Herman on Dodd Trophy Watch List
7/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
HOUSTON -- University of Houston Head Coach Tom Herman was named to the 2016 Dodd Trophy preseason watch list, released Friday afternoon by officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
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In only one season at the helm of Houston Football, Herman has established himself as one of the nation's elite coaches. In his first season as a head coach in 2015, Herman led the Cougars to a 13-1 record, No. 8 final ranking in both national polls, an American Athletic Conference championship at TDECU Stadium and a 38-24 win over No. 9 Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Dec. 31, 2015.
He became only the fourth head coach in NCAA history to lead his team to 13 or more wins in his rookie season.
For his and his team's impressive efforts, Herman was named the Football Writers Association of America's First-Year Coach of the Year and the American Athletic Conference's Co-Coach of the Year. He also was recognized as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson and Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Awards, presented annually to the nation's top coach.
Herman was one of 24 names on the preseason watch list, which saw representation from the Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC and Notre Dame.
| Coach | School | Conference |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Herman | Houston | American Athletic |
| Paul Chryst | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
| Mark Dantonio | Michigan State | Big Ten |
| Larry Fedora | North Carolina | ACC |
| Kirk Ferentz | Iowa | Big Ten |
| Jimbo Fisher | Florida State | ACC |
| Mike Gundy | Oklahoma State | Big 12 |
| Jim Harbaugh | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Mark Helfrich | Oregon | Pac-12 |
| Clay Helton | USC | Pac-12 |
| Brian Kelly | Notre Dame | Independent |
| Jim McElwain | Florida | SEC |
| Urban Meyer | Ohio State | Big Ten |
| Les Miles | LSU | SEC |
| Jim Mora | UCLA | Pac-12 |
| Gary Patterson | TCU | Big 12 |
| Chris Petersen | Washington | Pac-12 |
| Nick Saban | Alabama | SEC |
| David Shaw | Stanford | Pac-12 |
| Kirby Smart | Georgia | SEC |
| Bob Stoops | Oklahoma | Big 12 |
| Kevin Sumlin | Texas A&M | SEC |
| Dabo Swinney | Clemson | ACC |
| Kyle Whittingham | Utah | Pac-12 |
The Dodd Trophy, college football's most coveted 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 philosophy.
The coaches on the preseason watch list were selected based on their success on and off the field.
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 2016 season and Academic Progress Rate (APR).
Additional watch lists -- adding to or narrowing the field -- will be released throughout the fall. The winner of the 2016 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. A panel consisting of all previous Dodd Trophy 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 2016 season.
Starting in September, the Dodd Coach of the Week Award will also be presented weekly to the coach 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.
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 who 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 and is one of only three men to be inducted into the National College Football Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach. Coach Dodd was a native of Galax, Va., and played at the University of Tennessee where his teams had 27 wins, one loss and two ties during the three years he played. Additional information about the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation can be found at TheDoddTrophy.com
For more on the The Dodd Trophy and a list of past recipients, visit TheDoddTrophy.com.
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