I would bet Todd Dodge enjoyed watching the bowl win

[Harry]

I couldn't help but think about Coach Dodge, who has rightfully taken a lot of the blame for the downward spiral we dealt with and appear to have finally overcome.

A lot of the best players on the team were Dodge recruits which had been pointed out here.

I can't help but think/hope that he was watching the game intently -- pulling for the Mean Green and his players and their families...

Same thing can be said for Riley...

Todd Dodge handled a unfortunate situation with a lot of dignity and I will always remember that. I hope he got some satisfaction from seeing some of his recruits play so well in a New Years Day Bowl game on national TV.

[oldguystudent]

I couldn't help but think about Coach Dodge, who has rightfully taken a lot of the blame for the downward spiral we dealt with and appear to have finally overcome.

Correct

A lot of the best players on the team were Dodge recruits which had been pointed out here.

Who flourished after receiving some experienced coaching and serious strength and conditioning training.

I can't help but think/hope that he was watching the game intently -- pulling for the Mean Green and his players and their families...

Maybe. But I can also hear the cries from some family members that this proves he should still be in Denton and that this is actually his victory.

Same thing can be said for Riley...

The victim of an unfortunate family situation.

Todd Dodge handled a unfortunate situation with a lot of dignity and I will always remember that.

He didn't throw a tantrum or call his fanbase a bunch of MFers. I'll give him credit for that

I hope he got some satisfaction from seeing some of his recruits play so well in a New Years Day Bowl game on national TV.

See above

[MeanGreenTexan]

+1 Harry.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Interesting thoughts. I'm sure it had to be bittersweet for him, as he had to think about what he couldn't accomplish here. At the same time, I'm sure he felt good for the players to whom he had promised good things, and to whom he gave his time, effort, and attention.

[greenjoe]

I always liked Todd Dodge. Make no mistake, I was not happy with the results of his teams the 3 years he was here, but I always enjoyed visiting with him the few times I was able to. I can't say that about all former NT coaches.

The same for Riley. I really felt we had a chance as long as Riley was on the field. I was sorry he transferred.

I hope they both have a lot of success and that they think fondly of their time at North Texas.

Beat Texas

GO MEAN GREEN

[andrewrozell]

+1 Harry

[untjim1995]

Todd Dodge did one great thing for UNT--probably his lasting legacy. He made it public that he was promised a new football stadium when he was hired and he never stopped bringing that to light. It was a great way to keep the BOR and administration honest about this. We aren't playing in any bowl game this year if we are still at Fouts right now, in part because McCarney woul have never agreed to coach here with that toilet as our home field. To be a real player in college football means you have legitimate facilities, coaches, strength and conditioning programs, and funds to pay them with.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

--- At least he didn't find some strange black uniforms to end his tenure with...

---He just didn't understand that his teams had to play some defense and that he couldn't win with a staff made of HS coaches.

--- He was a decent man that didn't seem to realize he needed to find good defensive players and have someone to coach them at a college level. .

[Mean Green 93-98]

Todd Dodge did one great thing for UNT--probably his lasting legacy. He made it public that he was promised a new football stadium when he was hired and he never stopped bringing that to light. It was a great way to keep the BOR and administration honest about this. We aren't playing in any bowl game this year if we are still at Fouts right now, in part because McCarney woul have never agreed to coach here with that toilet as our home field. To be a real player in college football means you have legitimate facilities, coaches, strength and conditioning programs, and funds to pay them with.

Along the lines of what you're saying, he also insisted on bringing in a dedicated football strength and conditioning coach. That is something we had never had before.

And along the lines of what I was saying earlier, I got to thinking about watching Riley's reaction when we blew out Western KY in the first game after his dad was fired. I'm sure he was happy about the win, but while everyone else was hootin' and hollerin', he was very subdued. I'm not a mind reader, but I'm almost sure he had to be thinking, "I wish Dad were still coaching for this win." I imagine that's something along the lines of how Coach Dodge must have felt watching this bowl game.

Edited January 3, 2014 by Mean Green 93-98

[untjim1995]

--- At least he didn't find some strange black uniforms to end his tenure with...

---He just didn't understand that his teams had to play some defense and that he couldn't win with a staff made of HS coaches.

--- He was a decent man that didn't seem to realize he needed to find good defensive players and have someone to coach them at a college level. .

Yes, Hutch Black Jersey Night summed up Dickey's last few seasons here perfectly. Its up there on the list of Embarrassing Moments in UNT Football History. Of course, Todd Dodge also didn't run off with any TVs from the athletic department, either, so that MFer had that going for him, too.

