JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida’s Dan Mullen was one of 23 coaches named to the preseason watch list for the Dodd Trophy on Thursday.
Mullen is one of five coaches from the SEC to be named to the watch list, joining Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher, Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, Alabama’s Nick Saban and Georgia’s Kirby Smart. The Big Ten leads the way with six coaches on the list.
Mullen went 10-3 in his first season with Florida, leading the Gators to a 41-15 blowout of Michigan in the Peach Bowl. Florida finished the season ranked No. 7 in the final AP poll.
The Dodd Trophy is presented to “the coach of a team which enjoys a successful football season, while also stressing the importance of academic excellence and character.”
The list will be refreshed in midseason, either narrowed or added to. Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly was the award winner last year.
The Dodd Trophy, named after former Georgia Tech coach Bobby Dodd.
2019 Dodd Trophy watch list
Dino Babers, Syracuse
Matt Campbell, Iowa State
Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
James Franklin, Penn State
Scott Frost, Nebraska
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Bryan Harsin, Boise State
Tom Herman, Texas
Josh Heupel, UCF
Brian Kelly, Notre Dame
Gus Malzahn, Auburn
Jeff Monken, Army
Dan Mullen, Florida
Chris Petersen, Washington
Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma
Nick Saban, Alabama
David Shaw, Stanford
Kirby Smart, Georgia
Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Kyle Whittingham, Utah