Live Chat With Todd Dodge

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

At least he answered the hamburger question.

[foutsrouts]

Nice interview. I am definitely ready for some football! Anyone have a clue as to the two a days etc. schedule next month?

[KRAM1]

I asked multiple questions during the first RV Q&A...used my real name each time...not all were answered. There is no way that in a one hour event that all questions can be answered. Some are repeat questions, some have really been answered previously in some other question, some there isn't enough time, some come from the same person and they obviously want as many folks as possible to get their question answered...and some they probably choose to not answer due to whatever reason. That's the way it goes..try not to take it personally. They probably did not single anyone out to keep their questions from being answered. For me, I think both RV and Coach Dodge were very open and their answers went a good way in letting folks know what to expect this season. Like another poster mentioned...no way Stoopes, etc. does this and is this open with the general fan bases.

If you find anything to complain about in these chats then you are simply looking for something to complain about.

My thanks to RV and Coach Dodge...I hope these chats can continue and will add JJ and Coach Stephens, etc. when time is appropriate. BTW...nothing wrong with Mayo on a burger as long as it has cheese too!

GO MEAN GREEN!

[NT03]

Who do we have that would best fill the fullback role ?

In the past we had verstile guys whom I could see fill such a role , someone like a Beau Davidson or a good runner someone like a James Mitchell.

If I had a vote I'd go for Robbie Deheck or a Bryant Seidle type of player to play on the goaline situations while still be playing DEF & ST

[TIgreen01]

Huge talk from Coach Dodge about the possibilities in this upcoming season. While this has got me a little excited, I will also be wary of his football knowledge after this season if this team is not vastly improved.

Not to bash Dodge, but before his first season he talked, at length, about how our defense "would carry us" and generally about how good our defense was.

He pointed out the obvious areas where we have relative strengths. The comment about it translating to wins is, simply, a comment he has to make.

Nothing really surprising here, other than the comment about the new punter improving that position?

[adman]

Who do we have that would best fill the fullback role ?

In the past we had verstile guys whom I could see fill such a role , someone like a Beau Davidson or a good runner someone like a James Mitchell.

If I had a vote I'd go for Robbie Deheck or a Bryant Seidle type of player to play on the goaline situations while still be playing DEF & ST

What about Mathis at FB? Wasn't his nickname "Crusher" or something to that effect?

[KRAM1]

Maybe not, but now he is speaking as a coach who has been through the "wars" as a college coach for the last two years...knows a ton more what to expect now from his players, his coaches and the opposing teams. I think he speaks from a much sounder and stronger position knowledge-wise now than the time before his first campaign as Mean Green head coach.

GO MEAN GREEN!

[Mean Green 93-98]

What about Mathis at FB? Wasn't his nickname "Crusher" or something to that effect?

I think Micah's a little bigger. He's a pretty tough dude, too.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

I asked multiple questions during the first RV Q&A...used my real name each time...not all were answered. There is no way that in a one hour event that all questions can be answered. Some are repeat questions, some have really been answered previously in some other question, some there isn't enough time, some come from the same person and they obviously want as many folks as possible to get their question answered...and some they probably choose to not answer due to whatever reason. That's the way it goes..try not to take it personally. They probably did not single anyone out to keep their questions from being answered. For me, I think both RV and Coach Dodge were very open and their answers went a good way in letting folks know what to expect this season. Like another poster mentioned...no way Stoopes, etc. does this and is this open with the general fan bases.

If you find anything to complain about in these chats then you are simply looking for something to complain about.

My thanks to RV and Coach Dodge...I hope these chats can continue and will add JJ and Coach Stephens, etc. when time is appropriate. BTW...nothing wrong with Mayo on a burger as long as it has cheese too!

GO MEAN GREEN!

