Fw*telegram Finding Dodge An Intensive Search

OldTimer · December 17, 2006

Colleges

Posted on Sun, Dec. 17, 2006 Finding Dodge was an intense searchBy TROY PHILLIPS

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

STAR-TELEGRAM/STEWART F. HOUSEIt took 35 days for North Texas to announce its latest head football coach. A search that took countless twists and turns ended Tuesday with the announcement of the hiring of Carroll High School coach Todd Dodge. What goes into a coaching search? Time, stress, speculation and uncertainty are all elements. A look at how the search unfolded:

Nov. 8: With three games left in his ninth season, North Texas coach Darrell Dickey is fired by athletic director Rick Villarreal. Immediately, Carroll coach Todd Dodge is the No. 1-speculated candidate to replace Dickey.

Nov. 9: Calling the scenario "premature," Dodge says if UNT or any college "saw fit" to call him after the high school season, he would listen.

Nov. 12: Villarreal calls Dodge to gauge his interest. They arrange a Nov. 17 meeting in Denton.

Nov. 13: The search hits full stride, as Villarreal is snowed under by inquiries. At least 100 coaches show interest.

Nov. 14: UNT reaches a settlement with Dickey, paying him $524,167 for the three years left on his contract.

Nov. 17: Dodge and Villarreal meet in Denton for two hours. A meeting with UNT President Gretchen M. Bataille is discussed.

Nov. 18: A scant 9,800 fans watch UNT's last home game, a 17-16 loss to Florida Atlantic.

Nov. 19: Villarreal calls Dodge to set up a meeting with the UNT president.

Nov. 22: UNT announces its largest athletic gift, $1.5 million from Shirley and Al Goldfield, will help spearhead a capital drive for a new football stadium.

Nov. 23: Villarreal and Bataille interview Dodge in Denton. Dodge tells his family he could eventually be offered the job.

Nov. 25: Dickey coaches his last game at Louisiana-Monroe.

Nov. 25: After the Clemson game, South Carolina defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix tells a reporter that UNT has contacted him about its vacant coaching job.

Nov. 25: Villarreal contacts LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher.

Nov. 27: Villarreal's search halts briefly after the death of former UNT player and close friend/booster Cecil "Zeke" Martin in a car accident in Fort Worth.

Nov. 28: Regarding UNT, Dodge says he has heard only from media and a random school alum. He says he and Villarreal haven't met, and he doesn't consider himself a candidate."

Nov. 28: Nix says if "the right deal" can be reached, coaching UNT would be a possibility. No interview is scheduled.

Nov. 29: Dodge is named head coach of the West for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, a high school all-star game on Jan. 6.

Nov. 30: Nix tells UNT he is withdrawing from consideration.

Dec. 1: A Sporting News columnist writes that Fisher is interviewing at UNT.

Dec. 5: Villarreal says Fisher, still a rumored candidate, had no interview. Asked about Dodge or University of San Diego coach Jim Harbaugh, Villarreal declines to comment.

Dec. 6-7: Harbaugh interviews for the UNT job on his way from an interview at Tulane.

Dec. 7: Bataille schedules a meeting with UNT players to assure them the search is nearing an end. Villarreal takes her place.

Dec. 7-8: Nebraska offensive coordinator Jay Norvell interviews for the UNT job.

Dec. 8: A scheduled UNT board of regents meeting is postponed, pushing back a vote to set contract terms for a coach.

Dec. 9: As Carroll beats Colleyville Heritage High School in the Class 5A regional final, rumors fly at Texas Stadum that Dodge will be named UNT's coach within days.

Dec. 10: Dodge is offered the UNT job.

Dec. 11: Dodge moves Carroll's usual Tuesday media day for playoff games back to Monday. He denies knowledge of a planned news conference at UNT the next day.

Dec. 11: On Monday, UNT cancels its weekly Tuesday basketball news conference. Plans begin for a larger media forum to announce Dodge's hiring.

Dec. 12: A little after 2 p.m., the board of regents authorize Villarreal and Bataille to offer Dodge a contract. Dodge informs his Carroll team.

Dec. 12: In Southlake, Dodge signs a five-year contract with UNT at 3 p.m. before a 3:45 Carroll practice. Villarreal has lost 27 pounds from stress of the search.

Dec. 12: Dodge is introduced as UNT's coach at a crowded 7:15 p.m. news conference in Denton. About 35 UNT players meet Dodge behind closed doors for 10 minutes. The Dodge family has dinner in the town square.

Dec. 13: Dodge returns to work at Carroll, where he will coach until the season is over.

THE OTHER "CANDIDATES"

Contacted UNT: Randy Butler, Southern Miss; Curtis Modkins, Georgia Tech; Eric Price, UT-El Paso; Todd Berry, Miami (Fla.); Mike Schultz, TCU; Bruce Chambers, Texas

Rumored/unconfirmed: Pat Sullivan, Ala.-Birmingham; Mickey Matthews, James Madison; Pete Hoener, San Francisco 49ers

Way out there: Hawaii defensive coordinator and former NFL head coach Jerry Glanville was never considered, but UNT was contacted on his behalf.

