Willie Fritz Named to the Midseason Watch List for the Dodd Trophy
Oct 19, 2023 | Football
ATLANTA– Tulane University head football coach Willie Fritz was named to the 2023 Dodd Trophy Midseason Watch List today.
Fritz, after a historic 2022 season in which he led Tulane to the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Championship and a victory in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, has the Green Wave off to another strong start at 5-1 including a mark of 2-0 in AAC play. He also was the 2022 Dodd Trophy recipient.
Fritz was one of 20 football coaches that make up the watch list for the 2023 Dodd Trophy presented by PNC Bank. The list goes as follows: Mack Brown (North Carolina), Troy Calhoun (Air Force), Curt Cignetti (James Madison), Ryan Day (Ohio State), Kalen DeBoer (Washington), Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri), Mike Elko (Duke), Kirk Ferentz (Iowa), Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame), Jim Harbaugh (Michigan), Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), Mike Norvell (Florida State), Lincoln Riley (USC), Nick Saban (Alabama), Steve Sarkisian (Texas), Kirby Smart (Georgia), Jonathan Smith (Oregon State), Brent Venables (Oklahoma) and Kyle Whittingham (Utah).
Managed by the Peach Bowl, Inc. and presented by PNC Bank, The Dodd Trophy, college football's most coveted national coaching award, 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 of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Peach Bowl, Inc. taking into consideration each program's graduation rate, Graduation Success Rate (GSR), commitment to service and charity in the community, on-field success thus far for the 2023 and the Academic Progress Rate (APR).
Coaches named to this year's midseason watch list were required to have an APR of 965 or higher. Additionally, coaches in their first year with their current teams were not included as they are ineligible to receive The Dodd Trophy until their second year with their program.
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 2023 season. The winner of the 2023 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
This is the second coach of the year watch list that Coach Fritz has been named to this year as he is also a candidate for the 2023 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year award.
Tulane, who are ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, started the season ranked in both the preseason polls at No. 24 in the AP and No. 23 in the Coaches' Poll. The program stayed at No. 24 in the AP Poll and moved up to No. 22 in the Coaches' Poll prior to the meeting with then No. 20/20 Ole Miss. After falling 37-20 to the Rebels, the program dropped out of the rankings although they continued to receive votes in each of the next four polls before again being nationally ranked this week.
This week the Tulane football team returns home to host North Texas for a sold-out Homecoming Game at 2:30 p.m. at Yulman Stadium in a contest that will be also be shown live on ESPN2.
TICKETS
Tickets for the 2023 season for football, men's and women's basketball and volleyball can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Tulane football on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
WE ARE NOLA BUILT
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.
- TulaneGreenWave -
Fritz, after a historic 2022 season in which he led Tulane to the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Championship and a victory in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, has the Green Wave off to another strong start at 5-1 including a mark of 2-0 in AAC play. He also was the 2022 Dodd Trophy recipient.
Fritz was one of 20 football coaches that make up the watch list for the 2023 Dodd Trophy presented by PNC Bank. The list goes as follows: Mack Brown (North Carolina), Troy Calhoun (Air Force), Curt Cignetti (James Madison), Ryan Day (Ohio State), Kalen DeBoer (Washington), Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri), Mike Elko (Duke), Kirk Ferentz (Iowa), Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame), Jim Harbaugh (Michigan), Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), Mike Norvell (Florida State), Lincoln Riley (USC), Nick Saban (Alabama), Steve Sarkisian (Texas), Kirby Smart (Georgia), Jonathan Smith (Oregon State), Brent Venables (Oklahoma) and Kyle Whittingham (Utah).
Managed by the Peach Bowl, Inc. and presented by PNC Bank, The Dodd Trophy, college football's most coveted national coaching award, 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 of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Peach Bowl, Inc. taking into consideration each program's graduation rate, Graduation Success Rate (GSR), commitment to service and charity in the community, on-field success thus far for the 2023 and the Academic Progress Rate (APR).
Coaches named to this year's midseason watch list were required to have an APR of 965 or higher. Additionally, coaches in their first year with their current teams were not included as they are ineligible to receive The Dodd Trophy until their second year with their program.
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 2023 season. The winner of the 2023 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
This is the second coach of the year watch list that Coach Fritz has been named to this year as he is also a candidate for the 2023 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year award.
Tulane, who are ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, started the season ranked in both the preseason polls at No. 24 in the AP and No. 23 in the Coaches' Poll. The program stayed at No. 24 in the AP Poll and moved up to No. 22 in the Coaches' Poll prior to the meeting with then No. 20/20 Ole Miss. After falling 37-20 to the Rebels, the program dropped out of the rankings although they continued to receive votes in each of the next four polls before again being nationally ranked this week.
This week the Tulane football team returns home to host North Texas for a sold-out Homecoming Game at 2:30 p.m. at Yulman Stadium in a contest that will be also be shown live on ESPN2.
TICKETS
Tickets for the 2023 season for football, men's and women's basketball and volleyball can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Tulane football on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
WE ARE NOLA BUILT
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.
- TulaneGreenWave -
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