KFDM COOP Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 Dodge to UNT Dodge in line to get UNT jobBy TROY PHILLIPS Star-Telegram Staff Writer STAR-TELEGRAM/SHARON M. STEINMAN Carroll coach Todd Dodge will reportedly be named head coach at North Texas, where he was an assistant in 1992-93.The search for a new North Texas head football coach is expected to end in the next 48 hours. All signs point in the direction of Carroll High School coach Todd Dodge as being UNT's choice to replace Darrell Dickey, who was fired on Nov. 8. Sources close to UNT's search, while not confirming Dodge will be hired, said an announcement concerning the head coaching job is expected as early as this afternoon. UNT could call a news conference late this afternoon or Wednesday morning. Also today during a scheduled 2 p.m. meeting, the UNT Board of Regents will vote to authorize athletic director Rick Villarreal and school president Gretchen M. Bataille to enter into a contract with a new football coach. Asked over the weekend what that vote is about, Villarreal said, "The board only approves the parameters of a contract and not a specific coach." Villarreal, who did not return calls or e-mails on Monday, has yet to deny he has interviewed or even spoken to Dodge, but sources say a meeting or meetings have occurred. Dodge denied any knowledge of a news conference this week to announce his hiring at UNT. Carroll (14-0) is scheduled to face Allen in the Class 5A Division I state semifinals on Saturday. Since moving up from Class 4A to 5A in 2002, Carroll is 77-1 and has won a state title three of the past four seasons. "I'm not sure," Dodge said Monday, when asked why all speculation leads to him. "I'm just trying to get this team ready. I don't know anything about a press conference." Asked if he was "unequivocally denying" that he would be UNT's next coach, Dodge didn't answer the question. "I can't comment on this," he said. Asked if Dodge is leaving, Carroll athletic director Ronnie Tipps declined to comment. Dodge, a former quarterback at Texas, was a UNT assistant coach in 1992-93 and has also been a head coach at Cameron Yoe, Carrollton Smith and Fossil Ridge. He appears to have been UNT's frontrunner for some time, despite reports Villarreal showed strong interest in University of San Diego coach Jim Harbaugh and South Carolina defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix. Harbaugh reportedly interviewed at UNT last week, and Nix withdrew from consideration several days earlier. Sources also say Villarreal interviewed Nebraska offensive coordinator Jay Norvell. It's not known whether Dodge has notified Carroll officials of his intent to resign after the football season. He will also coach one team at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, a national high school all-star game, on Jan. 6. Starting Dec. 18, the weeks leading up to that game are dead (no-contact) weeks for college recruiting. The dead period runs again until Jan. 11, and because so few recruiting days remain until the process picks up again on Jan. 12, sources said UNT felt like it had to make a move now. Staff writer Trae Thompson contributed to this story. IN THE KNOW Todd Dodge résumé YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD A look at Todd Dodge's career at Carroll, where he is 96-11: Season Rec. Result 2000 9-5 4A Division II Region I final 2001 10-5 4A Division II state semifinals 2002 16-0 5A Division II state champions 2003 15-1 5A Division II state runner-up 2004 16-0 5A Division II state champions 2005 16-0 5A Division II state champions 2006 14-0 Play Saturday in 5A Division I semifinals ACHIEVEMENTS Assistant coach for West team in 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. 2004 National Coach of the Year by USA Today. Coached the North team in the 2004 Texas High School Coaches Association all-star football game. Carroll is 77-1 since moving to Class 5A in 2002. Guided Carroll to a record four consecutive Class 5A state title game appearances (2002-05). Won three Class 5A Division II state titles (2002, 2004, 2005) and two mythical national championships (2004, 2005). Produced four consecutive Associated Press Players of the Year (QBs Chase Wasson in 2002, Chase Daniel in 2003 and 2004, Greg McElroy in 2005).
Guest Techsan Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 Now to see if he can produce at the next level.... I saw SouthLake Carrol dismantle Odessa Permian two weeks ago at Jones Stadium 42-6. Very sound play calling and I think he'll do fine, but he will have a tough time converting North Texas into a spread offense with their current personnel geared to run 100 times a game. I dont think it will take him as long as it took Art Bryles to turn Houston around, simply because the level of competition isnt as stiff, but the first couple of seasons will be rocky until he can get his own guys running the system.
Guest Ozen Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 Craig Stump at WB will be leaving with him as well. That's the word!
Guest Kelly Football Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 I've heard that to about Stump. I'm surprised Dodge is taking the UNT job.
JMay Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 It may not take as long as you would think to convert the offense. Todd Graham did it at Rice, an I'm sure they ran more than UNT. Good hire for UNT if it happens. I hate that Stump is leaving but the hiring make sense, they are old classmates.
JMay Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 I've heard that to about Stump. I'm surprised Dodge is taking the UNT job. Is that considered a lateral move? Or a step down, going from SLC, to UNT. No offense to the UNT program.
KFDM COOP Posted December 12, 2006 Author Report Posted December 12, 2006 $$ And the fact if he stayed at SLC one more year who knows if he would have this chance next year.