Edited December 17, 2006 by OldTimer

NT03 · December 17, 2006

Great Read. If Todd Berry was named HC all this Hype over TD would have been the equal amount of hype , but in a NEGATIVE way. Thank GOD for RV & TD!!!!

SilverEagle · December 17, 2006

Randy Butler might have been a serious candidate and they didn't even contact/interview Don Carthel!?!?

Geezzz, it's a good thing that TD accepted the job.

KingDL1 · December 17, 2006

Nov. 13: The search hits full stride, as Villarreal is snowed under by inquiries. At least 100 coaches show interest.
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Pretty dang good for the worst situation in football.

What a ride it was, RV did one hell of a job!! How many days until the 2007 opening game!

MeanGreenBuzz · December 17, 2006

Dec. 12: In Southlake, Dodge signs a five-year contract with UNT at 3 p.m. before a 3:45 Carroll practice. Villarreal has lost 27 pounds from stress of the search.

Now one can/should ever question RVs dedication to the school after this. He is a great man and has lead this school in the right direction ever since he has arrived and this should prove to any doubters that he loves being here and truly cares about what happens to North Texas.

Peacock · December 17, 2006

Dec. 12: In Southlake, Dodge signs a five-year contract with UNT at 3 p.m. before a 3:45 Carroll practice. Villarreal has lost 27 pounds from stress of the search.
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Man, sounds like I need to go find a head coach myself...

JayDub · December 17, 2006

Dec. 12: In Southlake, Dodge signs a five-year contract with UNT at 3 p.m. before a 3:45 Carroll practice. Villarreal has lost 27 pounds from stress of the search.
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When is RV's weight loss book coming out? I need to get on that diet.

Seriously...RV really ought to go to the doctor for a full workup.

Edited December 17, 2006 by JayDub

NT80 · December 17, 2006

When is RV's weight loss book coming out? I need to get on that diet.
Seriously...RV really ought to go to the doctor for a full workup.
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RV talked about the weight loss at the press conference. I thought he looked trim, I could stand to lose that myself.

gksmith · December 18, 2006

When is RV's weight loss book coming out? I need to get on that diet.
Seriously...RV really ought to go to the doctor for a full workup.
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Not exactly sure that was a real "healthy" way to lose 27 pounds. Glad this process did not take longer. RV would start looking like an anorexic supermodel before too long.

Smitty · December 18, 2006

Pretty dang good for the worst situation in football.
What a ride it was, RV did one hell of a job!! How many days until the 2007 opening game!
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That's what jumped out at me, too. Dead end, huh? Worthless job, huh?

When we were all feeling at our lowest in years about this program, one-freakin'-hundred coaches were interested in this job. You want validation for UNT football? Well it doesn't need validation. It is alive and well, thank you very much.

EagleD · December 18, 2006

I wish DeLoach's name had been mentioned. He was my first choice. However, I think Dodge was the right choice in the end. Any chance we could get DeLoach back to be DC?

I've got a fever. This time the only prescription is more MEAN GREEN FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! O.K. more cowbell too.

GO MEAN GREEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Smitty · December 18, 2006

Randy Butler might have been a serious candidate and they didn't even contact/interview Don Carthel!?!?
Geezzz, it's a good thing that TD accepted the job.
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Notice that Randy Butler's name doesn't appear anywhere in the Star Telegram's chronology, it only shows up in the list of "other candidates." Had he been a serious candidate, I think he would have been more prominantly mentioned.

It sounds like Butler and Nix were not serious candidates. But it does sound like they were seriously interested in the job.

From this story, Harbaugh, Jay Norvell, and Jimbo Fisher were the other serious candidates, and if Dodge had turned the job down, that's where RV might have turned next.

flyeater · December 18, 2006

Not that it ever would have happened, but can you imagine the sheer comedy factor of having Glanville as your college head coach? Don't know much about his coaching, but that guy's a hoot. Only problem I see is him wearing all black...never seen this much detail about a coaching search.

mwynn05 · December 18, 2006

Not that it ever would have happened, but can you imagine the sheer comedy factor of having Glanville as your college head coach? Don't know much about his coaching, but that guy's a hoot. Only problem I see is him wearing all black...never seen this much detail about a coaching search.
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But I thought Dodge was our 5th choice and had no interest in the job

flyeater · December 18, 2006

But I thought Dodge was our 5th choice and had no interest in the job
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I don't think there were any ranking of RV's' choices, just the process itself of getting to TD. Look at when he called the guy ... 4 days after DD was canned. Dodge had to "appear" uninterested.

mwynn05 · December 18, 2006

I don't think there were any ranking of RV's' choices, just the process itself of getting to TD. Look at when he called the guy ... 4 days after DD was canned. Dodge had to "appear" uninterested.
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I was making a reference to a thread at the Texas State board that was posted here