Stoops, etc. doesn't have to go online. OU has a program where he and several coaches tour Oklahoma and Texas during the summer to meet with alumni groups. So, Sooner fans who don't live in the OKC/Norman area get to ask him questions face-to-face. Like every other coach, he also has a call in show during the season, and he makes one or two assistants available for a live radio spot following the games.

The question posed had more to do with Dodge's relationship to the press. For whatever reason, his relationship to the DRC is strained. And, again, it's a sign that he wasn't prepared to be a head coach at this level. He faces nowhere near the daily scrutiny of a Bob Stoops or Mack Brown. And, yet, he doesn't seem to handle the local media well. He doesn't understand that at North Texas, he needs all the good publicity he can get.

[UNT90]

Not to bash Dodge, but before his first season he talked, at length, about how our defense "would carry us" and generally about how good our defense was.

He pointed out the obvious areas where we have relative strengths. The comment about it translating to wins is, simply, a comment he has to make.

Nothing really surprising here, other than the comment about the new punter improving that position?

Could be wrong, but I think he was commenting on the field goal kicker's improvement from last year to this year.

Maybe that was what he said the first year, and that should have happened that year, considering the personnel we had on defense. I understand the typical coach speak "we expect to be competitive in every game and compete for the New Orleans Bowl" lines, but he seemed to go beyond that to me. That gives me a little hope, especially since Coach Dodge has to know that raising expectations without reason would not be a very smart thing to do at this point.

[Green Dozer]

Stoops, etc. doesn't have to go online. OU has a program where he and several coaches tour Oklahoma and Texas during the summer to meet with alumni groups. So, Sooner fans who don't live in the OKC/Norman area get to ask him questions face-to-face. Like every other coach, he also has a call in show during the season, and he makes one or two assistants available for a live radio spot following the games.

The question posed had more to do with Dodge's relationship to the press. For whatever reason, his relationship to the DRC is strained. And, again, it's a sign that he wasn't prepared to be a head coach at this level. He faces nowhere near the daily scrutiny of a Bob Stoops or Mack Brown. And, yet, he doesn't seem to handle the local media well. He doesn't understand that at North Texas, he needs all the good publicity he can get.

He did go out and hold camps throughout the state. From what I understand, we were well received. We received some good publicity, because of Dodge, in the article on the spread offense recently at ESPN.com. We were also featured last week on Channel 8 last week and Hansen did not bash us. The only other coach profiled or interviewed last week was Patterson, so he was in good company. I don't see June Jones getting much publicity on the local tv stations. Who cares if he does not get along with Vito. The DRC is hardly read in Denton anyway, and no article in it has ever effected recruiting. He was also at the mixer at the Pourhouse on the 9th. Were you there? How many mixers over the past year have you attended? Not many, and with good reason, because you have a job to work at just like Coach Dodge does here. Most college coaches, and rightfully so, were on vacation at that time. Is there room for improvement? You bet there is, I will agree with you on that.

Another few other things that are unique here. You can't go to Stoop's or Brown's call in shows and mingle with them before and after. Oh, and try to get a ticket to the football banquet at those schools at the giving level most of us are at here. You would not even get the scraps. Yes, they should do call in questions, but nobody steps up to the live mike except for 2 or 3 times in the entire season to ask a question.

Lonnie, I cannot help but think that you would bash Dodge for hitting the banquet circuit, and not staying here, for example, to oversee the new strength coach or make sure the right color jocks came in. There is just not this overwhelming negativity towards Dodge as you want us to believe.

[MeanGreenEagle]

Do you know that these were the only posted questions that weren't answered ? Could you be jumping to conclusions ?

Answering questions about suspended players isn't the type of thing head coaches casualy discuss publicly.

The second question was not the type of question this online Q&A session was meant to address.

[GreenBat]

Answering questions about suspended players isn't the type of thing head coaches casualy discuss publicly.

The second question was not the type of question this online Q&A session was meant to address.

