Officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl today announced that North Carolina head football coach Mack Brown has been selected as The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week.
The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week award honors a football coach who led his team to a significant victory during the previous week, while also embodying the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity.
No. 17 North Carolina dominated No. 10 Miami 62-26 on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium in the regular-season finale for both teams. North Carolina running backs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams set an FBS record by combining for 544 yards rushing. Carter ran for 308 yards and two touchdowns, while Williams had 236 yards and three touchdowns for the Tar Heels.
North Carolina finished with 778 yards, which was the most ever yielded by Miami and a new Tar Heels record. The 62 points scored by the Tar Heels were the most ever against an AP ranked opponent, and the 36 point margin of victory was the largest in school history against a ranked team.
“The Tar Heels had a record-breaking performance for the ages on Saturday,” said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. “Coach Brown is a former Dodd Trophy winner, so it’s no surprise how quickly he’s elevated the North Carolina football program in only his second year back in Chapel Hill.”
Mack Brown began his second stint as head coach in Chapel Hill on Nov. 27, 2018 after previously leading the Tar Heels football program from 1988-97. A 42-year veteran of collegiate coaching, Brown has served as a head coach for 31 seasons with stops at Texas (1998-2013), North Carolina (1988-97, 2019), Tulane (1985-87) and Appalachian State (1983). His 259 career victories rank ninth on the FBS all-time list and are the most among active coaches. Coach Brown was also the recipient of the 2008 Dodd Trophy.
Under his leadership in the classroom, two Tar Heels, Sam Howell and Joshua Ezeudu, earned spots on the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Football Team last year, recognizing their outstanding academic and athletic performance during the 2019 season.
In the community, Brown is very involved with his annual charity event called Mack, Jack & McConaughey (MJ&M), which benefits various organizations dedicated to children’s education, health and wellness. The fundraising effort is led by Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, ACM Award-winning recording artist Jack Ingram and Mack Brown. Since the event launched in 2013, the nonprofit has given more than $13 million dollars to charitable organizations. Funds raised through MJ&M have supported CureDuchenne, Dell Children’s Medical Center, HeartGift, just keep livin Foundation and The Rise School of Austin.
“As the all-time wins leader in program history, Coach Brown has already left a legacy on the football field at North Carolina,” said Gary Stokan, CEO and president of Peach Bowl, Inc. “Yet it’s his work in the classroom and throughout the communities where he’s coached that truly sets him apart.”
The Dodd Trophy presented by the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl – along with the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week Award – celebrates the head coach of a FBS team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity.
A panel consisting of all 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 2020 season. The winner of the 2020 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during the week of this year’s Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Per Release