Notre Dame head coach recognized for College Football Playoff berth, along with his impact on academics and community in South Bend
ATLANTA (Dec. 31, 2024) – Officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. today announced that Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has been named the winner of the 2024 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank.
The Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted coaching award, honors the head football coach whose program embodies the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, while also having success on the playing field throughout the season. Winners of the award from the previous two years and first-year coaches at an institution are not eligible to win the award.
Freeman has led the Irish to an 12-1 record so far this season and a No. 5 College Football Playoff ranking, along with a No. 3 ranking in the Associated Press and Coaches Polls. Under Freeman’s leadership, the Irish secured five victories over opponents ranked in the AP Poll at the time of the game this season, including No. 20 Texas A&M, No. 15 Louisville, No. 24 Navy, No. 18 Army and No. 9 Indiana.
Notre Dame finished out the regular season as one of the most balanced teams in the country, leading the nation in passing efficiency defense (94.10), turnovers gained (28) and in defensive touchdowns (6). The Irish also ranked among the top teams nationally in several other categories this season, including: second in turnover margin (1.33), third in scoring defense (13.6), fourth in scoring offense (39.8) and 10th in total defense (296.8), among others.
Now in his third season in South Bend, Freeman owns a 31-9 record, including 12 wins over ranked opponents, which are more than any other Irish head coach in program history during his first three seasons. Freeman becomes the second Notre Dame head coach to win The Dodd Trophy, joining Brian Kelly who won the award in 2018.
“Being named The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year is very humbling as Coach Dodd is such a legend in our sport,” said Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman. “I am accepting this award on behalf of our entire program as it is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our players, coaches and support staff. At Notre Dame, we emphasize some of the same pillars that Coach Dodd did: Scholarship, Leadership and Integrity. I am proud of the way the men and women in our program embody those values.”
“Coach Freeman has been on our radar all season, as he was on our preseason and midseason watch lists,” said Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation Jim Terry. “It’s evident both on and off the field that he has an unwavering commitment to Notre Dame and his student athletes. Coach Freeman embodies everything that this award stands for with his dedication to scholarship, leadership and integrity, so it’s truly an honor to name him as this year’s recipient of the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year.”
Off the field, Notre Dame has excelled in the classroom under Freeman’s leadership. The Fighting Irish were one of seven institutions to win the AFCA 2024 Academic Achievement Award, which honors programs with the highest graduation rate for members of the 2017 freshman football student-athlete class. Freeman’s group also posted a perfect 1000 Academic Progress Rate, which is tied for the highest mark in the FBS, and held an impressive Graduation Success Rate of 94.
In the community, Freeman and the Irish have teamed up with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Michiana to deliver meals every Friday before home games to families whose children are receiving care at Beacon Children’s Hospital. Freeman was also an integral part of reviving the “Cleats for a Cause” initiative that centers around several of his players representing five local charities on special-edition Under Armour Slip Speed shoes, which are then auctioned off to raise money for those charities.
Freeman has also taken part in numerous other charitable engagements, including visiting local schools such as St. Adalbert Catholic School in South Bend, where he surprised students with tickets to the spring football game, and speaking at philanthropic events, such as Erin’s House for Grieving Children, which supports families who have experienced a death.
For all his work in the community, Freeman was honored at the beginning of the season by being the only head coach named to the 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
“What distinguishes The Dodd Trophy from other coaching awards is how the award focuses not only on what success a coach accomplishes on the field, but also how he impacts lives off it as well,” said Gary Stokan, CEO and president of Peach Bowl, Inc. “Coach Freeman’s great graduation rates, commitment to academic excellence and emphasizing the importance of community involvement during his time at Notre Dame are emblematic of what Coach Dodd believed. We’re honored to recognize and celebrate all that he’s accomplished this year thus making him The Dodd Trophy winner.”
“PNC Bank is proud to join the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. in recognizing Coach Freeman with this prestigious award,” said Samantha Jones, PNC regional president for Greater Georgia. “The Dodd Trophy embodies the highest standards of leadership and performance both on and off the field, and we are honored to celebrate Coach Freeman, along with all the coaches who inspire the next generation of student athletes to excel at the game and in life.”
Five of the nation’s top head coaches (Shane Beamer, Kenny Dillingham, Marcus Freeman, Dan Lanning and Jeff Monken) were named finalists for this year’s award by a panel consisting of all previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member. Coach Freeman was then selected as this year’s recipient by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation.
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About the Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank:
The Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank was established in 1976 to honor the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1A) head football coach whose program represents the highest ideals on and off the field. The award honors the coach of a team which enjoys a successful football season, while also stressing the importance of academic excellence and character, as did Coach Dodd’s teams during his 22 years as head football coach of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Coach Dodd remains one of college football’s legendary figures, both as a coach and a player. Coach Dodd was a native of Galax, Virginia, and played his college ball at the University of Tennessee where his team had 27 wins, one loss and two ties during the three years he played. Coach Dodd was selected to the National College Football Hall of Fame both as a coach and as a player. Additional information about the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation can be found at www.TheDoddTrophy.com. For news, updates and insider information, follow us on Twitter at @DoddTrophy or find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/DoddTrophy.
About PNC Bank:
PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.
About Peach Bowl, Inc.:
Peach Bowl, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization that operates the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, the Aflac Kickoff Game, the Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament, and manages and operates The Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank national coach of the year award. It is the ninth-oldest bowl game in the country and is recognized as college football’s most charitable bowl organization, having donated more than $64.8 million to organizations in need since 2002.
Peach Bowl, Inc Events:
Our Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl is one of the New Year’s Six bowls selected to host the College Football Playoff including the CFP Quarterfinal in 2025 and the CFP Semifinal in 2026. Over its 56 years, the game has drawn 3.3 million fans in attendance, a total television audience of 239.8 million viewers on ESPN, delivered $245.1 million in team payouts, and has created $889.77 million in direct economic impact and $51.85 million in tax revenue for Atlanta and Georgia.
Our Aflac Kickoff Game is the nation’s longest-running kickoff game and has reshaped the opening weekend in college football. Over 20 games since 2008, the game has regularly hosted the nation’s top teams and has drawn 1.3 million fans, 100.4 million television viewers, distributed $117.7 million in team payouts and created an additional $564.8 million in economic impact and $39.2 million in tax revenue for Atlanta and Georgia.
The Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge is the nation’s premier charity golf tournament featuring top current and former college football coaches. Hosted at the beautiful Reynolds Lake Oconee resort outside Atlanta each spring, the event has generated $9.7 million for the various foundations and charities supported by its coaches.
The Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank is college football’s most coveted national coaching award. Named for legendary Georgia Tech coach Bobby Dodd, The Dodd Trophy annually honors the FBS football coach whose program represents three pillars of success: scholarship, leadership and integrity.
