The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl will celebrate legendary coach George Welsh’s 25th anniversary of winning the national coaching award on October 29 during the Virginia Cavaliers’ home football game against Louisville.
“Coach Welsh’s tenure as the head coach at Virginia, and really his entire career, is remarkable,” said Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall. “Having the opportunity to meet many of the players he coached, they hold him in very high regard for how he helped to make them better players and how he shaped them as young men.
“I am delighted to have the Bobby Dodd Foundation and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl honor him this week on the 25th anniversary of his being named the national coach of the year.”
The Dodd Trophy celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also representing programs with the highest ideals of scholarship, leadership and integrity on and off the field – the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd’s philosophy.
Coach Welsh was awarded The Dodd Trophy in 1991 after an 8-3-1 season at Virginia that was capped off with an appearance in the Gator Bowl. That season, two Cavaliers were named All-Americans, while five others earned Academic All-ACC recognition for their work in the classroom.
During his tenure as head coach of Virginia from 1982-2000, Coach Welsh led the Cavaliers to an impressive overall record of 134–86–3, including two ACC titles and 12 bowl appearances.
“It’s our honor to be able to celebrate a legendary head coach like George Welsh,” said Jim Terry, Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. “We are thrilled to be able to celebrate his 25th anniversary of winning The Dodd Trophy with the Cavalier faithful in Charlottesville.”
“Coach Welsh’s commitment to excellence at the University of Virginia left a legacy not only on the football field, but in the classroom as well,” said Gary Stokan, President & CEO of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. “His leadership and guidance impacted the lives of countless student athletes who played under his direction.”
Since 2014, officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl have celebrated the major anniversaries of previous winners of The Dodd Trophy by honoring them on-field during a game on their campus. Last year, legendary coaches Vince Dooley (Georgia), Bobby Bowden (Florida State) and Bobby Ross (Georgia Tech) were all recognized at their respective schools.
The winner of the 2016 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Week. 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 2016 season.
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Chris Graham
