Jim Harbaugh and Michigan State‘s Mel Tucker.
The ACC and Big 12 matched the Big Ten with the most coaches on the preseason watch list with five as well. North Carolina‘s Mack Brown, Wake Forest’s Dave Clawson, NC State’s Dave Doeren, Florida State’s Mike Norvell and Clemson‘s Dabo Swinney represent the ACC.
Baylor’s Dave Aranda, UCF’s Gus Malzahn, Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire, Texas‘ Steve Sarkisian and Oklahoma‘s Brent Venables were the five out of the Big 12.
The rest of the coaches on the preseason Dodd Trophy Watch List are Boise State’s Andy Avalos, Notre Dame‘s Marcus Freeman, Tulane’s Willie Fritz, Arkansas‘ Sam Pittman, Alabama‘s Nick Saban and Utah’s Kyle Whittingham.
Ferentz captured the award following the 2015 season and joins Mack Brown (2008), Dabo Swinney (2011), Nick Saban (2014), Kyle Whittingham (2019) and Willie Fritz (2022) as previous winners of The Dodd Trophy on the 2023 watch list.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]
[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Josh on Twitter: @JoshOnREF