DIckey was a better head coach than Dodge, obviously, but he was nothing to brag about either. Any coach that got the SBC in its early years with the defensive talent and running game we had would've have duplicated that success, at a minimum. Our OOC games were just brutal during those glory years, except for the Baylor game in FOuts in 2003.

McCarney is just such a breath of fresh air compared to anything we have had here since Corky Nelson, and really, since Hayden Fry. A guy who can coach, develop talent, connect with the fanbase, and make strong recruiting in-roads with Texas HS coaches are all attributes that very few around Denton have had since 1979.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Todd just wasn't ready...and, RV allowed him to hire an entire coaching staff of coaches who also weren't ready.

You look at Todd Graham, Hugh Freeze, Art Briles, and Gus Malzahn...all pretty successful high school football coaches before they jumped to the college scene. The difference is, they all made the jump from high school head coach to assistant coach.

Okay, so, they learned what it took to run a program before being handed the keys. They learned what is and what isn't important. I mean, in Dodge's first season you had assistant coaches disciplining players during the games for cussing! It just wasn't realistic. During a football game, the important thing is the football game. People get frustrated and cuss sometimes. But, that's how unprepared Dodge and his staff were - they didn't know what should be a priority...even during games.

I don't think that Todd Dodge is incapable of being a college head coach. But, he needs two or three years of being a position coach, co-offiensive coordinator, or offensive coordinator before he is becomes a head coach again.

Edited January 3, 2014 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

[UNT90]

Todd just wasn't ready...and, RV allowed him to hire an entire coaching staff of coaches who also weren't ready.

You look at Todd Graham, Hugh Freeze, Art Briles, and Gus Malzahn...all pretty successful high school football coaches before they jumped to the college scene. The difference is, they all made the jump from high school head coach to assistant coach.

Okay, so, they learned what it took to run a program before being handed the keys. They learned what is and what isn't important. I mean, in Dodge's first season you had assistant coaches disciplining players during the games for cussing! It just wasn't realistic. During a football game, the important thing is the football game. People get frustrated and cuss sometimes. But, that's how unprepared Dodge and his staff were - they didn't know what should be a priority...even during games.

I don't think that Todd Dodge is incapable of being a college head coach. But, he needs two or three years of being a position coach, co-offiensive coordinator, or offensive coordinator before he is becomes a head coach again.

There is a reason Dodge is a HS coach in Marble Falls.

To say Dodge was in over his head is like saying an ant is in over it's head in the middle of the Mariana Trench.

[Got5onIt]

There is a reason Dodge is a HS coach in Marble Falls.

To say Dodge was in over his head is like saying an ant is in over it's head in the middle of the Mariana Trench.

LOL!

100% accurate.

[foutsrouts]

Todd Dodge did one great thing for UNT--probably his lasting legacy. He made it public that he was promised a new football stadium when he was hired and he never stopped bringing that to light. It was a great way to keep the BOR and administration honest about this. We aren't playing in any bowl game this year if we are still at Fouts right now, in part because McCarney woul have never agreed to coach here with that toilet as our home field. To be a real player in college football means you have legitimate facilities, coaches, strength and conditioning programs, and funds to pay them with.

Very true. It may be a slight stretch, but I do think that he also increased enthusiasm for the program, and some of that enthusiasm actually lingered through the pain and suffering of his failed tenure. I would bet that quite a few who jumped on our bowl bandwagon this year were initially hooked when he was hired. I just hope we get the carryover into Apogee next season.

[UNTexas]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Dodge a position coach under Parker? I think Steve Kragthorpe replaced him when Simon was hired. I could be wrong but he had some college experience. If it wasn't lack of experience then his philosophy was fundamentally flawed. Dodge had moments but tried to run a Division 1 program like a High School. He left the team in shambles but helped us get a great stadium.

No matter what I think we have a damn good head coach now along with great coordinators and position coaches.

Edited January 3, 2014 by UNTexas

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Dodge a position coach under Parker? I think Steve Kragthorpe replaced him when Simon was hired. I could be wrong but he had some college experience. If it wasn't lack of experience then his philosophy was fundamentally flawed. Dodge had moments but tried to run a Division 1 program like a High School. He left the team in shambles but helped us get a great stadium.

No matter what I think we have a damn good head coach now along with great coordinators and position coaches.

He was an assistance for a year or two...when we were I-AA. From 1994 to 2007, the college football landscape had changed dramatically.

