Leach Named to Dodd Finalist List
December 09, 2005 | Football
Leach led the Red Raiders to a 9-2 mark during the regular season and a 6-2 record in Big 12 play. The nine regular-season wins are the most for the program sincea 1976, while Tech's six conference victories represent the highest number for Tech as a member of the Big 12 Conference and most in a season since winning seven in the Southwest Conference in 1977.
The Red Raiders will face the University of Alabama in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic on Mon., Jan. 2, at 10 a.m. The bowl appearance is the sixth straight for the Red Raiders, who are looking for their fourth-consecutive bowl victory. Texas Tech is one of seven teams nationally with a bowl win in each of the last three seasons.
Other finalists for the award include Mike Bellotti (Oregon), Mack Brown (Texas), Pete Carroll (USC), Karl Dorrell (UCLA), Joe Paterno (Penn State), Mark Richt (Georgia), Rich Rodriguez (West Virginia), Mike Shula (Alabama), Jeff Tedford (California), Tommy Tuberville (Auburn) and Charlie Weis (Notre Dame).
The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award was established in 1976 to honor the Division I college football coach whose program represents quality on and off the field. The Bobby Dodd Award honors the coach of a team enjoying a successful season while stressing the importance of academic excellence and sense of duty to return something to the community, as Coach Dodd did during his 22 seasons at Georgia Tech.
Previous winners of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award include University of Georgia Head Football Coach Vince Dooley, in 1976; University of Michigan Coach Bo Schembechler, in 1977; Penn State Coach Joe Paterno, in 1981; University of Alabama Coach Bill Curry, in 1989; Grambling State University Coach Eddie Robinson, in 1992; and Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen, in 2001.
For more information about the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award Foundation visit www.bobbydoddfoundation.com.