ATLANTA (Oct. 11, 2021) - Officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. today announced that Texas A&M head football coach Jimbo Fisher has been selected as The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week presented by PNC.
The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week award honors a football coach who led his team to a significant victory during the previous week, while also embodying the award's three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity.
The Texas A&M Aggies knocked off No.1 Alabama 41-38 on a 28-yard field goal as time expired. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Zach Calzada led the Aggies on offense, completing 21-of-31 passes for 285 yards and three passing touchdowns. Wide receiver Ainias Smith led the receiving efforts with six catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns, while tight end Jalen Wydermyer had three catches for 73 yards and a score. Junior running back Isaiah Spiller contributed 46 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
The Aggie defense was able to get in the backfield all night with four sacks and five tackles for loss. Texas A&M also held Alabama to just 10 points in the first half, the Tide's lowest mark in a half since 2017. Aaron Hansford and Leon O'Neal Jr. led the efforts on defense with nine total tackles each, while senior defensive lineman Tyree Johnson contributed four total tackles to go along with his two sacks and two tackles for loss. Special teams played a large part in the upset as well. Sophomore Devon Achane had a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second half and kicker Seth Small sunk the 28-yard field goal to secure the victory.
This was the program's third win over a No. 1 team in program history and the first since 2012. The Aggies snapped several impressive streaks, most notably Alabama's 19-game win streak which was the longest in the FBS. Fisher also became the first former assistant to defeat Nick Saban.
"This was a historic win for both Jimbo Fisher and the Texas A&M program, giving the defending National Champions their first loss in two seasons," said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. "Coach Dodd would have appreciated the way Coach Fisher kept his team composed during Alabama's second-half comeback effort and fought back to pull off the upset."
Jimbo Fisher is one of only five active head coaches to win the National Championship and ranks as the third-winningest active head coach in the Power Five. Fisher was hired at Texas A&M on Dec. 4, 2017 after eight successful seasons at Florida State, which included the 2013 BCS National Championship. His .764 career winning percentage ranks top five among active head coaches (with a minimum five years).
Off of the football field, Fisher has been instrumental in leading the Aggies in the classroom, boasting an impressive Academic Progress Rate of 965. This past season, he also had 30 members of the football team named to the 2020 Fall Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
In the community, Fisher has been very active with his foundation Kidz1stFund. The nonprofit was founded in 2011 to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for Fanconi anemia, a rare blood disorder that affects thousands, including Fisher's youngest son, Ethan. Providing funds to the doctors and researchers is crucial to making this goal a reality, which is why Fisher is committed that 100 percent of the funds donated will go directly toward research. Kidz1stFund also hosts bone marrow donor drives throughout the year, has registered more than 7,000 new potential donors into the National Marrow Donor Registry and has had at least 10 matches go on to save a life. In total, the organization has now raised almost $10 million for FA research since its creation.
"Coach Fisher's resume on the football field speaks for itself, but it's his work outside of football that has made a lasting impact on thousands of lives," said Gary Stokan, CEO and president of Peach Bowl, Inc. "His Kidz1stFund foundation is literally saving lives and is truly making a difference for people with Fanconi anemia, including his son Ethan."
The Dodd Trophy presented by PNC - along with the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week Award – celebrates the head coach of a FBS team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity.
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 2021 season. The winner of the 2021 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during the week of this year's Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
