A Crazy Thought!

tommyp · October 2, 2007

After reading most of the posts this week after the Razorback game, it is apparent that most have decided that Vizza should be our QB.

I feel the same way but I do not want to get into that argument.

Let me ask you this....

Do you think Dodge is hesitant to put Vizza is the game becasue he might have great success? Now wait, do not start bashing, hear me out. Say Vizza starts this week and does fantastic. Then the remaining of the season he shows greatness as our future QB. What does this do for Riley??? If Vizza turns out to be pretty damn good then it will put Dodge in a pickle with his son! All of a sudden the people will want to keep Vizza in the as our QB and we will have a kid on the sidelines who de-committed from Texas! If Dodge just lets Meager play the rest of the year he knows he can bring Riley in next year as the front runner for the job (or atleast give him a better shot) because Meager will be on his way out! I would not want to be at that dinner table when Dodge has to tell his son "thanks for coming to UNT but we are going to move you to reciever because Vizza is our starter".

I know this is crazy talk but it has just crossed my mind lately with all this VIZZA talk! What are your thoughts......

CorinthEagle · October 2, 2007

I think your tin foil hat is a little off kilter here.

Mean Green 93-98 · October 2, 2007

If he were to bench a superior quarterback so he could start his son, Todd Dodge is not half the man or coach I thought he was.

drex · October 2, 2007

I trust that Todd is a man of integrity. That being said, the best quarterback will start for us next season, no matter his pedigree.

Green Crazy · October 2, 2007

This has crossed my mind before too. I'm positive that this is not the case though, but Coach Dodge has proven to be loyal to a fault (see defensive coordinator).

newuntfan07 · October 2, 2007

After reading most of the posts this week after the Razorback game, it is apparent that most have decided that Vizza should be our QB.
I feel the same way but I do not want to get into that argument.
Let me ask you this....
Do you think Dodge is hesitant to put Vizza is the game becasue he might have great success? Now wait, do not start bashing, hear me out. Say Vizza starts this week and does fantastic. Then the remaining of the season he shows greatness as our future QB. What does this do for Riley??? If Vizza turns out to be pretty damn good then it will put Dodge in a pickle with his son! All of a sudden the people will want to keep Vizza in the as our QB and we will have a kid on the sidelines who de-committed from Texas! If Dodge just lets Meager play the rest of the year he knows he can bring Riley in next year as the front runner for the job (or atleast give him a better shot) because Meager will be on his way out! I would not want to be at that dinner table when Dodge has to tell his son "thanks for coming to UNT but we are going to move you to reciever because Vizza is our starter".
I know this is crazy talk but it has just crossed my mind lately with all this VIZZA talk! What are your thoughts......
[/quote
That is a great post. That is the problem with hiring family or recruiting family. It brings up major league doubts. Blood is thicker than water. You know that is being debated now by the team and I am sure Vizza. It will only get Worse each and every year. People will say otherwise but its a fact. People will go back and look at SLC history to say this or that and how Dodge didn't start him until he was a junior (in high school) but this is college football. The team and Vizza will always have that hanging over the program. I know everyone will say Dodge has too much character and is too good a man but blood is thicker than water and will forever be.
This board and this fan base will be so critical of every move Dodge does with his son. It is not going to be a healthy situation if thing go south, that I can guarantee you. Riley should have gone to his dream school and competed at QB and then if that didn't work, he could have talked to Poppa Todd and transfered.

Edited October 2, 2007 by newuntfan07

UNTLifer · October 2, 2007

That is a great post. That is the problem with hiring family or recruiting family. It brings up major league doubts. Blood is thicker than water. You know that is being debated now by the team and I am sure Vizza. It will only get Worse each and every year. People will say otherwise but its a fact. People will go back and look at SLC history to say this or that and how Dodge didn't start him until he was a junior (in high school) but this is college football. The team and Vizza will always have that hanging over the program. I know everyone will say Dodge has too much character and is too good a man but blood is thicker than water and will forever be.

Give Todd Dodge a little more credit than that. A true professional will separate work (coaching) from family. TD will make the right decision and do what is best.

GreenAlums · October 2, 2007

[

Give Todd Dodge a little more credit than that. A true professional will separate work (coaching) from family. TD will make the right decision and do what is best.

untgirl04 · October 2, 2007

Speaking from some experience from having been coached by my father (in ASA competitive softball), my guess is that TD will be harder on his son than anyone else. He's even made several comments in the papers to support that.

