Carr Named Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award Winner
12/31/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
ATLANTA, Ga. -- University of Michigan head football coach Lloyd Carr was named the 2007 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year during a presentation aired at halftime of the Chick-fil-A Bowl on New Year's Eve. Carr is the second U-M coach to win the Dodd Award; Bo Schembechler was the recipient the second time it was presented, in 1977.
The Bobby Dodd Award is presented each season by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. The award was established in 1976 to honor the Division I college football coach whose program represents quality on and off the field. The Bobby Dodd Award honors the coach of a team enjoying a successful season while stressing the importance of academic excellence and sense of duty to return something to the community, as Coach Dodd did during his 22 seasons at Georgia Tech.
Carr will officially receive the Bobby Dodd Award in ceremonies in March. The award includes a check for $10,000 that will be given to the scholarship fund of the university.
Carr announced his retirement Nov. 19 after the final regular-season game with Ohio State. He guided the Wolverines to an 8-4 record in 2007 and a tie for second place in the Big Ten Conference standings with a 6-2 mark.
As head coach, Carr has compiled a 121-40 overall record and is currently seventh among active coaches with a .752 winning percentage. He has led the Wolverines to six 10-win seasons. Carr trails only Fielding H. Yost (165-29-10) and Schembechler (194-48-5) in career victories at Michigan.
Carr has been dominant in Big Ten play, winning 13 of his final 16 career league games. He boasts the conference's third-best overall winning percentage at .779 (81-23), trailing only his mentor, Schembechler (.850), and Yost (.786). Carr is just the eighth coach in league history to claim five or more championships.
Carr led the Wolverines to the 1997 national championship, the school's first title in 49 years, with a 21-16 victory over Washington State in the 1998 Rose Bowl. He was named the national coach of the year by six different organizations following Michigan's climb to the summit of college football's elite.
Prior to being elevated to head coach, Carr was an assistant coach under Schembechler (1980-89) and Gary Moeller (1990-94). He joined Schembechler's staff as the defensive secondary coach for seven seasons prior to being promoted to defensive coordinator (1987-94) for three seasons under Schembechler and all five seasons with Moeller. Carr also served as assistant head coach for Moeller.
Carr will coach his 162nd and final game as Michigan head coach against No. 9 Florida in the 2008 Capital One Bowl played on New Year's Day.
Award Presentation Video
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Story
Media Contact: David Ablauf (734) 763-4423
