Dodgeball

[FirefightnRick]

http://www.dallasobserver.com/Issues/2006-...news/whitt.html

Dodgeball

North Texas' new football coach will be fast, furious and fruitful

By Richie Whitt

Article Published Dec 21, 2006

Details

Who / What:

University of North Texas

Todd Dodge

Southlake Carroll High School

Todd Dodge built Southlake Carroll into the area's all-time best sports dynasty.Suhhhhhnnnaaaap!

With a bold, brilliant pop of its fingers, the University of North Texas placed its football program in good hands. Great hands. Skilled, innovative, virtuoso hands.

Todd Dodge's hands.

"I believe we can win, win consistently and win big here," Dodge said to a beaming, buzzing Mean Green Athletic Center in Denton last week. "North Texas can become the metroplex's team."

Hear that, SMU? You too, TCU? Dodge, who's built Southlake Carroll into the area's all-time best high school sports dynasty, is stepping up and horning in on your recruits, on your publicity, on your success.

And he'll do it with his bare hands.

Hands that, as a high school quarterback at Port Arthur Jefferson (the same school that produced former Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson), held every state passing record. Hands that, if only momentarily, inspired stubborn University of Texas coach Darrell Royal to buy into the forward pass. Hands that motion and maneuver Carroll's pre-snap offense, orchestrating the calm before the scoring storm. Hands that for 15 years have taught Texas' best quarterback prospects proper footwork and perfect spirals at the Todd Dodge Quarterback Camp.

Hands that, in the summer of 1987, almost burned to nubs.

Newly married to wife Elizabeth, Dodge was supplementing his first coaching job search by servicing electric meters in Austin. One day he plugged in his equipment and it instantly overloaded, shooting a searing fireball over his hands, up his arms. Suffering second- and third-degree burns, doctors prepared him to lose two fingers from each hand. But eventually the skin that had melted like candle wax rejuvenated and, amazingly, he walked away with merely scars, his formidable future intact.

With Dodge, even devastating losses morph into miracle wins.

"There have been ups and downs along the way," he says. "I'm just thankful I've had caring people around me. Thankful that the road has led me here."

A suburban legend before his 44th birthday, Dodge landed the UNT gig because he's a no-nonsense coach who's perfected a silly offense. His spread system—a hybrid of the University of Houston's old run-and-shoot passing game and former University of Miami coach Dennis Erickson's one-back running game—sprouted when he was an assistant at McKinney High School and matured into the no-huddle, hand-signal-manic metronome that has scored 40 points a game and revolutionized Texas high school offenses forever rooted in dive plays and option pitches.

"It's hard to say," Dodge says when asked to explain Carroll's offensive success. "We always try to spread the ball around and be difficult to predict. That makes us unique."

Dodge, too, is one of a kind. In style. And substance.

Doesn't post a list of rules in Carroll's field house, only a sign demanding "Protect the Tradition." Openly admits he's too hard on his son, quarterback Riley. And loses about as often as Terrell Owens embraces humility.

Under Dodge, Carroll's names have changed, but its legacy of players sporting bleached hair and blowouts remains the same:

78-1—The Dragons have lost just once since 2002, by one point, 16-15, to Katy in the 2003 title game.

4—In a Class 5A that includes 245 schools, the last four State Offensive Players of the Year have been Carroll quarterbacks. Chase Wasson in 2002, Chase Daniel in 2003-'04 and Greg McElroy in 2005.

If Carroll beats Austin Westlake for the state championship Saturday night in San Antonio's Alamodome, Dodge will cement his status as the state's best coach—in any sport, at any level—with 48 straight wins, four titles in five years and a fifth consecutive MVP, one who also happens to be his son.

Said Dodge, "We've about accomplished all we can."

While Carroll is left to post the most daunting of job openings—To improve on the predecessor, applicants must have the potential to go 80-0—UNT secured a shortcut to respectability.

Dodge was in Denton once before as an assistant coach on underachieving teams in 1992-'93. His re-route included nurturing the dynasty in Southlake, declining an interview at Rice and flirting with a job on Bill Parcells' Dallas Cowboys staff.

"He's a coach who knows how to put together a successful operation and compete at a high level for an extended period of time," says Parcells, who interviewed Dodge to be a tight ends coach last spring. "He has built a team and a philosophy that has staying power."

Dodge admits he would've accepted the job at Valley Ranch had it been offered. While that dream awaits, he's content—no, make that rabid—at living out another fantasy at UNT.

"I feel good knowing that I'm leaving Southlake Carroll in good shape," Dodge says. "If I didn't believe in my heart I could help North Texas have similar success, I wouldn't be here."

In the end, Dodge's most difficult opponent was an emotional one—the decision to miss Riley's senior year.

"That I would make the move and step away from coaching him," Dodge says, "that tells you right there how much I think of this job."

At UNT, Dodge must dig the Eagles out of shit before he can hint at success.

In Southlake he enjoyed a culture rich in pride, publicity and prosperity. In Denton, the football team sucks, usually in the shadows.

