Alabama football head coach Nick Saban was named to the Dodd Trophy’s preseason watch list on Thursday. The award, given by the Bobby Dodd Foundation and Peach Bowl Inc. honors a coach whose team succeeds on the field while also “stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity.”

Saban won the award in 2014. This year’s watchlist is made up of coaches who have an APR higher than 980, and does not include any coaches in their first season at their current job.

“We are proud to recognize these men as great leaders in our sport who have consistently exemplified The Dodd Trophy’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity,” Gary Stokan, president and CEO of Peach Bowl Inc. said in a news release. “Both on and off the field, these coaches have shown what it takes to always strive for excellence and help push their student-athletes to be their very best.”

Saban is one of two SEC coaches on the list, joining Arkansas’ Sam Pittman. He’s one of six previous winners, which also include North Carolina’s Mack Brown, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, Utah’s Kyle Whittingham and Tulane’s Willie Fritz, who won the award last year.

The crop of coaches could grow or shrink midseason, when an updated list will be released. The winner will be chosen by a panel of previous winners, media members, the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member and announced the week of the Peach Bowl.

The 2023 Peach Bowl is scheduled for Dec. 30 in Atlanta.

Which coaches made the Dodd Trophy preseason watch list?

Dave Aranda– Baylor

Andy Avalos– Boise State

Mack Brown– North Carolina

Dave Clawson– Wake Forest

Ryan Day– Ohio State

Dave Doeren– NC State

Kirk Ferentz– Iowa

PJ Fleck– Minnesota

Marcus Freeman– Notre Dame

Willie Fritz– Tulane

Jim Harbaugh– Michigan

Gus Malzahn– Central Florida

Joey McGuire– Texas Tech

Mike Norvell– Florida State

Sam Pittman– Arkansas

Nick Saban– Alabama

Steve Sarkisian– Texas

Dabo Swinney– Clemson

Mel Tucker– Michigan State

Brent Venables– Oklahoma

Kyle Whittingham– Utah