Slc Remains Sold On Dodge's Offense

Mean Green 93-98 · January 8, 2007

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/special_packages/all_southlake_sports/16392545.htm

Edited January 8, 2007 by Mean Green 93-98

NT80 · January 8, 2007

Link didn't work for me, so I posted the article. Notice the "cloud of dust" quote. :lol:

Posted on Fri, Jan. 05, 2007

With the Spread Keeping Successful Offensive Scheme a Goal in Hiring Dodge’s Replacement

By Zach Warner

Staff Writer

One look at a list of Todd Dodge’s feats over the past seven years as Carroll football coach makes it evident that he’ll be a tough act to follow.

But Carroll Athletic Director Ronnie Tipps said that despite the seemingly unreachable bar set by Dodge, the new head football coach at the University of North Texas, the opportunity to take the helm of the Dragons football program is one that coaches should be drooling over.

At least offensively, all the major pieces of the puzzle are still in place to make another run at a Class 5A state title next school year. And, if Tipps’ plans come to fruition, the Dragons will be going for it with the same style and approach Dodge’s teams took in capturing four championships over the past five seasons.

“I’d like to stay with the spread concept,” Tipps said, ending speculation over whether Carroll would attempt to continue the offensive system that produced mammoth numbers for Dodge-led Dragons teams. “I think that’s what our kids run the best.

“I wouldn’t want to get rid of that and go with a ‘three yards and a cloud of dust’ type system,” he said. “We want to do what we do best.”

The search for the new Carroll coach officially began earlier this week, and Tipps said he expects to have a new coach in place by the end of the month. Having Dodge’s replacement named and in the field house with plenty of time to get to know the players before spring football begins would be ideal, Tipps said.

Although he is likely to be flooded with applications during the first 10 calendar school days after returning from Christmas break, the minimum amount of time the job must be posted in order to gather potential candidates, Tipps said he will be looking for specific criteria in filling the position.

“We want somebody that doesn’t mind being in a high-visibility job, and that’s willing to take that on,” Tipps said. “We’re not asking them to be another Coach Dodge, because that’s not something that can be done. But we would like them to continue some of the things he put in place.”

The spread, namely, is at least near the top of that list. Dodge’s teams racked up jaw-dropping yardage in each of the five seasons Carroll reached the 5A state title game. The Dragons averaged 460 yards per game in 2002; 451.9 in 2003; 506.1 in 2004; 515.4 in 2005; and 504.2 in 2006.

What makes it logical to continue in the same offense is the fact that Carroll’s athletes learn and compete in the system from seventh grade on up. Next year’s varsity offense will be chalked full of players with at least five years of experience running the spread. They’ve also experienced incredible success in the system.

“The cupboard is not bare. We have plenty of talent that is returning,” said Tipps, mentioning 10 returning starters on varsity, as well as freshmen teams that were a combined 20-0 and junior varsity teams that were 17-3 this past season. “If you were a coach and needed to ask what we need to do to win, I’d have to say we have everything in place.

“We don’t want to bring somebody in here that is going to bring big changes,” he said. “We have something good in place. We’re 79-1 over the last five years, so we don’t want to change the good thing we have going.”

Assistants Follow Dodge

Three Carroll football assistants tendered their resignations earlier this week, citing plans to serve on Todd Dodge’s coaching staff at North Texas.

Dragons offensive coordinator Ron Mendoza, running backs coach Todd Ford and longtime defensive assistant Robert Drake resigned their positions, Tipps said. Mendoza was also the head coach of Carroll’s wrestling program and Drake also served as the head track coach.

Tipps said he does not anticipate any other Carroll football assistants resigning to take a position on Dodge’s staff at North Texas or elsewhere.

Former Haltom head coach Clayton George, an assistant under Dodge at Carroll and other stops prior to Carroll, joined the North Texas staff as wide receivers coach two weeks ago. George was a wide receiver at North Texas when Dodge was an assistant at the school in 1992-1993.

Top Area Coaches that Run the Spread Offense:

1. Hal Wasson, Fossil Ridge – Wasson is a former Carroll assistant under Todd Dodge who has turned ’Ridge into a respected program since taking over the head coaching spot in 2003. He was named Coach of the Year in District 6-4A this season after leading the Panthers to the district title and a 10-2 overall record.

2. Tom Westerberg, Allen – Westerberg’s Eagles run the exact spread offense Dodge ran at Carroll, as the Allen coaching staff met with Dodge and the Dragon staff after Carroll won the 2002 state title. Westerberg’s team was 13-2 this season, as Allen fell to Carroll in the 5A Division I state semifinal.

3. Cody Vanderford, Flower Mound – The Jaguars made their first postseason appearance, as a Vanderford offense that has been gaining notice in previous years finally paid big dividends. Flower Mound averaged 330.5 yards per game on their way to an 8-3 record, their best in their young team history.

4. Mike Fuller, Coppell – The six-year coach for the Cowboys implemented a Texas Tech-style spread offense this season, and Coppell looked sharp. The Cowboys were 8-3 and sixth in the area in offense (419 yards per game) before losing to Colleyville Heritage in the first round of the playoffs.

5. Scott Smith, Rockwall – The District 10-5A Coach of the Year turned his team’s fortunes around after going 4-6 in 2005, his first as the program’s coach, to 8-3 and a playoff berth in 2006. Throwing out the Yellow Jackets’ humbling loss to Carroll in Week 3, Smith’s team averaged 37.3 points and 377.6 yards per game in its other 10 contests.

6. Chris Cunningham, Colleyville Heritage – District rival and neighbor to Southlake, Cunningham led his team the farthest it has ever gone in program history. The Panthers (10-4) lost to Carroll in the 5A Region I finals, as quarterback Casey Russell displayed some elite numbers by throwing for 3,769 yards and 44 touchdowns in 2006.