ATLANTA – Texas A&M football head coach Mike Elko has been named to the Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl announced Monday.
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In Elko's first season at the helm of Aggie football, he developed a culture of grit, relentless effort, integrity and dependability, while the program battled for a spot in the SEC Championship game entering the final week of the regular season.
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His debut campaign featured several signature moments, including a pair of top-10 wins at Kyle Field against No. 9 Missouri and No. 8 LSU, while adding a postseason appearance in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl. Off the field, the team posted the highest cumulative GPA and achieved full participation in the university's The Big Event, one of the nation's largest student-led community service event.
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Celebrating its 50th anniversary, The Dodd Trophy is college football's most coveted national coaching award. The accolade 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.
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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 2025 season.
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A midseason watch list will be released in the fall, while the final list will be announced at the conclusion of the 2025 season. The winner of the 2025 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank will be recognized in Atlanta during the week of the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.
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In Elko's first season at the helm of Aggie football, he developed a culture of grit, relentless effort, integrity and dependability, while the program battled for a spot in the SEC Championship game entering the final week of the regular season.
Â
His debut campaign featured several signature moments, including a pair of top-10 wins at Kyle Field against No. 9 Missouri and No. 8 LSU, while adding a postseason appearance in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl. Off the field, the team posted the highest cumulative GPA and achieved full participation in the university's The Big Event, one of the nation's largest student-led community service event.
Â
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, The Dodd Trophy is college football's most coveted national coaching award. The accolade 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.
Â
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 2025 season.
Â
A midseason watch list will be released in the fall, while the final list will be announced at the conclusion of the 2025 season. The winner of the 2025 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank will be recognized in Atlanta during the week of the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.