I'm aware of that, but that's the reason I asked it. I just wanted Dodge to know that the BS he spews to the DRC isn't fooling the real fan. I wish Dodge nothing but the best, not because I'm a huge fan of his, but because it would best for MY UNIVERSITY!

[LoveMG]

I'm aware of that, but that's the reason I asked it. I just wanted Dodge to know that the BS he spews to the DRC isn't fooling the real fan. I wish Dodge nothing but the best, not because I'm a huge fan of his, but because it would best for MY UNIVERSITY!

how do you know its not vito spewing the bs?

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

He did go out and hold camps throughout the state. From what I understand, we were well received. We received some good publicity, because of Dodge, in the article on the spread offense recently at ESPN.com. We were also featured last week on Channel 8 last week and Hansen did not bash us. The only other coach profiled or interviewed last week was Patterson, so he was in good company. I don't see June Jones getting much publicity on the local tv stations. Who cares if he does not get along with Vito. The DRC is hardly read in Denton anyway, and no article in it has ever effected recruiting. He was also at the mixer at the Pourhouse on the 9th. Were you there? How many mixers over the past year have you attended? Not many, and with good reason, because you have a job to work at just like Coach Dodge does here. Most college coaches, and rightfully so, were on vacation at that time. Is there room for improvement? You bet there is, I will agree with you on that.

Another few other things that are unique here. You can't go to Stoop's or Brown's call in shows and mingle with them before and after. Oh, and try to get a ticket to the football banquet at those schools at the giving level most of us are at here. You would not even get the scraps. Yes, they should do call in questions, but nobody steps up to the live mike except for 2 or 3 times in the entire season to ask a question.

Lonnie, I cannot help but think that you would bash Dodge for hitting the banquet circuit, and not staying here, for example, to oversee the new strength coach or make sure the right color jocks came in. There is just not this overwhelming negativity towards Dodge as you want us to believe.

I'm not talking about camps. Every coach does that. Stoops and coaches at other places go to alumni groups specifically to speak to the alumni. Here's an example: http://www.thesoonerclub.com/03_benefits_caravan.html

This year, Stoops went to Dallas, Tulsa, and Wichita, Kansas as well as OKC. The year before, they went to Houston instead of Wichita.

Michigan State: http://www.msuspartans.com/genrel/060509aab.html

LSU: http://www.lsutigertour.com/ The Tigers do 12 cities including Pensacola, FL, Atlanta, GA, and Houston.

Iowa State: http://www.cyclones.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&...;ATCLID=3737586 9 city tour, including stops in Minneapolis, MN and Omaha, NE

South Carolina: http://gamecockclub.org/news.aspx?article_id=11 14 - Eight with Coach Spurrier including a stop in Atlanta, GA; six with various assistants going to different cities

Many schools have this type of thing. Those are just quick samples. Bob Stoops is certainly one who gets out and sees the fans. So, he and others aren't behind the computer. They're out front, meeting people face to face. It's the 21st Century, fellas. The head coach is the CEO. Chat room is fine, though, and very cutting edge for the 1990s.

Also, Dodge can't oversee the summer workouts per NCAA regs. So, it would be good for him to get out and tour the state - and possibly parts of Oklahoma and Louisiana as well. Whether he ever does or not makes no difference to the original point, which was that coaches like Bob Stoops were unaccessible to their fanbases. Nothing could be further from the truth. Those guys are always out in front of their fanbases.

Edited July 28, 2009 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

[eulessismore]

Who do we have that would best fill the fullback role ?

In the past we had verstile guys whom I could see fill such a role , someone like a Beau Davidson or a good runner someone like a James Mitchell.

If I had a vote I'd go for Robbie Deheck or a Bryant Seidle type of player to play on the goaline situations while still be playing DEF & ST

After we signed Shavod Atkinsson(sp?), someone who had played with him in high school posted, on some sports forum, that Shavod had been used then to run in short yardage situations. I do agree it would probably be someone from our running back or tight end positions.

