Why I Want Todd Dodge To Succeed

Zeleny' Orel · September 6, 2009

Of course, there is the obvious...if Todd Dodge succeeds, then it means we are winning, Riley is staying, and UNT football is once again respectable.

But, for me, there is another reason I would like him to succeed. First let me say that I do not know Coach Dodge, did not know Coach Dickey, and am not an insider. My observations are based on listening to coaches at various events, reading articles and the board, and what I have learned over many decades of living and following athletics in general, and Mean Green athletics in particular. My comments will also be based on my own experience in participating in athletics (not football) and playing under many different coaches. This is totally speculation on my part, but I have seen things to lead me to believe that my observations are valid ones.

What brought this to mind was a comment I heard the announcers make on the TV broadcast of the UNT-Ball State football game. They asked Coach Dodge what he thought was the biggest difference between the high school and college game. His response was somethng to the effect that in high school you had responsibility for the kids during practice and then sent them home to their parents, but in college you had responsibility for them 24/7. This answer seemed to shock the announcers, but it brought home some things to think about, probably because I had a coach that felt the responsibilty for us not only as players, but people, and was very influential in making my teammates and me better people because of it.

It is very important to me that UNT athletics brings positive publicity to my university (not like Oregon last week) and that UNT athletes get an education that will make them successful in life and good citizens, reflecting well on my university. That means they have to do more than just win games and this is where I hope Coach Dodge is the person I think he is. It seems to me that under Coach Dickey (and maybe before) our players had no boundaries, no self-discipline, and no "education" to make them successful people after they finished their football careers. We also had recruits who may have come from programs where football was more important than growing as a person. When the players had to make a change to the Dodge system that seems to require structure, pride, self-discipline, a code of conduct on and off the field, turmoil seemed to begin. Drug tests were mandated, a standard of conduct was required, etc. It is human nature for young people to rebel when some of their "freedoms" are taken away. I think the last two years showed this to be a fact as there were players to leave, others to quit, etc. Some players had difficulty with the new standards, some didn't, and the result was that we were not a "team." I hope all of this is behind us and that the players realize that Coach Dodge thinks more of them than just being football players.

It seems to me as if this year's team has finally bought into Coach Dodge's philosophy, both on and off the field, and you are seeing a "team" that understands that it's more than just football. It about making them successful people as well as a successful team. That puts a lot of pressure on Coach Dodge and his assistants and we will see if they are up to the task.

Maybe I am totally wrong about Coach Dodge and the situation, but I hope not. My greatest wish is to get back to the New Orleans Bowl (been to them all) and move on from there. However, I don't want this at the expense of the integrity of our program, our university, and certainly not by our players being exploited. They deserve more than that and I hope Coach Dodge is the one that can give them the skills they need for the rest of their lives.

When you get close to the twilight of your life, you start to think about more things that winning football games, although I was really excited with what I saw last Thursday night's win.

GO MEAN GREEN....NEW ORLEANS IS YOURS FOR THE TAKING!

SilverEagle · September 6, 2009

My reasons for wanting Dodge to succeed is a bit more pragmatic. Another season like the last two and we are in the middle of looking for another coach and coaching staff. Which can only play hell with the public image of our university. This in turn compromises the fund raising for the stadium and sets us back even furthur. In addition, it would probably cause the higher ups (and influential alums) to call into question RV's ability to hire the right coaches for this university,.....with it's unique culture.....which I hope one day will totally go away.

Hiring Coach Dodge was a big gamble. Our program really needs this gamble to work.

Edited September 7, 2009 by SilverEagle

Ibleedgreen · September 7, 2009

I was visiting with a woman who lives in Southlake last week. Her children attended Carroll HS, and I want to share what she said about Coach Dodge. "Todd Dodge was not just a successful high school coach. He was a positive role model for his students, and made strong character development a primary focus."

GoMeanGreen1999 · September 7, 2009

I want him to succeed since he is the coach of the Mean Green. Plain and simple for me.

