Oct. 27, 2015
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson was recognized as this week’s Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week after the Yellow Jackets’ victory over No. 9 Florida State. The announcement was made Tuesday by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
The award honors the football coach whose program embodies The Dodd Trophy’s three pillars: scholarship, leadership and integrity, while also enjoying success on the playing field during the previous week.
“What an unbelievable way to win a football game on Saturday night for Paul Johnson and his players,” said Jim Terry, Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. “Defeating a top-10 team at home on the final play of the game is absolutely thrilling. Pair that with seeing how Georgia Tech’s APR has improved every year that he’s been there, and his involvement in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, he has earned the right to be recognized for this award.”
Tech stunned Florida State, 22-16, on Saturday night at a sold-out Bobby Dodd Stadium as Lance Austin returned a blocked field goal 78 yard for a touchdown on the game’s final play. The Yellow Jackets snapped a 28-game conference winning streak by the Seminoles with one of the signature plays in college football this season.
The Dodd Trophy was established in 1976 and named for legendary Georgia Tech head coach Bobby Dodd.
“It’s exciting to be able to honor a Georgia Tech head coach for the award that was started on the very same campus 39 years ago,” said Terry.
Paul Johnson is also a previous winner of The Dodd Trophy, awarded to him after a 10-2 season in 2004 at the U.S. Naval Academy.
The Dodd Trophy – along with the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week Award – celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity.
This season’s Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week Honorees
Week 1: Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
Week 2: Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
Week 3: David Shaw, Stanford
Week 4: Jim Mora, UCLA
Week 5: Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Week 6: Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Week 7: Justin Fuente, Memphis
Week 8: Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech
