2008 Recruiting Rewind - Quarterbacks

[UNTflyer]

RILEY DODGE - North Texas: If I was a betting man...or a good fantasy GM (haha), this is the one incoming frosh QB who will have the biggest impact for 2008. Dodge orginially committed to Texas before his senior season in HS, and decommitted after his father, Todd Dodge, took the North Texas head coaching job. The younger Dodge put up wicked numbers at Southlake Carroll (TX) HS, before and after his father coached at the same HS. Although true-sophomore Giovanni Vizza at times shined in the Mean Green's "Dodge Ball" offense last season....Vizza's one season of experience cannot match Riley Dodge's 19 seasons being familiar with the offense...and its creator.

http://www.fantasycollegeblitz.com/ArticleDetail.asp?id=1146

[KingDL1]

RILEY DODGE - North Texas: If I was a betting man...or a good fantasy GM (haha), this is the one incoming frosh QB who will have the biggest impact for 2008. Dodge orginially committed to Texas before his senior season in HS, and decommitted after his father, Todd Dodge, took the North Texas head coaching job. The younger Dodge put up wicked numbers at Southlake Carroll (TX) HS, before and after his father coached at the same HS. Although true-sophomore Giovanni Vizza at times shined in the Mean Green's "Dodge Ball" offense last season....Vizza's one season of experience cannot match Riley Dodge's 19 seasons being familiar with the offense...and its creator.

http://www.fantasycollegeblitz.com/ArticleDetail.asp?id=1146

I would be willing to bet that Riley red-shirts next year, but he may have some impact in teaching the system to the others on the offense.

[UNTflyer]

I honestly don't think he will red shirt.

[Travis]

I honestly don't think he will red shirt.

I expect to see him alittle at reciever.

[UNTflyer]

I expect to see him alittle at reciever.

I have been under the impression that he committed to UNT to play quarterback. Is there any QB in the country that knows Dodge's offense better than Riley?

I say put your aces in their places.

[Travis]

I have been under the impression that he committed to UNT to play quarterback. Is there any QB in the country that knows Dodge's offense better than Riley?

I say put your aces in their places.

i think the qb battle will be interesting... but, I don't see gio giving up that easy and the accounts of a few players I spoke with say that they expect to see vizza at qb... But, they also say that Riley is just too good not to be on the field.

This fall will be interesting.

[MeanMag]

We could go round and round on this subject. I have heard from sources that Rodge will red shirt and play WR. This was a while back, though, so thinks could change. At any rate it will be an exciting time.

[NT80]

Dodge orginially committed to Texas before his senior season in HS, and decommitted after his father, Todd Dodge, took the North Texas head coaching job.

http://www.fantasycollegeblitz.com/ArticleDetail.asp?id=1146

I believe Riley decommitted after seeing Texas recruit him, then list him as simply "athlete" (ie. reciever or something other than QB-to-be). His thoughts must have then changed to having a better chance to play QB, and earlier, at North Texas. It may have helped that his dad was coach at NT but I still think Riley would have looked at other opportunities to play QB elsewhere once he found out uT's plans for him.

[greenminer]

Just playing devil's advocate:

Riley's a high school kid and grew up in his dad's system. It strikes me that I just read Vizza shined "at times." While the stats may reflect that, I saw a qb potential in Vizza that far out-shined anything I saw in Riley's highlights.

I suppose you can make an argument for Rodge if you've seen him (RIley) in person, but don't discount Vizza. His arm, based on what I've seen, is going to keep him in this race. Riley's mobility gives him the runner's edge, but I'm not convinced that he's seen this entire offense just because his dad is the coach.

Todd Dodge may have saved a few wrinkles for Vizza this past year that only college athletes gave him the confidence to unfold. And we have yet to see how Riley handles the speed of the college game.

[NT80]

Just playing devil's advocate:

Riley's a high school kid and grew up in his dad's system. It strikes me that I just read Vizza shined "at times." While the stats may reflect that, I saw a qb potential in Vizza that far out-shined anything I saw in Riley's highlights.

I suppose you can make an argument for Rodge if you've seen him (RIley) in person, but don't discount Vizza. His arm, based on what I've seen, is going to keep him in this race. Riley's mobility gives him the runner's edge, but I'm not convinced that he's seen this entire offense just because his dad is the coach.