UNT_playmaker · September 7, 2009

My reasons for wanting Dodge to succeed is a bit more pragmatic. Another season like the last two and we are in the middle of looking for another coach and coaching staff, which can only play hell with the public image of our university. This in turn compromises the fund raising for the stadium and sets us back even furthur. In addition, it would also cause the higher ups (and influential alums) to call into question RV's ability to hire the right coaches for this university,.....with it's unique culture.
Hiring Coach Dodge was a big gamble. Our program really needs this gamble to work.

Silver Eagle

Best statement of the year..... Well said and I couldnt say any better.

greenminer · September 7, 2009

We have some great Dickey alumni that take pride in their successes on and off the field.

I know you only intended to express positive things towards Dodge; but...well, some of these guys I just mentioned read the board and might take exception to some of your comments.

mean green d · September 7, 2009

We have some great Dickey alumni that take pride in their successes on and off the field.
I know you only intended to express positive things towards Dodge; but...well, some of these guys I just mentioned read the board and might take exception to some of your comments.

I would like him to succeed because he seems like a quality individual with his priorities in focus.

It is nice to see a leader of your team you can respect because of the quality of his character. I believe given the time and resources, he will be raise the program the right way. These young men at UNT will get their degrees and will make an impact not only with their team, but in their community.

GMG

NT80 · September 7, 2009

Of course, there is the obvious...if Todd Dodge succeeds, then it means we are winning, Riley is staying, and UNT football is once again respectable.
But, for me, there is another reason I would like him to succeed. First let me say that I do not know Coach Dodge, did not know Coach Dickey, and am not an insider. My observations are based on listening to coaches at various events, reading articles and the board, and what I have learned over many decades of living and following athletics in general, and Mean Green athletics in particular. My comments will also be based on my own experience in participating in athletics (not football) and playing under many different coaches. This is totally speculation on my part, but I have seen things to lead me to believe that my observations are valid ones.
What brought this to mind was a comment I heard the announcers make on the TV broadcast of the UNT-Ball State football game. They asked Coach Dodge what he thought was the biggest difference between the high school and college game. His response was somethng to the effect that in high school you had responsibility for the kids during practice and then sent them home to their parents, but in college you had responsibility for them 24/7. This answer seemed to shock the announcers, but it brought home some things to think about, probably because I had a coach that felt the responsibilty for us not only as players, but people, and was very influential in making my teammates and me better people because of it.
It is very important to me that UNT athletics brings positive publicity to my university (not like Oregon last week) and that UNT athletes get an education that will make them successful in life and good citizens, reflecting well on my university. That means they have to do more than just win games and this is where I hope Coach Dodge is the person I think he is. It seems to me that under Coach Dickey (and maybe before) our players had no boundaries, no self-discipline, and no "education" to make them successful people after they finished their football careers. We also had recruits who may have come from programs where football was more important than growing as a person. When the players had to make a change to the Dodge system that seems to require structure, pride, self-discipline, a code of conduct on and off the field, turmoil seemed to begin. Drug tests were mandated, a standard of conduct was required, etc. It is human nature for young people to rebel when some of their "freedoms" are taken away. I think the last two years showed this to be a fact as there were players to leave, others to quit, etc. Some players had difficulty with the new standards, some didn't, and the result was that we were not a "team." I hope all of this is behind us and that the players realize that Coach Dodge thinks more of them than just being football players.
It seems to me as if this year's team has finally bought into Coach Dodge's philosophy, both on and off the field, and you are seeing a "team" that understands that it's more than just football. It about making them successful people as well as a successful team. That puts a lot of pressure on Coach Dodge and his assistants and we will see if they are up to the task.
Maybe I am totally wrong about Coach Dodge and the situation, but I hope not. My greatest wish is to get back to the New Orleans Bowl (been to them all) and move on from there. However, I don't want this at the expense of the integrity of our program, our university, and certainly not by our players being exploited. They deserve more than that and I hope Coach Dodge is the one that can give them the skills they need for the rest of their lives.
When you get close to the twilight of your life, you start to think about more things that winning football games, although I was really excited with what I saw last Thursday night's win.
GO MEAN GREEN....NEW ORLEANS IS YOURS FOR THE TAKING!

