Todd Dodge, 'The OC' Candidate

[GoRedGoBlue]

Generally speaking, I am not for a H.S. guy coming in...however, after looking at WHO this candidate is, perhaps we should all reconsider.

Todd Dodge played for UT as QB, and was a gunslinger for Port Arther HS.

"...But you might expect such from a Todd Dodge-coached team.

Dodge was a stud passing quarterback at Port Arthur Jefferson High School 22 years ago and later started for the University of Texas. After playing in a high school offense that threw the ball 30 to 35 times a game, Dodge may have been a bit ahead of his time at the college level. Back then, it seemed few college teams were really flinging it.

“You could count on one hand the teams who were lighting it up back then,” Dodge said, and then named two, BYU and Louisiana Tech. “I threw for more than 1,700 yards in 1984, and nobody at that time had thrown for that many yards at Texas.”
Dodge said he had even thought about transferring to Louisiana Tech but in hindsight, is glad he didn’t. His 2,791 passing yards still rank No. 8 in Longhorns’ history but are almost 6,000 shy of Texas career leader Major Applewhite, whom Dodge calls the “best ever to play at UT.”

Knowing Todd Dodge’s background, it should come as no surprise that as a head coach he has now turned out back-to-back marquee quarterbacks in first Ricky Lay and then Chase Wasson.

“Coaching quarterbacks is my real passion in football,” said Dodge, who will serve as offensive coordinator for Texas in the June 21 Oil Bowl.

When Wasson showed up at Southlake Carroll in the spring of his sophomore year, Dodge already had Lay penciled in as his starting quarterback in 2001.

“Although he had been a quarterback his whole life, we played him at wide receiver that first year, but we taught him the offense through the eyes of a quarterback,” Dodge explained.

When playoff time rolled around, Wasson was moved to running back. In a 35-21 bi-district win over Wichita Falls, he carried the ball 12 times for 127 yards and scored on a 33-yard touchdown run.
As a senior, he was all quarterback.

With the numbers and the wins that Wasson put up, you would think that every big-time coach in America would be sleeping on his doorstep. But as of right now, only Sam Houston State and Southwest Texas State have shown a real interest in giving him a scholarship.

The Division I recruiters obviously think the 5-11, 180-pounder is too small.

But Dodge, who played for Texas when he was exactly the same size, just can’t understand.
“Put in a video and you’ll see him make all the throws that anybody could want. He can stand on the right hash and throw to his left and put it on a dime. He’s got unbelievable accuracy, and he is also an elusive runner,” the Southlake Carroll coach said.

Dodge said recruiting has become nothing but a “beauty contest.”
“You see all kinds of 6-2 and 6-3 guys filling the sidelines for some of these teams. They can’t play, but they look great,” he said.
Heck, even in the NFL, evaluating quarterbacks is hit and miss. Does the name Ryan Leaf ring a bell?
Just look at three of the four quarterbacks who will start today’s playoff games.
Rich Gannon was a fourth-round draft pick, Brad Johnson a ninth-rounder and Jeff Garcia had to play five seasons in the Canadian Football League before finally catching on with the 49ers.
The big-time colleges could be missing on Chase Wasson."

[GoRedGoBlue]

Point is, he seems very qualified as a 'coach' to teach our young QBs and WRs.

Also, if he can deliver that SLCHS WR and maybe even that stud Texas commitment, I think it would be well worth the risk.

That being said, he makes good coin at SLC

[cowboypony]

Couln't have said it better myself.

[hpfan]

High school coaches, no way except in Texas where the best programs are. To have an OC from the likes of Ennis,Southlake and Highland park would be light years ahead of the 8th grade offense we had @ SMU this year..

[Boston Pony]

Out here on the West Coast (where the offense was born), you wouldn't believe the complicated offenses the local hs run. I'm not sure about a high school coach being able to make the leap, however the top programs are very sophisticated... by the way, the two top qb's from this town went to Miami (redshirt, top hs qb in 02) and Arizona State (was backup to sr his fr yr). They both seemed to make the jump, for one reason, because of their hs program offenses were as tough as their colleges. I hope we make the move with a dynamic coach who brings excitement to the offense.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

Originally posted by GoRedGoBlue:
Also, if he can deliver that SLCHS WR and maybe even that stud Texas commitment, I think it would be well worth the risk.

That being said, he makes good coin at SLC

I wish he could bring us Ulatoski if we did get Dodge but I know that won't happen. The kid is very content with his selection of UT from the very reliable source I have and probably wouldn't change unless something happened to Mack Brown which,from what I understand, is one of the big reasons he chose UT. I swear, they must be drugging these kids and their families during visits. I mean the winning is nice but they always point to Mack. It's like a cult. Maybe Marshall Applewhite didn't die after all.

<small>[ 12-17-2003, 07:18 PM: Message edited by: Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex ]</small>

[GoRedGoBlue]

Mack Brown could convince a recruit his grandparents were coming for Thanksgiving dinner at their funeral, after he convinced them that their last dieing wish was for them to attend Texas.

"Who you gonna believe, ME? Or your lieing eyes?!?"

<small>[ 12-18-2003, 06:05 AM: Message edited by: GoRedGoBlue ]</small>

[dandyfan]

The trick is not having an offense that is complicated. The trick is having an offense that makes sense. The SMU offense was plenty complicated this year...too complicated! The series of checks and reads would make your head spin.

[No Cal Pony]

All I know is that I would like to see an OC come in with some sense about him, and the ability to recruit in a region, that would extend beyond the Texas borders. I see most of our WAC foes (who we love to hate) do this. Yes, I'd love to see us get more kids from the area, but the reality is that SMU will have to look a bit outside. Yes, I realize this may be financially a bit more expensive, but the rewards should become greater. While we play some CA schools, why were we not trying to make more inroads? It wouldn't hurt. Heck, would've at least put in a chance to get ucla transfer Matt Moore.

As for ut, and hack brown. Let them have him. Yes, he can recruit, but he will NEVER win big games, or the conference championship. Why? He just isn't that good of a game day coach. But, we shouldn't be worring about that. Let us concentrate on our own situation.

Go Poines!