Football

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald was named the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week on Tuesday after the Wildcats upset No. 20 Wisconsin.

NU (5-3, 5-1 Big Ten) defeated the Badgers, 31-17, at Ryan Field on Saturday. Freshman running back Isaiah Bowser ran for over 100 yards to pace the offense while the Cats’ defense — led by senior cornerback Montre Hartage and sophomore linebacker Blake Gallagher — forced two fumbles and held Heisman contender Jonathan Taylor to under 50 yards.

In addition, selection officials highlighted NU’s accomplishments off the field as reasoning for Fitzgerald’s selection. This includes having the country’s best Academic Progress Rating and a record number of Academic All-Big Ten honorees.

“Coach Fitzgerald has turned Northwestern into a formidable force in the Big Ten,” said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation, in a press release. “He has excelled in all aspects of being a college football coach, and has truly created a tradition of excellence for Northwestern’s program both on and off the field.”

Bobby Dodd was the head coach of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets for 22 seasons from 1945-1966 and won 165 games. He was elected as both a player and a coach to the College Football Hall of Fame.

The Dodd Coach of the Year Award is an annual award given to the coach whose program embodies integrity, leadership and scholarship. Gary Barnett is the only coach in NU history to win the award. He claimed the prize following the 1995 season when the Cats last made the Rose Bowl.

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