Austin American Statesman

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http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sp...NWUbTTUWUXUWUZTUWUbU]UZUbU]UcTYWVVZV&urcm=y

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Southlake Carroll's Dodge named head coach at North Texas

High school coach has 46-game winning streak and going for another state title.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

DENTON — Todd Dodge was hired as coach at North Texas on Tuesday, making the rare jump from high schools to the top of an NCAA Division I-A program after an unprecedented run of success at Southlake Carroll.

Dodge, a former Texas quarterback, has coached Carroll to a 77-1 record in the state's highest classification. The Dragons have won 46 consecutive games and are two wins from their third straight state title and fourth in five years. They have a 50-game regular-season winning streak and are the only school to win a state title in their first year in Class 5A.

Carroll also won back-to-back "mythical" national championships, based on national polls, and two years ago played on ESPN2 in the first Texas high school game televised nationally.

Dodge was the offensive coordinator at North Texas in 1992-93 before returning to high schools to start his head coaching career. Last year, he interviewed with Bill Parcells for an opening on the Dallas Cowboys staff, and he turned down an invitation to interview for the opening at Rice.

Dodge replaces Darrell Dickey, who was fired midway through a 3-9 season that left him with a 42-64 record over nine years.

"My family and I are extremely excited for the opportunity to return to the Mean Green football program, which is very near to our hearts," Dodge said in a statement.

Dodge's move may hold particular interest for Westlake High School football fans. Westlake is one win away from a potential Class 5A state championship showdown with Carroll. First, Westlake faces Pearland in one state semifinal Saturday, while Carroll faces Allen in the other.

Dodge had long been mentioned as a possible head coach at Westlake someday. His wife is the daughter of Westlake's longtime athletic director Ebbie Neptune, who retired in 2003.

Dodge played at Texas from 1983 to 1985, starting 14 games. He completed 157 of 351 passes for 2,791 yards for Texas.

North Texas averaged almost 16,000 fans per game this season, or about 30,000 fewer than the crowd for Carroll's 22-21 victory against Euless Trinity in a playoff thriller at Texas Stadium last month. The 46,339 fans for that game are thought to be the second-most for a high school game in Texas.

The Dragons have been generating that kind of buzz for several years with their four-receiver, no-huddle spread offense, also known as "Dodge Ball."

The latest triggerman — Dodge's son, Riley — has the Dragons rolling along at 14-0. He will have a different coach for his senior season next year, but the family won't have to move. Dodge's new office will be about 20 miles north of his old one, and his decision will raise questions about a possible reunion in college.

Riley Dodge is projected as one of the state's top quarterback prospects for the 2008 recruiting season, according to Jeremy Crabtree of rivals.com.

Former Carroll quarterback Chase Daniel is now the Missouri starter who led the Tigers to a 6-0 start and will play in the Sun Bowl in El Paso in a couple of weeks.