ATLANTA – Fifth-year Texas A&M head football coach Kevin Sumlin was one of 18 head coaches named to the watch list for the 2016 Dodd Trophy, which is annually honors the coach of a team which enjoys a successful football season, while also stressing the importance of academic excellence and character.
The head coaches on the watch list represent programs with the highest ideals of leadership, scholarship and integrity on and off the field – the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd's philosophy. Each of the coaches sits at the helm of programs with winning records, superior Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores and graduation rates, as well as a strong commitment to service within their communities.
Sumlin has guided the Aggies, who were unranked in preseason, to a No. 7 ranking in this week's Associated Press Top 25. The Aggies are 7-1 overall and 4-1 vs. Southeastern Conference play as they gear up for this weekend's road trip to Mississippi State. Texas A&M has already beaten three AP Top 25 squads in No. 16 UCLA, No. 17 Arkansas and No. 9 Tennessee. The Aggies also have a win over current No. 11 Auburn, which was unranked when the two teams played in mid-September.
"We are at the midpoint of the college football season and in our opinion, these 18 head coaches have separated themselves from the rest of the pack," said Jim Terry, Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. "Whether it is their current on-field success, high academic standing or community involvement, these are the coaches who have best represented what the Dodd Trophy is all about."
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.
The head coaches on the watch list represent programs with the highest ideals of leadership, scholarship and integrity on and off the field – the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd's philosophy. Each of the coaches sits at the helm of programs with winning records, superior Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores and graduation rates, as well as a strong commitment to service within their communities.
Sumlin has guided the Aggies, who were unranked in preseason, to a No. 7 ranking in this week's Associated Press Top 25. The Aggies are 7-1 overall and 4-1 vs. Southeastern Conference play as they gear up for this weekend's road trip to Mississippi State. Texas A&M has already beaten three AP Top 25 squads in No. 16 UCLA, No. 17 Arkansas and No. 9 Tennessee. The Aggies also have a win over current No. 11 Auburn, which was unranked when the two teams played in mid-September.
"We are at the midpoint of the college football season and in our opinion, these 18 head coaches have separated themselves from the rest of the pack," said Jim Terry, Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. "Whether it is their current on-field success, high academic standing or community involvement, these are the coaches who have best represented what the Dodd Trophy is all about."
The 2016 Dodd Trophy Mid-Season Watch List:
| Head Coach | School | Conference | Current AP Ranking |
| Paul Chryst | Wisconsin | Big Ten | No. 11 |
| Larry Fedora | North Carolina | ACC | No. 21 |
| P.J. Fleck | Western Michigan | MAC | No. 20 |
| Jim Harbaugh | Michigan | Big Ten | No. 2 |
| Bryan Harsin | Boise State | Mountain West | No. 13 |
| Dana Holgorsen | West Virginia | Big 12 | No. 10 |
| Mike MacIntyre | Colorado | Pac-12 | No. 23 |
| Gus Malzahn | Auburn | SEC | No. 15 |
| Jim McElwain | Florida | SEC | No. 14 |
| Urban Meyer | Ohio State | Big Ten | No. 6 |
| Ken Niumatalolo | Navy | American | No. 22 |
| Chris Petersen | Washington | Pac-12 | No. 4 |
| Mike Riley | Nebraska | Big Ten | No. 7 |
| Nick Saban | Alabama | SEC | No. 1 |
| Bob Stoops | Oklahoma | Big 12 | No. 16 |
| Kevin Sumlin | Texas A&M | SEC | No. 9 |
| Dabo Swinney | Clemson | ACC | No. 3 |
| Kyle Whittingham | Utah | Pac-12 | No. 17 |
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.