One of Bobby Dodd’s most impressive stats didn’t stem from the field.
The Georgia Tech football coaching legend, who wrapped his career with a .713 winning percentage, reportedly graduated more than 95% of the four-year athletes he coached.
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“He wanted his players to be successful long after the crowd stopped cheering, and so he made sure they graduated,” said Jim Terry, Chairman of the Board for The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation.
Dodd’s namesake organization recognizes FBS coaches who apply scholarship, leadership and integrity in their work, its Dodd Trophy one of the game’s highest coaching honors.
Before Dodd made his mark as a coach, he was highly regarded as a player at Tennessee. The 1930 All-American running back had a huge game against Vanderbilt, then a Southern power.
In the 13-0 victory, he ran for 39 yards, passed for 159 and two touchdowns and had two interceptions. He led the Volunteers to a 9-1 record that season.
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He was the head coach at Georgia Tech for 22 seasons (1945–1966). Before that, he served as an assistant coach on the team for 14 seasons (1931–1944). Dodd moonlighted as the school’s athletic director beginning in 1950, serving past his coaching retirement until 1976 and later leading alumni fundraising. In total, he was a school mainstay for 57 years in different capacities.
Georgia Tech notched back-to-back undefeated seasons under Dodd in 1951, with a 17-14 win over Baylor in the Orange Bowl, and 1952, when the team won the national championship. He led Georgia Tech to 13 bowl games, nine of which were won. From 1951–1953, the Yellow Jackets ran the table, shutting out 31 consecutive opponents.
In 1959, Dodd was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player while still in his head coaching position.
Georgia Tech christened Bobby Dodd Stadium in 1988. In 1993, Dodd was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach, one of four to hold the title as a player and coach.