JMay Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 So if he leave next year, is his prize recruit his son Riley in 2008, since he is a junior at SLC this season. BTW who does SLC name there coach, obviously anyone they want (Can you imagine the line of applicants)
Cat22 Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 Is that considered a lateral move? Or a step down' date=' going from SLC, to UNT. No offense to the UNT program. [/quote'] SLC probably has better facilities than UNT!
bloodclot Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 I'm guessing you're just having fun ...but I think North Texas' stadium is a pretty good one. Having never seen SLC's I can't say if it's better but for a NCAA Div I-AA program it's not bad.
JMay Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 I have seen Fouts from the freeway, its probably one of the nicer in the Sun Belt, and on par with your non-BCS schools. SLC has one of the nicest stadiums in DFW from what I here, but nothing as good as UNT. Dragon Stadium: Fouts Field
AshlyHasBeen Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 Some newer pictures of Fouts, UNT is 1A by the way.
UNLV Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 Excellent hire for UNT. Bonehead missed opportunity for Tubbs and LU.
JMay Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 Excellent hire for UNT. Bonehead missed opportunity for Tubbs and LU. Is Lamar bringing back football any time soon?
Cat22 Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 I know SLC has a indoor practice facility for bad weather days, does UNT?
KFDM COOP Posted December 12, 2006 Author Report Posted December 12, 2006 http://www.dallasnews.com/?nl
bloodclot Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 My bad Shly, you are correct...Div I-A
KFDM COOP Posted December 12, 2006 Author Report Posted December 12, 2006 http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/121306dnspododge.131bf01.html
numbertwo Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 So if he leave next year' date=' is his prize recruit his son Riley in 2008, since he is a junior at SLC this season. BTW who does SLC name there coach, obviously anyone they want (Can you imagine the line of applicants)[/quote'] I don't know if it was on here or I heard it from a friend, but I remember something or somebody saying that Riley is getting recruited by North Texas.
SETXsports #1 Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 North Texas will get better in a hurry!
JMay Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 I read on a Rice board that Riley had recieved scholarship offers already from Rice and SMU. Here is his rivals link: http://www.footballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=48938
Guest Bridge City Card Posted December 12, 2006 Report Posted December 12, 2006 I bet the people at SLC hate to see him go.
KFDM COOP Posted December 13, 2006 Author Report Posted December 13, 2006 http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2695177 It's Offical!
KFDM COOP Posted December 13, 2006 Author Report Posted December 13, 2006 North Texas hires Dodge from Carroll HighAssociated Press DENTON, Texas -- Todd Dodge was hired as coach at North Texas on Tuesday, making the rare jump from high school to Division I-A after an unprecedented run of success at Southlake Carroll. Dodge, a former Texas quarterback, has coached Carroll to a 77-1 record in Texas' highest classification. The Dragons have won 46 consecutive games and are two wins from their third straight state title and fourth in five years. They have a 50-game regular-season winning streak and are the only school to win a state title in their first year in Class 5A. "My family and I are extremely excited for the opportunity to return to the Mean Green football program, which is very near to our hearts," Dodge said in a statement released before an evening news conference. "We have fond memories of our time at North Texas and I truly believe that my two years as the offensive coordinator here really set the groundwork for the successes I have achieved as a head football coach." Dodge was the offensive coordinator at UNT in 1992-93 before returning to high schools to start his head coaching career. Last year, he interviewed with Bill Parcells for an opening on the Dallas Cowboys staff, and he turned down an invitation to interview for the opening at Rice. Dodge replaces Darrell Dickey, who was fired midway through a 3-9 season that left him with a 42-64 record over nine years. "The goals and standards that coach Todd Dodge have established for his football program are exemplary as evidenced by his record of successes and national reputation," athletic director Rick Villarreal said. "He has a passion for the Mean Green and we are confident that he is the coach to elevate North Texas' football program." Under Dickey, the Mean Green went to the New Orleans Bowl as Sun Belt Conference champion four straight times from 2001-04 and featured a pair of running backs -- Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas -- who led the nation in rushing. But a second straight losing season was marked by dwindling attendance, bottoming out at 9,806 in the finale. North Texas averaged almost 16,000 fans per game, or about 30,000 fewer than the crowd for Carroll's 22-21 victory against Euless Trinity in a playoff thriller at Texas Stadium last month. The 46,339 fans for that game are thought to be the second-most for a high school game in Texas. The Dragons have been generating that kind of buzz for a several years with their four-receiver, no-huddle spread offense, also known as "Dodge Ball." If the hiring of a high school coach to run a Division I program raises questions, it won't be the first time Dodge's credentials were scrutinized. He had a losing record as a head coach when he started at Carroll, which won a state-record 72 straight regular season games in smaller classifications from 1986-94. Dodge lost his first three games, but he's 96-8 since. Dickey was fired just weeks after suffering a heart attack, prompting criticism from a prominent booster who demanded that the school rename a new practice facility after Dickey. UNT officials have said they plan to honor the request. Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press
eaglepride Posted December 13, 2006 Report Posted December 13, 2006 UNT has a new athletic facility and will have a new stadium in 2009.
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