Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation releases 2022 preseason watch list for Dodd Trophy

On Tuesday, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation — in partnership with the Peach Bowl — released the preseason watch list for the 2022 Dodd Trophy. The list is 20 coaches long and includes all Power 5 conferences as well as the AAC and an independent.

A variety of factors go into determining who is selected to the preseason watch list, as it is not just limited to success on the field. Coaches are also judged based on their team’s APR, graduation rate and commitment to community service.

“College football has seen many changes in recent years, but all of these coaches have held true to our award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity,” Dodd Foundation chairman Jim Terry said. “What separates The Dodd Trophy and truly makes it the most coveted coach of the year award, is our commitment to recognizing all that these coaches do, not only on the football field, but in the classroom and throughout their communities as well. This is why we require coaches to have at least two years of experience leading their current programs, so that they have had time to establish a precedent, both on and off the field.”

Coaches in their first year with their current program are ineligible to receive the Dodd Trophy. For example, both Lincoln Riley of USC and Brian Kelly of LSU can not win the award this season.

The SEC leads all conferences with six coaches making the preseason list, followed closely by the Big Ten with five representatives and the ACC with four. Of the 20 coaches on the watch list, five are previous winners of The Dodd Trophy, including Dabo Swinney (2011), Nick Saban (2014), Kirk Ferentz (2015), Kyle Whittingham (2019) and Luke Fickell (2021). Additionally, all five finalists for last year’s award are represented, including Dave Aranda, Dave Clawson, Jim Harbaugh, Pat Narduzzi and the 2021 recipient of The Dodd Trophy, Luke Fickell.

A midseason watch list – adding to or narrowing the field – will be released in the fall. The winner of the 2022 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Below if the full list of coaches selected to the 2022 Dodd Trophy preseason watch list, separated by conference.

2022 Dodd Trophy preseason watch list

AAC

• Luke Fickell, Cincinnati

ACC

• Dave Clawson, Wake Forest
• Dave Doeren, NC State
• Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh
• Dabo Swinney, Clemson

Big 12

• Dave Aranda, Baylor
• Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State

Big Ten

• Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
• Ryan Day, Ohio State
• Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
• Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
• Mel Tucker, Michigan State

Independent

• Kalani Sitake, BYU

Pac-12

• Kyle Whittingham, Utah

SEC

• Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
• Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
• Sam Pittman, Arkansas
• Nick Saban, Alabama
• Mark Stoops, Kentucky
• Kirby Smart, Georgia