University of Memphis Athletics
Fuente, Lynch Garner Weekly Recognition
Oct 20, 2015 | Football
Accolades continue in light of win over Ole Miss
University of Memphis Coach Justin Fuente has been named The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week while Paxton Lynch has been named the Offensive Player of the Week by the Tennessee Sports Writers Associations. Both awards were announced on Tuesday.
Officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl announced Fuente's recognition.
The award honors the football coach whose program embodies The Dodd Trophy's three pillars: scholarship, leadership and integrity, while also enjoying success on the playing field during the previous week.
"It is a very exciting time for Memphis Football right now and Coach Fuente is a big reason for that," said Jim Terry, Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. "With a victory this past weekend over a top-25 ranked SEC team, Memphis has established itself as a team to keep an eye on for the rest of the season. Coach Fuente took over as head coach in 2012 and built the program on four distinct pillars, which are very similar to The Dodd Trophy's own pillars."
When Fuente took over at Memphis in 2012, he wanted to change the culture of the program by building his teams around four pillars: academic integrity, social responsibility, individual accountability and competitive excellence. As a result, in 2014, Memphis Football recorded the highest grade point average in program history. The Tigers went 10-3 and won the inaugural Miami Beach Bowl.
Memphis is currently riding a 13-game winning streak dating back to the final seven games of the 2014 season.
The Tigers head into Friday night's game at Tulsa ranked No. 18 in the AP Top 25 Poll and No. 17 in the Amway Coaches Poll. Kickoff of Friday's game is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.
The Doll Trophy – along with the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week 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 winner of the 2015 Dodd Trphy will be announced in Atlanta during Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Week. A panel consisting of all 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 2015 season.
Lynch earned the TSWA Offensive Player of the Week award for a second time in 2015. He also earned the honor following the Tigers' other victory over a Power Five Conference opponent, Kansas, last month.
Lynch passed for 384 yards and three touchdowns in the Tigers' win over Ole Miss. The victory was Memphis' first over a nationally-ranked opponent since 1996. The Deltona, Fla., native set new career standards for completions and passing attempts with a 39-for-53 performance. The game marked Lynch's fifth straight 300-yard passing game and the ninth of his career. With three touchdown passes in the game, the junior moved to second in all-time touchdown passes at Memphis with 44.
Officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl announced Fuente's recognition.
The award honors the football coach whose program embodies The Dodd Trophy's three pillars: scholarship, leadership and integrity, while also enjoying success on the playing field during the previous week.
"It is a very exciting time for Memphis Football right now and Coach Fuente is a big reason for that," said Jim Terry, Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. "With a victory this past weekend over a top-25 ranked SEC team, Memphis has established itself as a team to keep an eye on for the rest of the season. Coach Fuente took over as head coach in 2012 and built the program on four distinct pillars, which are very similar to The Dodd Trophy's own pillars."
When Fuente took over at Memphis in 2012, he wanted to change the culture of the program by building his teams around four pillars: academic integrity, social responsibility, individual accountability and competitive excellence. As a result, in 2014, Memphis Football recorded the highest grade point average in program history. The Tigers went 10-3 and won the inaugural Miami Beach Bowl.
Memphis is currently riding a 13-game winning streak dating back to the final seven games of the 2014 season.
The Tigers head into Friday night's game at Tulsa ranked No. 18 in the AP Top 25 Poll and No. 17 in the Amway Coaches Poll. Kickoff of Friday's game is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.
The Doll Trophy – along with the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week 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 winner of the 2015 Dodd Trphy will be announced in Atlanta during Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Week. A panel consisting of all 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 2015 season.
Lynch earned the TSWA Offensive Player of the Week award for a second time in 2015. He also earned the honor following the Tigers' other victory over a Power Five Conference opponent, Kansas, last month.
Lynch passed for 384 yards and three touchdowns in the Tigers' win over Ole Miss. The victory was Memphis' first over a nationally-ranked opponent since 1996. The Deltona, Fla., native set new career standards for completions and passing attempts with a 39-for-53 performance. The game marked Lynch's fifth straight 300-yard passing game and the ninth of his career. With three touchdown passes in the game, the junior moved to second in all-time touchdown passes at Memphis with 44.
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