Coach Darrell Dickey momentarily revived UNT early this decade, developing national rushing leaders Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas and qualifying for four New Orleans Bowls. But the run-based offense stagnated, fans grew disenchanted and the Eagles stumbled to 5-18 over the last two seasons.

Enter the Dragon, with a five-year contract worth $265,000 a year and the toughest rebuilding job since Quincy Carter asked God for forgiveness and Randy Galloway for bail. UNT's 2006 offense averaged a wimpy 12.8 points per game, 115th out of Division I-A's 119 teams. Johnny Quinn, the school's all-time leading receiver, is graduating. And the returning quarterbacks—Daniel Meager, Woody Wilson and Matt Phillips—combined for 19 interceptions last year and threw for only 1,382 yards and nine touchdowns, totals Riley long ago surpassed in this year's playoffs alone.

None of this, of course, remotely worries Dodge.

Thanks to his proficient system and popular camps, he's already leap-frogged SMU and TCU in the recruiting war. He'll command media attention. He'll influence the school's proposed plans for a new stadium.

And, most important, Todd Dodge and his healing hands will win.

Merry Christmas, Mean Green.

Rick

[NT03]

At UNT, Dodge must dig the Eagles out of shit before he can hint at success.

The Dallas Observer , always keepin it Real

Edited December 22, 2006 by NT03

[KingDL1]

:santa::santa: No Doubt, Merry Christmas :santa::santa:

[Harry]

Wow that was very impressive...

[SilverEagle]

I think that when Richie Whitt first started his career with the Star Telegram, one of his jobs was to cover North Texas football.

Good (and hopeful) article.

[football fan]

AMEN to that!!

[Eagle1855]

great article, thanks for posting it!

[Green92]

At UNT, Dodge must dig the Eagles out of shit before he can hint at success.

[PlummMeanGreen]

:santa::santa: No Doubt, Merry Christmas :santa::santa:

Isn't it simply amazing what a high profile hire can do for one's football program? This Dodge Ball deal is bringing back some memories.

Of course, without the internet (and forums like GMG.com) and much more TV sports than was available back in the 70's, UNT still received similar ink as this before. The very charismatic H. Fry had been at SMU and was fired after a 7 & 4 season--he had played a big part in integrating the SWC 10 years after UNT had with Abner Haynes and Leon King--SMU was part of the SWC state-wide newspaper coverage network (as all SWC schools were back then and NT was not part of that network and hence a very big reason none of us Greater Houston area types would hardly ever read about anything concerning UNT and even during the Mean Joe Greene era when UNT could have more than contended for the SWC championship).

Yet, trust me (and other older nestors) on that, I used to read on a daily basis all 3 area major newspapers and followed that hiring in 1972 with great interest and thru many of those years even contributed a few "Letters to the Sports Editors" to the Dallas Morning New, the Fort Worth Star Telegram and the now defunct Dallas Times-Herald which I still really miss very much), but that was a long time ago (and before Al Gore invented the internet)!

All This Unbelievable Todd Dodge Coverage Should Synergize Us All--It For Damn Sure Has This NT Ex: And to all you good and wonderful folks of all walks and eras of Mean Green life, we've been way over-due all this for a very long time in Mean Green Country. We cannot afford to blow any of this, either. We've got to strike while the iron's hot and use every opportunity the hiring of Todd Dodge has afforded the University of North Texas (and I just have a gut feeling that this time around we will not hesitate).

Hasn't Todd Dodge already paid for the salary we will probably one day have to match some other Texas non-BCS school who will not be able to stand our eventual success and all this publicity we are getting now and will continue to get in the future? FWIW, a UNT coaches salary reservoir fund might not be a bad idea for UNT to start thinking about now. As we should all know, success does not come cheap; but mediocrity can be bought at most any price.

Our Day Has Come In Mean Green Country &.............Our New Football Stadium Will Seal The Deal!

Edited December 23, 2006 by PlummMeanGreen

[TheColonyEagle]

................."We always try to spread the ball around and be difficult to predict.................."

[NT80]

While Carroll is left to post the most daunting of job openings—To improve on the predecessor, applicants must have the potential to go 80-0—UNT secured a shortcut to respectability.

Merry Christmas, Mean Green.

[MeanGreenBuzz]

"It's hard to say," Dodge says when asked to explain Carroll's offensive success. "We always try to spread the ball around and be difficult to predict. That makes us unique."

Hmmm, now thats a novel idea...

Great article. Definitely one of the better ones I have read on the hire.

[UNTSIG]

"That I would make the move and step away from coaching him," Dodge says, "that tells you right there how much I think of this job."

Merry Christmas

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

I am not usually much of a Dallas Observer fan but I may have to start paying more attention. This was truly a great article, one of the best I've read. This smacks of Blackie Sherrod quality.

I especially enjoyed the phrase that Dodge "loses about as often as Terrell Owens practices humility."

If Todd thinks that he can do it, that's more than half the battle won right there. He has improved his coaching ability and game plans over time and I think that he is just now beginning to peak as a coach. He was a great hire and we should have a very interesting and entertaining next several years (I hope more).

