Ole Miss football head coach Lane Kiffin has been named to the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year midseason watch list, as announced by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl on Thursday.
Kiffin – who on Tuesday was also named to the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Watch List – is one of 20 coaches nationally and one of four from the SEC named to the Bobby Dodd list. The award is handed out annually to a head coach 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 philosophy.
Kiffin has led the 12th-ranked Rebels to a 5-1 start in 2023, the third straight season he has done so through six games – the best such streak at Ole Miss since the Rebels did so in six straight seasons from 1957-62. The Rebels are currently one of six teams nationally with multiple AP Top 25 wins this season, with a 37-20 ranked road victory over No. 22 Tulane on Sept. 9, and an instant classic 55-49 thriller over No. 12 LSU on Sept. 30.
Kiffin is in his fourth season at Ole Miss, where he has led the Rebels to three consecutive bowl berths to start off his time in Oxford. In 11 years at the NCAA level, Kiffin has posted an all-time record of 89-48, including a 28-14 mark at Ole Miss. The Rebels ranked No. 3 nationally in rushing offense (256.6) and No. 8 in total offense (496.4) last season.
Kiffin guided the Rebels to a 10-3 record in 2021, the first 10-win regular season in school history. The Rebels finished the season ranked No. 11 in both the AP and AFCA Coaches Poll, its highest final ranking since 2016. Ole Miss ranked top-20 in the FBS in nine different offensive categories in his first season in 2020.
The watch list was created through a selection process by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Peach Bowl, taking into consideration each program’s graduation rate, Graduation Success Rate (GSR), commitment to service and charity in the community, on-field success so far for the 2023 season, and 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 the 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 will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the Peach Bowl.
2023 Dodd Trophy Midseason Watch List
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
Willie Fritz – Tulane
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
Kyle Whittingham – Utah
Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports
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