Three high schools on Todd Dodge's list?

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By David McNabb

All indications are that former Southlake Carroll coach Todd Dodge will return to Texas high school football with three communities emerging as front-runners: Burnet, the new College Station high school and Flower Mound.

Without confirmation from Dodge, who spent last season at the University of Pittsburgh after 3 ½ seasons as head coach at North Texas, indications are he’s looking to return to high school coaching rather than pursue a college position. Dodge’s resume isn’t circulating heavily among college coaches but his credentials could always have a program approach him. Dodge could be hired in the next few weeks.

The 48-year-old Dodge would be considered a major coup for any school district after he established himself as one of the country’s top coaches with four Class 5A state championships in his final five seasons and a 79-1 record including a 48-game winning streak for his last five seasons.

In seven seasons at Southlake Carroll (2000-06), Dodge went 98-11 before being offered the head coaching position to rejuvenate a sagging North Texas program which was on the decline with two losing seasons and having trouble attracting top players in the state.

While Dodge was credited with some on-field success and a major successes in improving the athletic/academic culture at North Texas, he was fired with a 1-6 record late in the 2010 season and an overall record of 6-37.

The top three high schools pursuing Dodge:

1. Flower Mound - The community is similar in many respects to Southlake Carroll, but hasn’t experienced the state playoff success in its first 12 years under Cody Vanderford, who was part of state title staffs at Marcus. Flower Mound has many positives but a possible drawback is Lewisville ISD's multiple (5) high schools. Dodge certainly fits into the category of head coaches who like one high school communities.

2. Burnet - Burnet is a top Class 3A program looking to rejuvenate its program after experiencing the statewide success under former coach Bob Shipley in the last decade. Burnet offers the chance for Dodge to re-establish himself in Texas and it’s geographically located near his wife’s family in Austin Westlake.

3. College Station High School - The fast-growing Brazos Valley area near Texas A&M is opening a new school this fall with freshmen and sophomores. It’s another hotbed of football interest with only A&M Consolidated in the same school district. It’s likely to start varsity play in Class 4A in 2013 and many coaches are attracted by the chance to build a program from the foundation.