[UNT90]

Whether he ever does or not makes no difference to the original point, which was that coaches like Bob Stoops were unaccessible to their fanbases. Nothing could be further from the truth. Those guys are always out in front of their fanbases.

No, it looks like he just turns out for his donors. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like this is for something similiar to the Mean Green Club?? If so, he is just meeting with donors, not the average OU fan. I credit Dodge for the online thing. The average fan can ask a question to the head coach. I would be willing to bet that never happens at schools like OU and UT.

[Green Dozer]

I'm not talking about camps. Every coach does that. Stoops and coaches at other places go to alumni groups specifically to speak to the alumni. Here's an example: http://www.thesoonerclub.com/03_benefits_caravan.html

This year, Stoops went to Dallas, Tulsa, and Wichita, Kansas as well as OKC. The year before, they went to Houston instead of Wichita.

Michigan State: http://www.msuspartans.com/genrel/060509aab.html

LSU: http://www.lsutigertour.com/ The Tigers do 12 cities including Pensacola, FL, Atlanta, GA, and Houston.

Iowa State: http://www.cyclones.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&...;ATCLID=3737586 9 city tour, including stops in Minneapolis, MN and Omaha, NE

South Carolina: http://gamecockclub.org/news.aspx?article_id=11 14 - Eight with Coach Spurrier including a stop in Atlanta, GA; six with various assistants going to different cities

Many schools have this type of thing. Those are just quick samples. Bob Stoops is certainly one who gets out and sees the fans. So, he and others aren't behind the computer. They're out front, meeting people face to face. It's the 21st Century, fellas. The head coach is the CEO. Chat room is fine, though, and very cutting edge for the 1990s.

Also, Dodge can't oversee the summer workouts per NCAA regs. So, it would be good for him to get out and tour the state - and possibly parts of Oklahoma and Louisiana as well. Whether he ever does or not makes no difference to the original point, which was that coaches like Bob Stoops were unaccessible to their fanbases. Nothing could be further from the truth. Those guys are always out in front of their fanbases.

Lonnie,

You are comparing apples and oranges. Stoops and Brown don't take their camps on the road, and don't have to. Furthermore the alumni show up to hear from their coaches, good or bad at the universities you cite (and it is a limited few) in cities away from campus. Sorry to say, but ours don't. I have not seen an ad or an announcement on the UT or OU board inviting one and all to show up for some private time with Brown or Stoops.

Edited July 28, 2009 by Green Dozer

[NT03]

After we signed Shavod Atkinsson(sp?), someone who had played with him in high school posted, on some sports forum, that Shavod had been used then to run in short yardage situations. I do agree it would probably be someone from our running back or tight end positions.

That would work.

I always thought that Booger would have been a great fullback.

[Shuke-D]

Jamel will be a pretty potent kick returner, and Hilbert has a track background that will lend him well if he can see the field this year. We hope to bring him along slowly.

I see Jamel is not listed on the two-deep for returns. Is the competition that good? I remember reading on here last year that before he got hurt he looked like a firecracker returning kicks. Would just love to read that our return game gives the offense less real-estate to have to deal with next year.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Lonnie,

You are comparing apples and oranges. Stoops and Brown don't take their camps on the road, and don't have to. Furthermore the alumni show up to hear from their coaches, good or bad at the universities you cite (and it is a limited few) in cities away from campus. Sorry to say, but ours don't. I have not seen an ad or an announcement on the UT or OU board inviting one and all to show up for some private time with Brown or Stoops.

Yes, you have because I've just showed them to you. It's not only on their websites, which their fans from across the country visit, but they mail booster club members in the areas they are going to. It's called marketing.

You're just not wanting to see that Stoops, Spurrier and many others get out and talk to the fans face-to-face instead of online. Which is fine. But, it's also skits the truth behind the matter. Spurrier goes so far as to not only visit eight cities himself to mix with Gamecock fans, he sends each assistant out to a different city as well.