Todd Dodge may have saved a few wrinkles for Vizza this past year that only college athletes gave him the confidence to unfold. And we have yet to see how Riley handles the speed of the college game.

I have seen Riley play in person and he is "as advertised". Sure, it will take some time to get his arm back to 100% and learn the speed of the college game, but he can be deadly accurate with touch on passes and run when he needs to. I also like Vizza, and this will be a very interesting competition, that may just make both players even better!

[MeanGreenEagle]

Some of the lowlights I've seen of Riley's high school career have been his inablity to get up after taking big hits. I don't think he will be able to handle getting hit by FBS football players especially after 4 or so months of not being able to do any upperbody weight lifting due to his injury. Before he got hurt I thought more than anyone that there was zero chance Dodge wouldn't start at QB for us next year, but now I think Riley needs to redshirt.

[SilverEagle]

Keep in mind that Vizza has had almost a full year of actual D-1 playing experience under his belt. He knows, both mentally and physically, how it feels to apply the theory of Coach Dodge's offense to real time situations. This experience is going to make his spring practice even more productive for him....or at least it should.

If Vizza is still developing, then it would take a very extraordinary QB/athlete to unseat him right out of HS.

But what do I know. I thought the same thing right after a certain QB set a single game passing record that will probably never be broken at North Texas.

Edited February 24, 2008 by SilverEagle

[El Paso Eagle]

Question - If RDodge does come in and win the starting job..... is there another position Vizza could (or would) play?

[KingDL1]

I personally still think there are more benefits to Riley Red-shirting.

1, he has more time to grow, heal, put some muscle on and so forth.

2, he will get the benefit of another year's recruiting class.

3, If he follows Gio he will hopefully be stepping into a well oiled machine for his last two years.

4, Red-shirting gives Riley more time to adapt mentally to D-1, and I think he will spend the two years after that backing up Gio and maybe playing some WR.

I am sure Todd will use Riley to help push Gio by keeping the red-shirt status quiet until the last minute.

But either way it is not a bad problem to have.

Edited February 24, 2008 by KingDL1

[FirefightnRick]

I personally still think there are more benefits to Riley Red-shirting.

1, he has more time to grow, heal, put some muscle on and so forth.

2, he will get the benefit of another year's recruiting class.

3, If he follows Gio he will hopefully be stepping into a well oiled machine for his last two years.

4, Red-shirting gives Riley more time to adapt mentally to D-1, and I think he will spend the two years after that backing up Gio and maybe playing some WR.

I am sure Todd will use Riley to help push Gio by keeping the red-shirt status quiet until the last minute.

But either way it is not a bad problem to have.

Absolutely agree!

Rick

[newgreen]

I personally still think there are more benefits to Riley Red-shirting.

1, he has more time to grow, heal, put some muscle on and so forth.

2, he will get the benefit of another year's recruiting class.

3, If he follows Gio he will hopefully be stepping into a well oiled machine for his last two years.

4, Red-shirting gives Riley more time to adapt mentally to D-1, and I think he will spend the two years after that backing up Gio and maybe playing some WR.

I am sure Todd will use Riley to help push Gio by keeping the red-shirt status quiet until the last minute.

But either way it is not a bad problem to have.

Rodge has been "hurt" every season of football since 8th grade. He needs lots, and lots of time to grow and add muscle. He is approximately 50 to 60 pounds lighter than Gio, and look at the hits he bounced up from this year. No matter what position Rodge is playing QB or WR he won't last an entire season in D-1 ball. Gio will fight and win this battle!!!! He will be red-shirted this year.

[GreenAlums]

Rodge has been "hurt" every season of football since 8th grade. He needs lots, and lots of time to grow and add muscle. He is approximately 50 to 60 pounds lighter than Gio, and look at the hits he bounced up from this year. No matter what position Rodge is playing QB or WR he won't last an entire season in D-1 ball. Gio will fight and win this battle!!!! He will be red-shirted this year.

Interesting perspective, however, don't most D1 players know how to play with injuries of some sort? If anybody can perform hurt I think Rodge will have to be on the top of the list. I agree about muscling up though. D1 is not equal to HS in any way. I know that personally!