Sooner Football Head Coach Brent Venables Named To 2026 Dodd Trophy Watch List

Brent Venables was named to the 2026 Dodd Trophy Watch List this week, and it’s a well-deserved honor.

The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. released the preseason watch list for the 2026 Dodd Trophy, which includes 20 of the nation’s top college football coaches representing all Power Four conferences, as well as the Pac-12 and Notre Dame.

The Dodd Trophy is college football's most coveted national coaching award. It 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.

Venables made the list for good reason. He’s built a strong culture at Oklahoma and led the Sooners to the College Football Playoff last season. The program feels like it’s heading in the right direction, as the Sooners enter their third season in the SEC.

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 Academic Progress Rate (APR), Graduation Success Rate (GSR), commitment to service and charity in the community, as well as projected success for the 2026 season.

Coaches in the first year with their current teams were not included as they are ineligible to receive The Dodd Trophy until the second year leading their programs. Head coaches named to this year's watch list were also required to have an APR above the national average of 971.

"For more than five decades, The Dodd Trophy has established itself as the most coveted head coaching award in college football because it represents more than just wins on the field," said Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation Jim Terry.

"Equally as important, we also focus on a coach's impact on developing student-athletes in the classroom and within their communities. As a result, consideration is limited to coaches who have set a standard of academic excellence and have spent at least two seasons leading their current programs, allowing them time to build a culture of success on and off the field."

Venables fits that description perfectly. He’s been at Oklahoma long enough to build his culture, and the program has shown real progress on and off the field. The Sooners have made the playoff and had one of the best defenses in the country last season.

Academics and character have always been important under Venables, and that shows in the way the program operates.

The coaches named to this year's preseason watch list have combined for four national championships, 31 FBS conference titles and secured 1,841 wins throughout their careers.

Of the 20 coaches on the watch list, four are previous winners of The Dodd Trophy, including Curt Cignetti (2025), Kirk Ferentz (2015), Marcus Freeman (2024) and Willie Fritz (2022).

Additionally, three of the finalists for last year's award are represented with Ryan Day (Ohio State), Kirby Smart (Georgia) and the eventual winner of the 2025 Dodd Trophy, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti.

The Big Ten leads all conferences with seven coaches named to the preseason watch list, followed by the SEC with six coaches represented and the ACC with three. The Big 12 has two coaches included on this year's list, along with a representative from the Pac-12 and one coach from Notre Dame.

Venables being on this list is a good early sign for the Sooners. It shows the national respect for what he’s building in Norman. The program is trending in the right direction, and this recognition is well-deserved.

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.

This is a nice honor for Venables. He’s done a lot to build the program the right way, and it’s good to see that recognized. Now it’s about going out and having a big season in 2026 to put himself in the conversation for the actual award.