Strong Named to Bobby Dodd Trophy Watch List
TAMPA, OCT. 16, 2018 – USF head coach
Charlie Strong has been named to the midseason watch list for the 2018 Bobby Dodd Trophy presented to the coach of the year.
Strong was one of 17 coaches nationally named to the list and one of two from the American Athletic Conference, joining Luke Fickell of Cincinnati, which is one of three undefeated and nationally ranked teams in The American's East Division.
The Dodd Trophy celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity– the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd's coaching philosophy. The watch list was created through a selection process by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, taking into consideration each program's graduation rate, commitment to service and charity in the community, projected success for the 2018 season and Academic Progress Rate (APR).
Strong improved to 16-2 as the Bulls' head coach as USF (6-0; 2-0 American) is just one of just eight remaining unbeaten teams in FBS football. The Bulls are 6-0 for the second straight season, just the third time in program history, and moved into the Top 20 for the 31
st time in program history this week, checking it an No. 20 in the Amway Coaches Poll and No. 21 in the Associated Press Poll.
USF ranks 15
th nationally in total offense (487.3 ypg), while ranking fifth in tackles for loss (8.8 tpg) and 13
th in sacks (3.17 spg). The Bulls achieved bowl eligibility on the earliest date in program history with their Oct. 12 victory at Tulsa and are bowl eligible for the fourth straight season.
USF returns to Raymond James Stadium, where it has won 19 of its last 22 games, on Saturday for a 7 p.m. homecoming clash with UConn (1-5; 0-3 American). The Bulls have won six straight games against the Huskies and will be looking to equal the program's best-ever start by improving to 7-0 for the second straight season.
The Bulls are 34-6 in their last 40 games, a mark that is tied with Oklahoma for the fourth-best mark nationally over each team's last 40 contests and trails only Alabama (38-2), Clemson (36-4) and Ohio State (35-5).
Saturday's game will be televised by CBS Sports Network and can be heard live on the USF Sports Network (820AM; iHeart Radio Bulls Unlimited).
Season and single-game tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls, visiting
www.USFBullsTix.com or in-person at the USF Ticket Office (Lee Roy Selmon Athletic Center) Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
USF posted its second straight 10-win season in 2017 (10-2) by winning its second straight Birmingham Bowl with a 38-34 victory over Texas Tech. USF is one of just 15 teams nationally to win 20-plus games in the last two seasons (21-4) and posted a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the top 25, reaching as high as No. 13 in Week 8 of the 2017 season. The Bulls have won five of their last six bowl appearances and made nine (6-3) total bowl appearances in 21 seasons, including a current run of three straight bowls. USF won a program-record 11 games in 2016 (11-2) and has posted 14 winning seasons. The USF program, which first took the field in 1997, reached No. 2 in the rankings in 2007 and has seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and had 28 first-team all-conference selections.
Follow @USFFootball on twitter for all the latest information concerning the USF Football program.
