Drc Dodge's Switch Should Help Nt (recruiting)

OldTimer · July 3, 2007

Dodge's switch should help UNT

08:55 PM CDT on Monday, July 2, 2007

By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle

bvito@dentonrc.com

DENTON – Riley Dodge's commitment to North Texas could provide a significant boost to the Mean Green's 2008 football recruiting efforts, several experts said.

Dodge withdrew his oral commitment to Texas over the weekend to join his father, UNT's new head coach Todd Dodge.

"Getting Riley gives North Texas a landmark recruit that all the rest of the kids in the metroplex will know," said Bobby Burton, a national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. "There is no question that momentum exists in recruiting. Getting one commitment can help a coach get a teammate or crosstown rival. Players commit to teams because of more than just wins and losses. It's about who they are going to play with."

Oral commitments are nonbinding. The first day a football recruit can sign a national letter of intent is Feb. 6, 2008.

For players in the Dallas area in the class of 2008, there might not be a more attractive future teammate than Dodge. The Southlake Carroll quarterback was named The Associated Press' 2006 Class 5A state offensive player of the year after he threw for 4,184 yards and 54 touchdowns and rushed for 1,119 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Rivals.com ranks Riley No. 58 on its list of the top prospects in Texas for the Class of 2008 and No. 38 on its rundown of the players classified as athletes nationally. Riley was recruited as an athlete who could play multiple positions at Texas, but will play quarterback for the Mean Green.

Todd Dodge is installing the spread offense he used to lead Carroll to three straight Class 5A state titles at UNT. Several UNT recruits said playing in Dodge's offense was a factor in their decision to commit long before national signing day.

Adding Riley to his recruiting class gives Dodge a high-profile player to continue building his class around. Riley guided Carroll to a dream season that culminated with a win over Austin Westlake in the Class 5A Division I state title game.

"It depends on the school and situation if players want to follow one recruit, but Riley is someone kids are familiar with," said John Talman, who covers recruiting in Texas for Rivals.com. "They know what he has done. It certainly won't hurt North Texas."

GARY PAYNE / DMN

Riley Dodge laughs at the media conference announcing his father as the coach of North Texas. UNT has been taking advantage of the wave of positive publicity it has received from hiring Dodge by convincing some of the area's top players to commit early. Riley is the eighth player who has said he will sign with UNT.

All eight are from Texas, including five from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

"Coach Dodge believes he can build the best team by recruiting players from the North Texas area," said Celina lineman Troy Franklin, one of UNT's 2008 recruits.

"North Texas has already put together a pretty good class," Talman said. "Getting Riley will give his dad positive momentum to build on it."