The Next Boise State

[WIFE2HOT4U]

As Todd Dodge signed his first recruiting class last week, Dallas Morning News staff writer and NT alumus Tim MacMahon called the Mean Green "the next Boise State."

Don't be surprised if MacMahon wasn't joking on the newspaper's blog. He could be right, even if NT won't play in the Fiesta Bowl and upset Oklahoma anytime soon.

Dodge is viewed as the savior of the football program. The 100 fans that attended his introductory press conference in December wouldn't have doubted that he floated on a cloud north to Denton from Southlake.

The former Southlake Carroll High School coach welcomes and deserves the newfound expectations. Compare NT and the Dragons the last two seasons. It isn't fair. The Mean Green won five games. Dodge's team didn't lose one and earned its second and third mythical national championships. In five years at Texas' highest classification, Carroll missed an 80-0 record by a single point in the 2003 state championship.

If there is one high school coach who is prepared to make the leap straight to Division I, it's Dodge.

The year before he arrived at Carroll, the Dragons missed the playoffs. Six years, 98 wins and four state championships later, Dodge is wearing a new shade of green and NT season tickets are actually hot items.

Nobody questions if Dodge can re-establish NT as a Sun Belt contender or something greater. The only unknowns are when and how.

Signing day offered answers. The initial class wasn't perfect. Dodge reaped only one member from the DMN area top 100. He signed only two offensive linemen, a maligned unit recently at NT.

Then again, finding 20 players who had a hand in 47 playoff wins last season is remarkable. To do that in three weeks is astounding. More than half of the class at least appeared in a state final during their careers, and they combined for 14 state titles. This group didn't embrace moral victories, only real ones.

"These players are unselfish, they have character, and they have been in situations that we want to be in," Dodge said. "When they get here, they will be more seasoned than you might expect."

While at Carroll, Dodge coached against seven of the players in the playoffs. Who needs video when you have a first-hand account of how he reacts with his season at stake? The coach also signed defensive end Kyle Russo and linebacker Justin Padron, who he saw every day at Carroll the last four years.

With the help of Dodge's voluminous statewide contact list, NT picked a class that met almost every need, especially receiver. Six players had at least 27 receptions for Carroll in 2006, and seven caught touchdown passes from Todd's son Riley.

The six receivers NT signed collected 81 touchdown grabs last season. Dodge's offense relies not on one main weapon, but rather several. Depth, balance, and what Dodge calls "a numbers advantage" are vital.

Understandably, so is a quarterback, and Dodge uncovered one from the city in which he ended his run with Carroll - Giovanni Vizza from San Antonio 's Alamo Heights High School. Vizza, who piled up 491 total yards and four touchdowns in a state championship win over Copperas Cove High School, is the dual threat Dodge craves. From wins to statistics, the numbers from Dodge's first class are eye-opening.

Now, just imagine how the coach's 16th annual quarterback-receiver camp will look. It already attracts some of the best out-of-state players, but now Dodge can do more than improve spirals.

He can improve an athlete's college outlook by inviting him to join 20 young men and others in building the next Boise State.

[mad dog]

Pretty good article.

[MeanGreen61]

Then again, finding 20 players who had a hand in 47 playoff wins last season is remarkable. To do that in three weeks is astounding. More than half of the class at least appeared in a state final during their careers, and they combined for 14 state titles. This group didn't embrace moral victories, only real ones.

"These players are unselfish, they have character, and they have been in situations that we want to be in," Dodge said. "When they get here, they will be more seasoned than you might expect."

LINK TO ARTICLE

http://media.www.ntdaily.com/media/storage...t-2721695.shtml

[SilverEagle]

This group didn't embrace moral victories, only real ones.

You mean to tell me that the new attitude on the football team will be.......

I DIDN'T COME HERE TO LOSE

Imagine that.

Edited February 15, 2007 by SilverEagle

[MeanGreen61]

This group didn't embrace moral victories, only real ones.

You mean to tell me that the new attitude on the football team will be.......

I DIDN'T COME HERE TO LOSE

Imagine that.

The new version of the Mean Green will prepare for and go into EVERY GAME with the idea of bringing home a WIN.

Edited February 15, 2007 by MeanGreen61

[NT80]

One of the better NTDaily sports articles I've read recently. Compliments to the writer.

[MeanGreenBuzz]

One of the better NTDaily sports articles I've read recently. Compliments to the writer.

I agree. Its refreshing to have our school paper writing positive articles on our football team instead of negative ones. What a change bringing in TD has been!

[FirefightnRick]

Good article, but.......

With the help of Dodge's voluminous statewide contact list, NT picked a class that met almost every need, especially receiver. Six players had at least 27 receptions for Carroll in 2006, and seven caught touchdown passes from Todd's son Riley.

We didn't sign 7 recievers from Southlake Carroll. No biggie. We know what he meant.

Rick