That being said, Riley certainly knows his dad. And having grown up in a winning family with his father coaching him, he knows that winning is above him getting playing time. I'll bet that the knowledge that he very well might not even get a chance at North Texas did go through Riley's mind when deciding on whether or not to come here. But, he weighed his chances against the talent, and decided that he had a better shot at North Texas than at tU. I think it's natural for the team, and especially Vizza, to have some concerns about Riley. However, I think that by the time the season starts next year, the team will know TD well enough to know that if they're the best players on the field, they'll play in the game. And anyway, my feeling is that TD will redshirt Riley next year and give him a chance to succeed with his hand-picked players down the road.

foutsrouts · October 2, 2007

After reading most of the posts this week after the Razorback game, it is apparent that most have decided that Vizza should be our QB.
I feel the same way but I do not want to get into that argument.
Let me ask you this....
Do you think Dodge is hesitant to put Vizza is the game becasue he might have great success? Now wait, do not start bashing, hear me out. Say Vizza starts this week and does fantastic. Then the remaining of the season he shows greatness as our future QB. What does this do for Riley??? If Vizza turns out to be pretty damn good then it will put Dodge in a pickle with his son! All of a sudden the people will want to keep Vizza in the as our QB and we will have a kid on the sidelines who de-committed from Texas! If Dodge just lets Meager play the rest of the year he knows he can bring Riley in next year as the front runner for the job (or atleast give him a better shot) because Meager will be on his way out! I would not want to be at that dinner table when Dodge has to tell his son "thanks for coming to UNT but we are going to move you to reciever because Vizza is our starter".
I know this is crazy talk but it has just crossed my mind lately with all this VIZZA talk! What are your thoughts......

Naw. If Vizza comes in and plays knockout QB, all he has to do is give Riley a redshirt and make Riley the guy his Junior and Senior years. Riley could be backup QB and a slot receiver his Freshman and Sophomore years. Blood ties run deep, but I doubt deep enough to basically sabotage his own team.

H-towngreen · October 2, 2007

Riley could be backup QB and a slot receiver his Freshman and Sophomore years.

There is no way in hell he brings in Rodge one of our highest rated recruits ever and then plugs the future QB in at WR. If Rodge is not starting he will still see playing time at QB. Say Vizza starts Rodge will still get in for a few series a game. Much like he did at SLC. And I also suspect that if Meager remains the starter that Vizza will be put into the game for a series or two.

KRAM1 · October 2, 2007

I think Coach Dodge is the type of man who has the integrity to start at QB the player he thinks gives us the best chance of winning...if that's Vizza or Meager or Riley...so be it. I think he makes decisions based on what he feels is the best for the team...and the ones he feels give us the team the best shot at a win. We, as fans, may or may not always agree with his decision...that's why he makes the big bucks and we sit in the stands....but, I do not question his thought process nor his integrity about such things.

GO MEAN GREEN...see you at Fouts on the 13th! Let's make sure we do all we cvan to get as many "rear ends" in the seats at Fouts as we can on the 13th. If you have tickets and you can't make the game for some reason...PLEASE PLEASE get them to somone else who will DEFINITELY use them...we, as fans, need to be there, in big numbers and with LOUD voices.....SUPPORT THE GREEN!

SLCoutsider · October 2, 2007

There is no way in hell he brings in Rodge one of our highest rated recruits ever and then plugs the future QB in at WR.

I know we aren't supposed to talk about irrrelevant highschool stuff, but that's exactly what he did at SLC. Riley played slot receiver during his sophomore year while backing up Greg McElroy at QB. He's got the speed and the hands. It also opens up alot of possibilities for trick plays.

H-towngreen · October 2, 2007

Yes I know he played Wr in HS. Cue Colorado football coach rant.....This is big time D-1 football..if he wants to play wr then play intermurals brotha....play intermurals.end rant

But seriously who is going to be our back up then, Tune??? You can do that in HS but not in college. How many back up Qbs do you see playing wr?? you may see a senior qb who just lost the job move, but not a freshman or soph. back-up. I don't care how well he knows the system he needs the snaps, he needs to go to the QB meetings, etc. etc. And I highly doubt that he would be good enough to see the field as a wr any way. By this time next year we would have brought in some 8-10 ship wrs.

Arkstfan · October 2, 2007

I've not the first clue what Todd Dodge's logic is. I do know what I watched ASU do last year.

Coming out of spring last year I kept hearing, "That red-shirt freshman Corey Leonard is the real deal, he'll be the starter".

Fall rolls around Travis Hewitt is the starter but Leonard was seeing action. Leonard ended up with a few starts but they would use a quick hook to get him out whenever he struggled. Fans were going ape-poo over the fact he wasn't playing full time.

Now a year later Corey Leonard has played the whole season except one play at Texas, a drive or two at the end of the Tennessee game, and the final possession against SMU.

He is now a confident team leader, he's 26th in the nation in total offense, and Arkansas Sports 360 put him on the cover this month's issue asking if he was the best college QB in the state.

Barring a miracle finish to this season you go into next year with only red-shirt seniors who have been part of a winning team at UNT. Throwing guys to the wolves isn't always the best way to develop them for the future.

Travis · October 2, 2007

But seriously who is going to be our back up then, Tune??? You can do that in HS but not in college. How many back up Qbs do you see playing wr??

I recall a few teams that have done that in the past.

October 2, 2007

Yes I know he played Wr in HS. Cue Colorado football coach rant.....This is big time D-1 football..if he wants to play wr then play intermurals brotha....play intermurals.end rant
But seriously who is going to be our back up then, Tune??? You can do that in HS but not in college. How many back up Qbs do you see playing wr?? you may see a senior qb who just lost the job move, but not a freshman or soph. back-up. I don't care how well he knows the system he needs the snaps, he needs to go to the QB meetings, etc. etc. And I highly doubt that he would be good enough to see the field as a wr any way. By this time next year we would have brought in some 8-10 ship wrs.

