UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State head coach James Franklin has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2021 Dodd Trophy presented by PNC.
This year's list includes 17 of the nation's top college football coaches representing all Power Five conferences, as well as the AAC, Sun Belt and an independent.
Managed by Peach Bowl, Inc., The Dodd Trophy, 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.
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 graduation rate, commitment to service and charity in the community, projected success for the 2021 season and Academic Progress Rate (APR). Coaches in the first year with their current team are ineligible to receive The Dodd Trophy.
Franklin, a 26-year football coaching veteran, was appointed Penn State's 16th head football coach on January 11, 2014 and enters his 11th season as a collegiate head football coach. Franklin's career head coaching record is 84-43 and is one of only six current FBS coaches to lead his team to a bowl game in each of his first nine seasons as a head coach. Franklin attributes his success on the field to the strength of his teams' dedication to four core values: positive attitude, great work ethic, compete in everything you do and must be willing to sacrifice.
Under Franklin's direction, Penn State has finished in the top 12 in the final College Football Playoff rankings in four of the last five seasons, has earned berths in three New Year's Six bowl games with two wins and won the 2016 Big Ten Championship. Franklin has guided the Nittany Lions to an 86 percent graduation success rate, a perfect single-year 1,000 APR for the 2018-19 school year and record-breaking performances in the classroom.
A midseason watch list – adding to or narrowing the field – will be released in the fall. A panel consisting of previous 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 2021 season. The winner of the 2021 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Penn State's season opener on Sept. 4 at Wisconsin will kick off at noon on FOX.
The 2021 Penn State Football season is presented by PSECU.
