Richt Named to Dodd Trophy Watch List
ATLANTA – University of Miami head football coach Mark Richt was among the 20 coaches selected to the preseason watch list for the 2018 Dodd Trophy, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl announced Wednesday.
The Dodd Trophy 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.
Richt, a finalist for the 2017 Dodd Trophy, has posted a 19-7 record over his first two seasons as Miami’s head coach, the third-best start in program history. The Hurricanes won 10 games in 2017, climbing as high as second in the College Football Playoff rankings. Miami captured the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division for the first time in its history and earned an invitation to the Capital One Orange Bowl for the first time in 13 years. Richt won 2017 ACC Coach of the Year honors and was also named the 2017 Walter Camp Coach of the Year.
Off the field, Richt has energized the program, from supporting the fundraising efforts for the Carol Soffer Football Indoor Practice Facility to launching The U Network, which assists former Hurricanes in networking and career placement after their playing careers have concluded. Miami was one of three schools, along with Stanford and Northwestern, to earn the 2016 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Academic Achievement Award. In addition, the Hurricanes ranked first among all FBS programs in 2016 in the NCAA Team Works Helper Helper Community Service Competition, helping Miami finish first among Division I schools overall in 2018.
The watch list was created through a selection process by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, taking into consideration each program’s graduation rate, commitment to service and charity in the community, projected success for the 2018 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 distinguishes itself from other coaching awards due to the high standards used to determine potential candidates,” said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. “This is the most-coveted coaching award because it looks beyond rankings, wins or losses, and measures the overall impact these coaches have on their players, universities and communities.”
“This list includes a renowned group of individuals who truly embody the principles Bobby Dodd adhered to, such as scholarship, leadership and integrity,” said Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl CEO & President Gary Stokan. “We look forward to seeing which of these coaches set themselves apart from the rest of the pack as the 2018 season unfolds.”
Additional watch lists – adding to or narrowing the field – will be released throughout 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 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.
About the 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. This past season, the Peach Bowl celebrated its Golden Season, including its 50-year history of traditions and successes as the nation’s ninth-oldest bowl organization. The Bowl has earned a reputation as one of the most competitive bowls in the country, with 54 percent of its games being decided by a touchdown or less. Peach Bowl, Inc. has disbursed $240.5 million in team payouts over its 50-year history. Peach Bowl, Inc. also leads all other bowl game organizations in charitable and scholarship contributions, giving more than $31 million to organizations in need since 2002. Peach Bowl, Inc. also runs the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, the Chick-fil-A 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.
