ATLANTA — The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. have released the preseason watch list for the 2024 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank.
Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney is one of 21 men who are on the list for the award which honors the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the field, while also stressing the importance of academic excellence, leadership and integrity – the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd's coaching philosophy.
Dodd led the 1952 Georgia Tech team to the national championship. He also won nine bowl games.
Swinney has two national championships on his resume and he won the Dodd Trophy back in 2011 and he finds himself back on the watch list for one of the premier coaching awards.
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 Bobby 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.”