He needed recent college experience as Graham, Freeze, Briles, and Malzahn all got before their responsibilies were increased.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Yes, Dodge was a position coach at UNT for a couple of years, I think '92 and '93. But it was limited experience, and he was pretty removed from his college experience when he came to UNT 14 years later. If he wanted to become a college HC after his time at SLC, he would have been best served to spend a year as a position coach, another few years as a coordinator, and then make his move to HC. At this point, I highly doubt he tries to make another run at coaching at the college level in any capacity.

EDIT: Well, it looks like Fake Lonnie already said everything I said. So I'll just say, "Amen."

Edited January 3, 2014 by Mean Green 93-98

[emmitt01]

I hope he thought to himself "Wow!!! It only took McCarney three years to dig the car out of the ditch I drove it into?!!"

13% folks, 13%

[JesseMartin]

I don't think Dickey's black uniform game was all that embarrassing overall. Maybe to the admin and the UNT faithful at the time, but aside from the longtime fans still talking about it, I doubt anybody else remembers it in terms of the general view and reputation of the program, especially on a national level. But I have to ask...when pointing out that Dodge didn't steal any TVs, is that inferring that Dickey did, or is it a reference to someone else?

[Cooley]

I don't get why folks continue to blame Dodge for "running the team in a ditch"; instead of the folks that hired him. He was a high school coach. How many other programs in the history of college football have hired a HS coach? (maybe a handful) We thought we could go cheap and hire a highly successful HS coach (with a joke of a budget) and be successful. He had to bring in other HS assistants coaches because that is what the budget would allow. (60-80k)

If RV was responsible for the hire, RV is the person who ran the program in the ditch. Dodge, in my opinion, does not deserve much of the criticism he continues to get years later. We got what the hell we paid for. We actually need to thank the man for the bulk of the key recruits from the current team. I'm actually still waiting for McCarney to top what Dodge (and Dickey) were able to do without all the resources he enjoys today. Can we finally get a quality QB or DL?

[emmitt01]

I don't get why folks continue to blame Dodge for "running the team in a ditch"; instead of the folks that hired him. He was a high school coach. How many other programs in the history of college football have hired a HS coach? (maybe a handful) We thought we could go cheap and hire a highly successful HS coach (with a joke of a budget) and be successful. He had to bring in other HS assistants coaches because that is what the budget would allow. (60-80k)

If RV was responsible for the hire, RV is the person who ran the program in the ditch. Dodge, in my opinion, does not deserve much of the criticism he continues to get years later. We got what the hell we paid for. We actually need to thank the man for the bulk of the key recruits from the current team. I'm actually still waiting for McCarney to top what Dodge (and Dickey) were able to do without all the resources he enjoys today. Can we finally get a quality QB or DL?

It was the general arrogance and willful ignorance ("If you take away a few plays we would have won", "I think the O-line graded out great", worrying about whether kids' hats were turned backward, adamant refusal to change schemes because he had a "football plan", etc). That is why I hope he drives around Denton if he ever needs to travel anywhere near it.

[oldguystudent]

Derrick Thompson's money is no good in Denton. Todd Dodge pays double and gets a parking ticket.

[AndersonUNT]

Todd Dodge talk

[GrayEagle]

I don't get why folks continue to blame Dodge for "running the team in a ditch"; instead of the folks that hired him. He was a high school coach. How many other programs in the history of college football have hired a HS coach? (maybe a handful) We thought we could go cheap and hire a highly successful HS coach (with a joke of a budget) and be successful. He had to bring in other HS assistants coaches because that is what the budget would allow. (60-80k)

If RV was responsible for the hire, RV is the person who ran the program in the ditch. Dodge, in my opinion, does not deserve much of the criticism he continues to get years later. We got what the hell we paid for. We actually need to thank the man for the bulk of the key recruits from the current team. I'm actually still waiting for McCarney to top what Dodge (and Dickey) were able to do without all the resources he enjoys today. Can we finally get a quality QB or DL?

Not really agreeing or disagreeing with your observation but it had been done before...once. And by one of the greatest coaches in high school, college and professional football. None other than the great Paul Brown.

Maybe RV envisioned that Todd was the second coming of Brown. I don't know. Maybe he was trying to balance the budget while trying to improve facilities. Again, I'm clueless. But, given that Dodge was perhaps the hottest coaching "name" in the Metromess, I'd guess that he never thought it would be this bad and might put a few more butts in seats, and he had an vocal advocate for a new stadium. There were just as many (or more) who thought that the plan would work as those against it. Who know? Perhaps if he'd hired a seasoned college coaching staff it might have. Hindsight is usually 20/20.

Edited January 5, 2014 by GrayEagle

[THOR]

I bought season tickets because of the excitement from dodges first year...without that debacle, I may have never become such a fan...