Good post. I believe you are correct there were some players that struggled with the coaching and atmosphere change. I think Coach Dodge recently said something to that effect that the team is more together, like family, this season after all that. I hope the winning continues, now would be a good time for it to happen!

EagleD · September 7, 2009

I think the better question is, what happens when he succeeds? Dickey was given a long time to build a program. When he finally had some success he was not able to take advantage of it. He was never a fan favorite or media darling, so when the wins stopped coming an easy rift was made.

Assuming Dodge has actually turned the corner (.500 record), will he be soured from fan criticism, pressure from the administration, and media scrutiny, or will he remain the positive, upbeat, tough but lovable father figure he projects? More importantly, will the wins continue?

Zeleny' Orel · September 7, 2009

We have some great Dickey alumni that take pride in their successes on and off the field.
I know you only intended to express positive things towards Dodge; but...well, some of these guys I just mentioned read the board and might take exception to some of your comments.

Didn't mean to insinuate that the pre-Dodge coaches didn't produce quality players or people, only that it seems to be a top priority of Coach Dodge and that this caused some "growing pains" for the program the last few years. And that I personally support the priority of helping players achieve their potential of possessing not only good football skills, but also good life skills as well. Because I personally also see this as a priority, I want him to succeed in the win column as well.

Zeleny' Orel · September 7, 2009

My reasons for wanting Dodge to succeed is a bit more pragmatic. Another season like the last two and we are in the middle of looking for another coach and coaching staff, which can only play hell with the public image of our university. This in turn compromises the fund raising for the stadium and sets us back even furthur. In addition, it would also cause the higher ups (and influential alums) to call into question RV's ability to hire the right coaches for this university,.....with it's unique culture.
Hiring Coach Dodge was a big gamble. Our program really needs this gamble to work.

No argument from me.....this is the bottom line....after being a fan for 40 years, this may be my last hope for moving up in the football world!

Zeleny' Orel · September 7, 2009

I was visiting with a woman who lives in Southlake last week. Her children attended Carroll HS, and I want to share what she said about Coach Dodge. "Todd Dodge was not just a successful high school coach. He was a positive role model for his students, and made strong character development a primary focus."

I've heard the same thing, even from South Lake people who are not into sports. Another reason I hope he succeeds and brings both his winning ways, as well as his character development, from South Lake to Denton. It's no doubt been a tough start! But as the saying goes, it's not how you start, but how you finish. I'm hoping for a good finish, starting this year.

untcampbell · September 7, 2009

Leroy,

Great post. So few of us have experienced TRUE and GOOD leadership that we don't know what it looks like when it happens.

Sometimes it is painful, sometimes feelings are hurt and "employees (players on a team, workers in a company)" get fired or quit because they don't like it...usually because they have never had it before.

In the end, if this is TRUE and GOOD leadership that we are seeing, things will work out very well for North Texas....its football team, its enrollment, its alumni.

GMG

shaft · September 7, 2009

Umm, is any rooting against the team?

I think the decision to fire Dickey was premature. I think Dodge's first bunch of hires were bad. And I'm still not sure he can turn the ship around.

But no one is rooting against the team.

Mean Green 93-98 · September 8, 2009

Umm, is any rooting against the team?
I think the decision to fire Dickey was premature. I think Dodge's first bunch of hires were bad. And I'm still not sure he can turn the ship around.
But no one is rooting against the team.

I'm convinced the ship has been turned around.

Go to the game on Saturday, and you'll see what I'm talking about.

TheTastyGreek · September 8, 2009

I'm convinced the ship has been turned around.
Go to the game on Saturday, and you'll see what I'm talking about.

This win, on it's own, is big enough to allow me to be optimistic again and to feel a lot of excitement about what the future might hold, this season and beyond.

