The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football’s Sarkisian named to Dodd Trophy preseason watch list
07.09.2026 | Football
The Dodd Trophy was established in 1976 to honor the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1A) head football coach whose program represents the highest ideals on and off the field.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Football head coach Steve Sarkisian has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2026 Dodd Trophy, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Peach Bowl, Inc. announced Thursday. 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.
Sarkisian is one of 20 head coaches on this year's preseason watch list. It's the fourth-consecutive season Sarkisian has been tabbed to the preseason watch list for the award.
Under Sarkisian, Texas finished the 2025 season with a 10-3 record, highlighted by three wins over top-10 opponents in a season where the Longhorns faced five top-10 teams – both were the most of any FBS program. In addition to its third-straight 10-win season and top-15 ranking, the season featured a fourth-straight top-25 final ranking for the first time since 2006-09. Texas' 10 wins against top-25 opponents, including five against the top-10, over the last two seasons are the most of any FBS program. After joining the SEC and resuming annual contests against Texas A&M and Arkansas, the Longhorns swept their trio of rivals – along with Oklahoma – in the same season in back-to-back years for the first time since 1969-70. The Longhorns concluded the season winning seven of their last eight games. That was capped by Cheez-It Citrus Bowl championship over Michigan than had greater viewership than two of the four CFP first-round games. Texas took care of the ball and finished the season ranked fifth in turnover margin (1.08) and had the fifth-fewest turnovers lost (9). UT also ranked second nationally in fumbles lost with just two across 13 games.
On defense, Texas totaled 16 interceptions, which stood 12th nationally. All-American returner Ryan Niblett helped Texas rank second nationally in punt returns with an average of 22 yards per return. He was one of four Longhorns to garner All-America status along with LB Anthony Hill Jr., EDGE Colin Simmons and DB Michael Taaffe. Two of those were first-team accolades with Taaffe's being from the AFCA, and Niblett's from the FWAA. Eight players received All-SEC Coaches' Team selection, including three First Team picks in Simmons, Taaffe and OT Trevor Goosby. Meanwhile, Hill Jr., Niblett, DB Malik Muhammad, and WR Ryan Wingo and were selected to the Second Team, and OL DJ Campbell was on the Third Team. In his first season as full-time starter, QB Arch Manning completed 248-of-404 passes for 3,163 yards and 26 touchdowns, averaging 243.3 yards per game. Manning's 3,163 passing yards were the 10th-most in the program's single-season history. Manning was also second on the team with 399 rushing yards and 10 rushing scores. Simmons led Texas defensively with team-highs in sacks (12.0), tackles for loss (15.5), quarterback hurries (15) and forced fumbles (3) while compiling 43 tackles, two pass break-ups and one fumble recovery. Simmons' 12.0 sacks led the SEC and ranked fifth nationally.
For the third-straight year in 2026, Texas had at least six players drafted after having only four previous drafts of that many since the draft went to seven rounds in 1994. The Longhorns' 29 total draft picks over the last three years lead the country along with Georgia and Ohio State, while Texas' 23 draft picks between 2024 and 2025 led the nation. Texas had 32 players in the NFL when Sarkisian arrived in 2021, and in just five seasons under his leadership, 41 of his players are currently on NFL rosters, including 34 from just the 2023-25 teams alone.
A midseason watch list – adding to or narrowing the field – will be released in the fall. A panel consisting of 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 2026 season. The winner of the 2026 Dodd Trophy will then be announced in Atlanta during the week of the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
On a weekly basis, the Dodd Coach of the Week award will also honor coaches whose program embodies the award's three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, while also having success on the playing field during the previous week.
