IOWA CITY — University of Iowa Moon Family head football coach Kirk Ferentz is one of 21 head coaches named to the 2024 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List. The announcement was made Monday by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc.

The Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted national coaching award, 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 Peach Bowl, Inc., taking into consideration each program’s graduation rate, commitment to service and charity in the community, projected success for the 2024 season and Academic Progress Rate (APR).

Ferentz is heading into his 26th season as Iowa’s head coach, the longest tenured head coach in college football. Ferentz has coached 13 individual national award winners and 89 NFL Draft selections during his tenure. He has guided Iowa to Big Ten championships in 2002 and 2004, and Big Ten West Division titles in 2015, 2021 and 2023.

Iowa’s all-time winningest head coach, Ferentz has led the Hawkeyes to a 196 wins, including 122 in the Big Ten. He is four wins from notching win No. 200 as Iowa’s head coach and surpassing Amos Alonzo Stagg (199) for second in the Big Ten for total victories. Ferentz was a Dodd Trophy semifinalist in 2023, leading the Hawkeyes to 10 wins, the Big Ten West Division title and a berth in the Citrus Bowl for the second time in three seasons.

Ferentz has led the Hawkeyes to 21 bowl invitations, including 13 January bowl game appearances. Iowa has won 10 or more games eight times under his direction and has been ranked in the final Top 25 rankings five of the last six seasons.

Ferentz was named the Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year in 2015. He has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year four times (2002, 2004, 2009, 2015) and was named the Woody Hayes and Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year in 2015, as well.

The 21 coaches joining Ferentz on the preseason list represent Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Missouri, NC State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia Tech, USC and Utah.

The Hawkeyes open the 2024 season Aug. 31, hosting Illinois State at 11 a.m. (CT) inside Kinnick Stadium.