But it isn't enough to convince me that we're on the right track yet. A couple more, and then we'll talk.

For now, my outlook has changed significantly, but I'm still not 100% sold. Early returns this year are very encouraging, though.

Mean Green 93-98 · September 8, 2009

This win, on it's own, is big enough to allow me to be optimistic again and to feel a lot of excitement about what the future might hold, this season and beyond.
But it isn't enough to convince me that we're on the right track yet. A couple more, and then we'll talk.
For now, my outlook has changed significantly, but I'm still not 100% sold. Early returns this year are very encouraging, though.

Whether we'll be able to contend for a Sun Belt title this year remains to be seen. But I believe the days of hopeless blowouts against mid-major teams are done--at least while the players currently leading the team don the green.

Go to the game on Saturday--you'll see what I mean.

TheTastyGreek · September 8, 2009

Whether we'll be able to contend for a Sun Belt title this year remains to be seen. But I believe the days of hopeless blowouts against mid-major teams are done--at least while the players currently leading the team don the green.
Go to the game on Saturday--you'll see what I mean.

Oh, I'll be there this weekend. Even if we'd been blown out at Ball State, I'd be there this weekend.

ColoradoEagle · September 8, 2009

the right coaches for this university,.....with it's unique culture.....which I hope one day will totally go away.

Pretty sure we're thinking the same thing, but I never want the culture of this university to go away. What I want to go away is the academics vs. athletics bickering, and the apathy towards athletics. As the campus, facilities, and perimeter around the campus change, I think much of the pride issues will be taken care of. For a lot of alumni and some current students, North Texas wasn't their first choice. It may not have even been their second choice.

As the campus and surrounding area transforms, and admissions requirements continue to climb, we will take on more and more people who want to be at North Texas, and that will make all the difference. Year after year I saw fewer and fewer people wearing other school's logos, and started to see people being chastised for wearing them. At the same time, the amount of people wearing North Texas gear rose considerably. Can you imagine 10 or 15 years from now?

On topic: I want to see Coach Dodge succeed because he respects the athletes, the school, and himself. DD I never liked. He talked about any game that wasn't against a Sunbelt opponent as if we had absolutely no chance. He talked trash about the school and the town. He had absolutely no control over the players, and honestly didn't really care. Yes he brought the SBC championships, but part of me believes that any halfway decent coach could have; he was just in the right place at the right time. There's a reason he was never plucked from NT for greatness at a BCS school.

Edited September 8, 2009 by ColoradoEagle

eulessismore · September 8, 2009

My reasons for wanting Dodge to succeed is a bit more pragmatic. Another season like the last two and we are in the middle of looking for another coach and coaching staff. Which can only play hell with the public image of our university. This in turn compromises the fund raising for the stadium and sets us back even furthur. In addition, it would probably cause the higher ups (and influential alums) to call into question RV's ability to hire the right coaches for this university,.....with it's unique culture.....which I hope one day will totally go away.
Hiring Coach Dodge was a big gamble. Our program really needs this gamble to work.

Kinda confusing, but I'll take it to mean you want our unique culture to go away. Why, what's wrong with a great music school, that's an improving academic school, and on the verge of athletic greatness. Can't we all just get along?

SilverEagle · September 8, 2009

Kinda confusing, but I'll take it to mean you want our unique culture to go away. Why, what's wrong with a great music school, that's an improving academic school, and on the verge of athletic greatness. Can't we all just get along?

geezz.

This is a message board about athletics. This forum is specifically about football. Therefore, I would be referring to the unique cultural attitudes regarding athletics that has developed for decades (actually since the days of Dr. Bruce) here at North Texas, that (in case you haven't noticed) is very Atypical of the rest of Texas. THAT is the culture (or maybe I should have said sub-culture) that I want to go away.....or at least significantly transform..... in a positive way of course.