I hope everyone that posts on this board will send Rick Villareal an e-mail or letter thanking him for righting the ship. And I hope that everyone who accused him of cronyism will apologize. I've seen precious little to complain about under RV's administration.

TEST DRIVE A DODGE HIS INAUGRAL UNT SEASON

[SilverEagle]

I am not usually much of a Dallas Observer fan but I may have to start paying more attention. This was truly a great article, one of the best I've read. This smacks of Blackie Sherrod quality.

I especially enjoyed the phrase that Dodge "loses about as often as Terrell Owens practices humility."

If Todd thinks that he can do it, that's more than half the battle won right there. He has improved his coaching ability and game plans over time and I think that he is just now beginning to peak as a coach. He was a great hire and we should have a very interesting and entertaining next several years (I hope more).

I hope everyone that posts on this board will send Rick Villareal an e-mail or letter thanking him for righting the ship. And I hope that everyone who accused him of cronyism will apologize. I've seen precious little to complain about under RV's administration.

TEST DRIVE A DODGE HIS INAUGRAL UNT SEASON

I will give Kudos to Rick V. for taking the calculated risk of hiring a High School coach to be our next Head Coach. It's a big risk on his part, especially if TD doesn't make (for whatever strange reason) the transition to D-1 coaching.

But the potential upside is tremendous. We have someone who is supremely confident in himself, and therefore by taking this job at North Texas, he is supremely confident in our University, and it's ability to reach it's full potential. His success will make RV look like a genius, and it has the potential to jump-start us back to the point where Hayden Fry left....which was the last time we were nationally ranked in D-1 football.

However, considering that RV has two associate athletic directors, and (God help us) the director of the Mean Green club that he brought from Southern Miss. And, considering that at least two of the coaching possibilites mentioned during the process were connected to RV thru S. Miss, the word crony would (or should) naturally be uttered. At least by anyone who is halfway observant.

I will still be around worring about the best interest of my/our Alma Mater long after RV is gone on to his next job. I will not apologize to anyone for my concern for the best interest of my/our University in this important hiring process.....or for using the "C" word.

[SUMG]

Nice story.....but there is no way that Todd Dodge played for Darrell Royal at UT. (Royal retired after the 1976 season).

[UNTLifer]

Hands that for 15 years have taught Texas' best quarterback prospects proper footwork and perfect spirals at the Todd Dodge Quarterback Camp.

I think this will benefit us more than you know, especially Wilson, Phillips, Meager and Tune. Nothing was more bewildering to me than having past QB's as a head coach and offensive coordinator, Dickey and Flanigan, running the offense and to have such inconsistent QB play.

[PlummMeanGreen]

I think this will benefit us more than you know, especially Wilson, Phillips, Meager and Tune. Nothing was more bewildering to me than having past QB's as a head coach and offensive coordinator, Dickey and Flanigan, running the offense and to have such inconsistent QB play.

Heard this from several of you and I do wholeheartedly agree, but did there really seem much in the area of individual player development when our student/athletes arrived on our campus in recent years?

FWIW, Super Jamario Thomas was a better football player just 1 season removed from his HS football coaching than after his 1'st year at UNT. Is it really true that a UNT coach had him bulk up the way he did after his extremely successful frosh' year when he was the #1 running back in NCAA D1-A with the most yards?

In all seriousness, it may take a a year or 2 or 3 for Coach Dodge to get the kind of recruits he will ultimately need to mesh with some fine UNT players we now have before we jump to the next level we all desire for Mean Green football; and that jump to the next level would be winning SBC championships, winnning the NO's Bowl (or whichever bowl) and being a Top 25 team while doing all of this. There is no reason UNT cannot be a Boise State/'BCS Championship Series-type football program or even better. UNT has made the first huge step toward all of this with the hiring of Coach Dodge.

[SilverEagle]

There is no reason UNT cannot be a Boise State/'BCS Championship Series-type football program or even better. UNT has made the first huge step toward all of this with the hiring of Coach Dodge.

Jim, I totally agree with this.

I was thinking recently that if we start realizing our potential again, much like we did in the mid-late 70's, we could finally get an invite to CUSA. I'm now convinced that I'm thinking much too small.

Our goal for moving up should at least be the MWC.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Jim, I totally agree with this.

I was thinking recently that if we start realizing our potential again, much like we did in the mid-late 70's, we could finally get an invite to CUSA. I'm now convinced that I'm thinking much too small.

Our goal for moving up should at least be the MWC.

Hey, Bill, we've already climbed that ol' CUSA hill looking at this years SBC record versus CUSA, so I agree with you, lets go ahead and set our sights for a higher Mountain (West Conference), that is. Seriously, lets build ourselves that new stadium in Denton similar to many in the MWC, significantly grow our turnstile numbers and just see what happens.

As all of us here in the Southwest have witnessed with the implosion of the Southwest Conference, who really knows what can happen with future conference scenarios. What seems an unrealistic idea today may be be a most sensible and attainable idea tomorrow.

Half the fun of Mean Green football reaching a higher profile destination can be the excitement of our trip on the way to that destination. Nevertheless, it's great to be back on the high road again.