Riley Dodge - Redshirt No More

NT1978 · September 8, 2008

I was surprised to see Riley play Saturday night. I had hoped he would red shirt.
However, Shaft made a point I'd never considered--Maybe Riley and his family want him to be out of college in 4 years, not 5.
I don't think he has a pro career ahead of him, and if so, this makes sense.
And by the way, check to see--I recall Riley was committed to Texas as an ATHLETE, not a WR.
He's obviously got a ton of talent. And perhaps Todd sees Vizza as the better quaterbacvk and this is a way to get Riley on the field.
Join the Mean Green Club
Buy Season Tickets
Contribute to the new stadium project
GO MEAN GREEN

When I posted about that I got quite a response. Apparently some think that Dodge's responsibility should be to the University and the Fans and not the players.

http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/index.ph...&pid=365775

The Fake Lonnie Finch · September 8, 2008

Let me just say this, and part of it will be backpeddling on my part (so take note all TFLF haters):

(1) The Riley Redshirt Dilemma is only a dilemma for those who thought he was big enough to play QB at this level anyway. I still don't think he is. And, even if he were, he'd get killed behind the makeshift line that's out there now. So, to me, whether the kid redshirts or not is irrelevant.

But...

(2) Although he's not that big, the guy is quick as a waterbug. Tulsa had one four-star recruit last year - one of the Johnson receivers. He's only 5'8", but he had speed and ripped through our secondary. I think Riley can give us a big boost if he can do the same thing for us at WR - and, to me, he showed he can.

I will continue to stick to my belief that Gio Vizza should be a four-year starter at QB, barring injury or just going into a shell. But, I now have no problem with Riley out there in the slot. Whatever makes us better - and here and there Saturday night, he made us better. Keep him at WR, keep Vizza at QB, and we've another weapon to open the run game for our trio of talented runners.

Get all of that gearing up right and our defense gets more rest.

Then, all Todd Dodge has to do is find someone to coach special teams. I'm all for him sticking Riley back there, too, on kickoffs and punts. If he can field the dadgum ball, let him do it. He surely can't be worse than what we've seen thusfar in his dad's first 14 games.

Cr1028 · September 8, 2008

(2) Although he's not that big, the guy is quick as a waterbug. Tulsa had one four-star recruit last year - one of the Johnson receivers. He's only 5'8", but he had speed and ripped through our secondary. I think Riley can give us a big boost if he can do the same thing for us at WR - and, to me, he showed he can.
I will continue to stick to my belief that Gio Vizza should be a four-year starter at QB, barring injury or just going into a shell. But, I now have no problem with Riley out there in the slot. Whatever makes us better - and here and there Saturday night, he made us better. Keep him at WR, keep Vizza at QB, and we've another weapon to open the run game for our trio of talented runners.
Get all of that gearing up right and our defense gets more rest.
Then, all Todd Dodge has to do is find someone to coach special teams. I'm all for him sticking Riley back there, too, on kickoffs and punts. If he can field the dadgum ball, let him do it. He surely can't be worse than what we've seen thusfar in his dad's first 14 games.

I agree with Lonnie on this one. The most excitement I had the entire game was seeing #15 lead blocking for #11, 4A player of the year lead blocking for the 5A player of the year. Simply awesome. There is nobody on the field that knows this system better than Riley. You could also argue that we have no better athlete than Riley. Why not use that to your advantage? You have a lightning quick wide receiver who runs perfect routes and knows the system inside and out. This gives him a year on the field to get accustome to the speed of the college game without having to face stampeding defensive linemen. The biggest reason I think Riley should play is that Todd Dodge will have been out of high school for 4 years before Riley would be the qb. Will the HS seniors still see him as the ones last year did? As a winner? If we don't put our best guys out there to win now, that new Dodge smell will wear off and Riley will have nobody to throw to and it may be Meager pt. 2.(not Daniel's fault either)