I am quite happy and proud of the rest of our uniqueness here at North Texas.

eulessismore · September 8, 2009

geezz.
This is a message board about athletics. This forum is specifically about football. Therefore, I would be referring to the unique cultural attitudes regarding athletics that has developed for decades (actually since the days of Dr. Bruce) here at North Texas, that (in case you haven't noticed) is very Atypical of the rest of Texas. THAT is the culture (or maybe I should have said sub-culture) that I want to go away.....or at least significantly transform..... in a positive way of course.
I am quite happy and proud of the rest of our uniqueness here at North Texas.

Sorry to be so obtuse. However, I have mostly excellent memories about sports during my undergrad years at North Texas, in the late 70's. I guess it was easy enough in the years of Hayden Fry and Bill Blakeley (yeah I started out as more a basketball fan). I followed them more sporadically until a couple of years ago. Yes, I was among those who started coming around after the Dodge hire. So, maybe I don't automatically understand that a reference to our unique culture as something of an anti-sports vendetta, rather than a positive aspect of what I consider a great school. If you want everyone to intuitively understand the negative uniqueness references, it would seem that as more of the previously noninvolved with North Texas sports come around (swelling the real numbers in the stands for home games, the less likelihood there is of even GMG.com members understanding vague (to me, anyway) references to the miserable past and its cultural undesirability. Maybe that will be the positive change you seek.

No, not a blind follower of the Dodges, just someone who's bought his first season tickets (yes, before the Ball State game), and thinks that we have a bright future in all aspects of our University's life, yes, football and other sports included.

NT80 · September 8, 2009

While I appreciate what DD did as far as the Bowl games I think most, even him, would agree it was time for a needed change...and not to black jerseys. From a marketing, recruiting, and offensive scheme standpoint TDodge was the right hire at the time to take over. But I believe TDodge would tell you the transition to top level college ball has taken longer than even he expected, much due to player, coaching, and culture changes.

Last week at Ball State was a big step for this transition, but let's keep the Conference Championship talk muted for now. That was not the 12-0 Ball State of a year ago, they were much worse. Although we shot ourselves many times the score was tied in the 4th quarter. Let's see how we handle Ohio and the Muts before we declare we are back from the dead.

SilverEagle · September 8, 2009

Sorry to be so obtuse. However, I have mostly excellent memories about sports during my undergrad years at North Texas, in the late 70's. I guess it was easy enough in the years of Hayden Fry and Bill Blakeley (yeah I started out as more a basketball fan). I followed them more sporadically until a couple of years ago. Yes, I was among those who started coming around after the Dodge hire. So, maybe I don't automatically understand that a reference to our unique culture as something of an anti-sports vendetta, rather than a positive aspect of what I consider a great school. If you want everyone to intuitively understand the negative uniqueness references, it would seem that as more of the previously noninvolved with North Texas sports come around (swelling the real numbers in the stands for home games, the less likelihood there is of even GMG.com members understanding vague (to me, anyway) references to the miserable past and its cultural undesirability. Maybe that will be the positive change you seek.
No, not a blind follower of the Dodges, just someone who's bought his first season tickets (yes, before the Ball State game), and thinks that we have a bright future in all aspects of our University's life, yes, football and other sports included.

The main reason that you have fond athletic memories of your days at North Texas ( in the late 70's) was because Hayden Fry had been busy changing the "culture" at North Texas regarding sports.....and football in particular. The reason he changed the school colors and put emphasis on "Mean Green" was because he wanted us to have a new image along with the new attitude.

After he left, the old negative-about-sports culture took back over, and it's been one bad decision after another about athletics.

Edited September 8, 2009 by SilverEagle

GrandGreen · September 8, 2009

I want Dodge to succeed for the same reason I want Jones, Stephens, Hubbard, Hedlund, etc to prosper; it is for the best interest of University of North Texas. Football is by far the most important sport from a visibility standpoint and therefore it is even more important for Dodge to be successful. On top of that, Dodge seems to have his priorities straight and seems to be doing things the right way. I was never happy with the previous coach even when he was winning because of his atitude and approach.

If Dodge can turn this program around and he is off to a great start, it couldn't come at a better time.