ATLANTA (Sept. 18, 2023) - Officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. today announced that Florida head football coach Billy Napier has been selected as The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week Presented by PNC Bank.

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 Florida Gators defeated No. 11 Tennessee in their SEC season opener on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Billy Napier led the Gators to a 29-16 victory, giving Florida its 17th win over the Volunteers in their last 19 meetings, as well as their 10th consecutive home victory over Tennessee dating back to 2005. Running back Trevor Etienne rushed for a career-high 172 yards with one touchdown, while quarterback Graham Mertz threw for 166 yards and his first career rushing touchdown as a Gator.  

"Coach Napier demonstrated an impressive coaching performance over the weekend over a highly ranked conference opponent and rival," said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. "Jumping out to a commanding 26-7 lead at the half, coach Dodd would have applauded how well coach Napier had clearly prepared his team for a hard-fought battle right out of the gate."

Napier was named head coach at Florida in November 2021 after coaching at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette from 2018-2021. There, he led the Ragin' Cajuns to a 40-12 record and a perfect 16-0 mark over Sun Belt West Division opponents. Napier's teams also claimed four straight West Division titles and were the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Champions. These accomplishments led him to be named the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year twice, in 2019 and 2021.  Before his head coaching career, Napier also spent time at Clemson, South Carolina State, Alabama, Colorado State and Arizona State. Saturday's win was Napier's second victory over a ranked opponent as head coach of the Gators, after previously defeating No. 10 Utah last year.

Napier's student-athletes have also been successful in the classroom earning a 977 Academic Progress Rate during the last academic year, while also recording a Graduation Success Rate of 96 in 2022.

In the community, Napier and his staff implemented a program called GatorMade as an initiative to help prepare players for life after football. Florida's student-athletes are empowered with opportunities to learn, serve and lead. In 2022, 16 Gators student-athletes made a trip to Athens, Greece to serve those less fortunate and give helping hands to the "The Smile of the Child" organization. A second group of student-athletes also recently took a trip to Atlanta over their spring breaks to meet with the Atlanta Gator Club, to discuss opportunities to give back to the surrounding communities and for potential opportunities after their playing careers.

"Coach Napier has implemented a new culture at the University of Florida, centered around success both on and off the field," said Gary Stokan, CEO and president of Peach Bowl, Inc. "With his mentality to prepare his athletes for life beyond football, he's building a new foundation in Gainesville that has already started paying dividends in only his second year."

The Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank – 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 2023 season. The winner of the 2023 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.