Reann Huber | The Red & BlackGeorgia coach Kirby Smart yells from the sideline at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on November 11, 2017. 

Georgia football coach Kirby Smart was named to the preseason watch list for the Bobby Dodd trophy, according to the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation on Wednesday.

Smart is one of 20 coaches to be named to the list, which consists of coaches of the nation’s top college football programs across all of the Power 5 conferences, as well as the Mountain West and Notre Dame.

The Dodd trophy is awarded to the head coach of a team that exemplifies success on and off the field with the emphasis of scholarship, leadership and integrity.

“The Dodd Trophy distinguishes itself from other coaching awards due to the high standards used to determine potential candidates,” said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. “This is the most-coveted coaching award because it looks beyond rankings, wins or losses, and measures the overall impact these coaches have on their players, universities and communities.”

Smart is one of four coaches in the Southeastern Conference to be named to this list. Alabama’s Nick Saban, Auburn’s Gus Malzahn and South Carolina’s Will Muschamp round out the rest of the SEC.

Former Georgia coach Mark Richt also made the list for his work at Miami. Richt and Smart were two of the four finalists for the award last year.

This year, the recipient of the Dodd trophy will be announced in Atlanta during the Chick-Fil-A Bowl week.

Printed with permission from The Red & Black independent student media organization in Athens, Ga.; redandblack.com/sports.