Well the Texas Longhorns are a D1 program and they put their backup QB in as a RB and WR a number of times last week. They snapped it to him a couple of times and threw it to him also.

GreenSquared · October 2, 2007

Yes, it is a crazy thought. TD will play the QB that gives the team the best chance at winning. Concerning any controversy, if Riley were the second coming of Johnny Unitas there would still be issues surrounding "playing the coach's son". It just comes with the territory.

My bet is Riley redshirts, but what do I know?

Quoner · October 2, 2007

Well the Texas Longhorns are a D1 program and they put their backup QB in as a RB and WR a number of times last week. They snapped it to him a couple of times and threw it to him also.

and it worked!

October 2, 2007

and it worked!

Well they had a couple of positive results from that configuration. The overall result of the game wasn't too positive...

FireFightnJoey · October 2, 2007

That didn't happen at SLC and I don't see that happening here. I think it will work out like this. When Rodge gets here, I believe he will be dedicated to QB position.

1. Vizza plays some of this year as he has. Will he ever take over starting job? Dunno, but I think if Dodge is going to let that happen, it will be during SBC games. But from the sound of things, Meager is still number one.

2. Next year, Rodge redshirts. period. Meager and Vizza battle it out. Vizza has some experience and has had time to develop. Watch out Meager.

3. Meager graduates. Vizza gets the nod. Rodge is backup getting some time. Possibility that Rodge takes over..

4. Vizza is starter until graduates.

5. Rodge is now the man with two full years to lead this team.

Many years ahead of some good talent at QB. We have some good WRs and have recruited several more. We need to focus on some beef on the lines!

SLCoutsider · October 2, 2007

That didn't happen at SLC and I don't see that happening here. I think it will work out like this. When Rodge gets here, I believe he will be dedicated to QB position.
1. Vizza plays some of this year as he has. Will he ever take over starting job? Dunno, but I think if Dodge is going to let that happen, it will be during SBC games. But from the sound of things, Meager is still number one.
2. Next year, Rodge redshirts. period. Meager and Vizza battle it out. Vizza has some experience and has had time to develop. Watch out Meager.
3. Meager graduates. Vizza gets the nod. Rodge is backup getting some time. Possibility that Rodge takes over..
4. Vizza is starter until graduates.
5. Rodge is now the man with two full years to lead this team.
Many years ahead of some good talent at QB. We have some good WRs and have recruited several more. We need to focus on some beef on the lines!

What didn't happen at SLC? Riley often played 5th WR during his sophomore year in addition to backing up Greg McElroy at QB. Some of his best highlights at WR were against Lufkin and Plano in the 2005 playoffs. Chase Daniel did the same thing during his sophomore year.

H-towngreen · October 2, 2007

OK yes Chiles was put in for a few plays. But he did not spend the entire game playing RB or WR as it seems is being discussed with Rodge. If Rodge is not starting, then ok, we can bring him in for a couple of plays for some type of trickeration.

MeanMag · October 2, 2007

OK yes Chiles was put in for a few plays. But he did not spend the entire game playing RB or WR as it seems is being discussed with Rodge. If Rodge is not starting, then ok, we can bring him in for a couple of plays for some type of trickeration.

Trickeration worked for Boise, and that is who we are trying to be here isn't it? Or is it SLC we are trying to be? Damnit, I don't even know who we are supposed to want to be anymore. I wish we had our own identity. We should change our moniker to something no other university in the country has.

SLCoutsider · October 2, 2007

OK yes Chiles was put in for a few plays. But he did not spend the entire game playing RB or WR as it seems is being discussed with Rodge. If Rodge is not starting, then ok, we can bring him in for a couple of plays for some type of trickeration.

Yes, I think it would be for special circumstances and trickeration. I haven't seen anyone here suggest that Riley would spend the entire game playing WR. That would be stupid. There have been a few threads where the possiblity of him playing some WR while backing up Vizza have been discussed. This came up when it was questioned whether he would be happy waiting until his junior year to start. I don't have the stats handy, but during his sophomore year at Southlake, he probably played an average of 8 - 12 snaps per game as a 5th wide receiver (in addition to QB rotation and mop-up). I'm not saying this would work at the D1 level or even the Sunbelt level, but it would be a way to use his talent and give him some playing time while he's waiting his turn behind Vizza.

No, Riley isn't going to compete for the full-time WR slots. But UT did recruit him as an "athlete", not a QB. So they likely had WR duty in mind for him if they ended up not using him at QB.

Here's how I see it playing out...

2008 - Meager starts, Vizza backup (or the other way around), Dodge redshirts ***

2009 - Vizza starts, Dodge backup & WR

2010 - Vizza starts, Dodge backup & WR

2011 - Dodge starts

2012 - Dodge starts

Edited October 2, 2007 by SLCoutsider