But, who knows...maybe those other schools' fans would rather have an online chat with their head coach instead of talking to him face-to-face, and maybe getting his autograph or shaking his hand, etc. Online is just so much more of a sell. These other places are obviously wasting their time with these face-to-face meetings with the coaches. I mean, how much more patently backwards can they be by putting their coaches right out there in front of the fans?

Edited July 28, 2009 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

[Stan R]

I mean, how much more patently backwards can they be by putting their coaches right out there in front of the fans?

To be fair, Dodge will be meeting face to face with the fans this Saturday at the cookout, no?

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

To be fair, Dodge will be meeting face to face with the fans this Saturday at the cookout, no?

Yes. Fans will be going to Denton to see him. Not much of a summer tour. But, he did go online, and was gracious enough to answer the hamburger question.

Look, I'm not knocking Dodge. I'm just pointing out that other coaches at other school do interact with the fan, but they do so face-to-face. Someone posted that Stoops wouldn't do such a thing online. And, I agreed...of course not. Why would he when he already travels from state to state to interact with them face-to-face?

Here's part of our problem - marketing by the athletic department and marketing by the booster club. Those are the elements that put these face-to-face tours together at other schools. We already know our athletic department won't so much as put up a $500 a month billboard anywhere to push the football program.

Yes, the school has pulled down its pants and joined the "look how big mine is" club by having billboards touting our enrollment, but that says nothing about the football program. It just says, "Hey, look at us! We enroll a bunch of students, too, just like Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech!"

In the end, an online chat is about par for the course with our school. Those of us with degrees from UNT just kind of accept it for what it is. But to throw stones at other programs who are doing more than we are? Come on.

Edited July 28, 2009 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

[TIgreen01]

Yes, you have because I've just showed them to you. It's not only on their websites, which their fans from across the country visit, but they mail booster club members in the areas they are going to. It's called marketing.

You're just not wanting to see that Stoops, Spurrier and many others get out and talk to the fans face-to-face instead of online. Which is fine. But, it's also skits the truth behind the matter. Spurrier goes so far as to not only visit eight cities himself to mix with Gamecock fans, he sends each assistant out to a different city as well.

But, who knows...maybe those other schools' fans would rather have an online chat with their head coach instead of talking to him face-to-face, and maybe getting his autograph or shaking his hand, etc. Online is just so much more of a sell. These other places are obviously wasting their time with these face-to-face meetings with the coaches. I mean, how much more patently backwards can they be by putting their coaches right out there in front of the fans?

Maybe I'm mistaken, but does Dodge NOT do face-face meetings with fans? What was the Pourhouse event and the live radio show every week during the season? It seems like there are lots of opportunities to meet the HC at UNT and our AD. It sounds like you have a problem that he's doing something online instead of nothing but face-face time? Why? It's just one more way to interact with the HC.

This was a good thing....why all the bickering over it??

Edited July 28, 2009 by TIgreen01

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Maybe I'm mistaken, but does Dodge NOT do face-face meetings with fans? What was the Pourhouse event and the live radio show every week during the season? It seems like there are lots of opportunities to meet the HC at UNT and our AD. It sounds like you have a problem that he's doing something online in addition to that? Why? It's just one more way to interact with the HC.

This was a good thing....why all the bickering over it??

Yes, I understand that. But, someone posted that Bob Stoops wouldn't be as accessible as to get online for a chat. I merely pointed out that he already traveled from state to state every summer to meet fans face-to-face. I just cleared up someone's misconception. Whether we do it or not is irrelevant.

Also, I fail to understand why some here are so eager to slam Bob Stoops when Todd Dodge has repeatedly said that he's trying to help us get Tyler Stradford's eligibility okayed with the NCAA for this season. This is a coach who doesn't have to help us, but is trying to, and all we can do is throw rocks in his directions? Please.