North Texas' Dodge Knows Extremes of Winning, Losing

When a beleaguered University of North Texas football program came calling again in December 2006, Todd Dodge hadn't stood on a losing sideline in three seasons. His teams at Southlake Carroll (Texas) High School hadn't so much as tasted a lopsided defeat in over five years.

But after Dodge accepted the offer to replace Darrell Dickey as head coach of the Mean Green, achieving victory would prove as painstaking as winning had become effortless.

His name was already cemented in Texas football lore. His version of the spread offense, often referred to as "Dodge ball," had produced a dynasty at Southlake Carroll. Youngsters attended his annual camp for quarterbacks and receivers, and dreamed about winning titles a short time later under his direction—which they usually did. And his system produced a string of state Offensive Player of the Year winners, including former Missouri standout Chase Daniel and University of Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy.

If novelist John Grisham had chosen a more affable, endearing character for Bleachers, in place of Coach Eddie Rake, Dodge would have fit the bill.

He was riding a wave of consecutive Class 5A championships, back-to-back 16-0 seasons—on pace for a third—and a 47-game winning streak. But Dodge, despite turning down a previous offer from Rice, felt the timing was right to leave dominance at Southlake Carroll for uncertainty at Denton. The two-time National Coach of the Year (Schutt Sports '04, USA Today '05) had made no secret of his desire to return to the college ranks.

On Dec. 23, 2006, Dodge coached his kids in the state championship one last time. And the Dragons, led by quarterback and Dodge's son, Riley, sent him off with a storybook finish in a come-from-behind, 43-29 victory over Austin Westlake. Dodge's tenure at Southlake Carroll concluded with an overall record of 98-11—and his teams went 79-1 after moving to 5A in 2002.

Now entering the third game of his third season at North Texas (1-1), the unrivaled doormat of the Sun Belt Conference, the script has flipped for Dodge. Many would argue he has flopped. And with just four wins in 26 chances, almost all would agree he is on the hot seat. North Texas managed to regress from a 2-10 season in 2007 to a 1-11 mark last year.

Dodge is faced with the Herculean task of simply competing against fourth-ranked Alabama (2-0) on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The thought of an upset borders on the absurd, as UNT, under Dodge's leadership, has lost by a combined total of 231-26 in four games against BCS schools.

Southeastern Conference teams have pummeled North Texas over the past two years. Arkansas steam cleaned the Mean Green 66-7 in '07, and LSU won 41-3 in a game in which North Texas scored zero second-half points.

Almost nothing has been pretty about the Todd Dodge era at North Texas, except perhaps the cheerleaders. Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops requested a running clock for the fourth quarter in his Sooners' 79-10 dismantling of North Texas in Dodge's debut in 2007. (And how about the irony of 79 points against a guy who accumulated 79 wins at the 5A level?) Even Rice mauled North Texas 77-20 last year.

UNT's defense ranked dead-last in the country in 2007 and 2008, having allowed 45.1 and 47.6 points-per-game, respectively. Second-year defensive coordinator Gary DeLoach, however, maintains Dodge's loyalty—and the results have shown some improvement through the first two games of this season. The Mean Green gave up just 10 points in their opening road victory against Ball State, and they allowed only 31 points in a near-win last Saturday against Ohio.

Since the Dodge era has only produced wins against Louisiana-Monroe, Western Kentucky (twice), and Ball State, even a slightly improved Mean Green team is still a cupcake for the Crimson Tide. And if Alabama has any mild concern about UNT, it might be this side note: Dodge's first win at North Texas came against Louisiana-Monroe—a team that, a few weeks later, shocked the Tide 21-14 at Tuscaloosa.

Coaches like Dodge must inherently enjoy not just building dynasties, but building something out of nothing. His son, Riley, chose to back away from a verbal commitment to play for the University of Texas in order to follow his dad to UNT. And Alabama's McElroy has said Dodge taught him plenty about persistence and patience.

All signs point toward Dodge keeping both elements in practice as long as the University of North Texas will let him, which can't be much longer unless a turnaround occurs in the coming weeks.

Players to watch for UNT:

• Cam Montgomery (RB): through two games, has rushed for 237 yards and two TDs on 39 carries; averaging 6.1 yards-per-carry; should be the centerpiece of UNT's offensive attack
• Lance Dunbar (RB): 23 carries for 92 yards, 1 TD
• Nathan Tune (QB): 9-15 for 69 yards and an interception against Ohio last week; will start in place of Riley Dodge, who is sidelined with an injured left shoulder; should attempt to rush a few times
• Jeremy Knott (K): leads Mean Green in scoring; 5-7 in field goal attempts, but not effective outside 40-yard range
• Tobe Nwigwe (LB): Fifth in nation in tackles with 26
• Craig Robertson (LB): 21 tackles

Prediction: Both teams are anxious to begin conference play...Alabama should have no problem daydreaming about SEC matchups throughout the game while manhandling the Mean Green, who make their first visit to Bryant-Denny Stadium since a 33-7 loss in 2002. North Texas also has conference battle in mind, with a pair of Sun Belt opponents awaiting UNT after this week. After a few years in the toilet, they'd like to get this one in the books and prove their worth in their world...Dodge and his men will be happy to just get a few points on the board and head back to Denton for two weeks. Alabama head coach Nick Saban will be happy to direct the onslaught, giving his first-teamers a rest. Alabama 59, North Texas 13