Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman named to the 2025 Dodd Trophy watch list
The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. released the preseason watch list for the award on Monday. This year's group includes 26 of the top college football coaches in FBS, representing all Power Four conferences, as well as the AAC, Mountain West and Notre Dame.
The Dodd Trophy is an award that celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the field, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity.
Freeman won the award in 2024, after one of the best seasons in recent memory for the Irish. Nobody has ever won it in consecutive seasons, and only two coaches (Joe Paterno and Bill Snyder) have won it twice since its inception in 1976.
Can Freeman make history? The Fighting Irish open the 2025 college football season at Miami on August 31.
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Dave on X: Miller_Dave
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
18 minutes ago
- USA Today
Steve Sarkisian earns spot on Dodd Trophy preseason watch list
With the 2025 college football season just a few months away, the Texas Longhorns have been popular on preseason watch lists. That continued on Monday when Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian was named to the preseason watch list for the 2025 Dodd Trophy. The award celebrates a coach who has achieved success on the field while also emphasizing the importance of scholarship, leadership, and integrity. As Sarkisian looks to add to his trophy case, he will have competition. He was one of 26 coaches in the nation on the list. This is not unfamiliar territory for the architect of the Longhorns' success. Last year, Sarkisian was honored on both the 2024 Dodd Trophy preseason and midseason watch lists. During Sarkisian's tenure, the Longhorns have been one of the most successful programs in the country. They have one of the best chances at winning a national title after tying the program record with 13 wins last season. Over the last two years, with Sarkisian leading the way, Texas has 25 wins. However, his impact on his players extends beyond the box score. He has also helped his players reach their dreams. Just a few months ago, former Longhorns stars such as Matthew Golden, Gunnar Helm, Quinn Ewers, and Andrew Mukaba were drafted by NFL teams. The year before, Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy heard their names called after being coached by Sarkisian. That is partly why the Longhorns head coach is up for another honor. Although Sarkisian's focus is on winning a national title, he won't have to wait long to see if he advances to the next round. The field will be narrowed down at midseason. The winner will then be picked by a panel that includes previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family, and a College Football Hall of Fame member. While Sarkisian will ultimately be judged by wins and losses, adding more hardware to his trophy case would be a reason to celebrate. He has a good resume to back it up with what he has accomplished during his time in Austin.
USA Today
18 minutes ago
- USA Today
California Love: Cowboys agree to 5-year deal for summer home costing $375k in rent
Dallas cements California as its summer home through 2029. The Dallas Cowboys are staying put in their summer home, at least through the end of the decade. The team has reached a five-year extension with the city of Oxnard, Calif., ensuring that their annual training camp will remain on the West coast through 2030. The agreement is for a maximum of $375,000 and depends on how many weeks each season the team spends at the facility. A move as such solidifies a long-running partnership that dates back to 2001, with the Cowboys having trained in Oxnard 17 times since then, including every year since 2010. What began as an occasional West Coast detour has turned into a deeply rooted tradition, drawing tens of thousands of fans each summer and giving the team a unique environment to prepare for the season. The agreement ensures continuity not just for the team, but also for a fanbase that treats the late July to August experience to Oxnard as a pilgrimage. Each summer, Cowboys supporters flood River Ridge Fields to get an up-close look at stars like Micah Parsons, CeeDee Lamb, and Dak Prescott as they prepare for another season. As the Cowboys aim to break through a nearly 30-year Super Bowl drought, they'll continue to do so with the Pacific breeze at their backs and thousands of fans lining the sidelines. The setting may be relaxed, but the expectations are anything but. Training camp officially kicks off July 21, with open practices running through mid-August, and now, for the next five years to come. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
One of Notre Dame's top remaining ‘26 targets, S Nick Reddish, will commit later this week
This past weekend was another big one for Notre Dame football recruiting, as it added three new commitments to its 2026 class. While there isn't much room left in the group, as it stands with 25 verbals, the Irish won't turn away a prospect that they believe can help the team. One of those players is North Carolina safety Nick Reddish, who will make his commitment on July 11th at his high school. Notre Dame is one of three finalists along with Indiana and Wisconsin for the 5-foot, 11-inch and 185-pound star. Reddish is ranked as the No. 681 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite, and it is looking like he is leaning towards picking the Irish. There are three 247Sports crystal ball projections logged for him, and each of them believes that the is going to pick Notre Dame. In just a few days, we will find out if they are correct, as the Irish could be adding another top player to its already impressive collection of committed members of the secondary.
