Stewart Johnson
Riley Dodge coaches up his players at the 2024 spring game at Dragon Stadium.
Since the turn of the century, there has been no name bigger than Dodge when it comes to Southlake Carroll football. Having taken the hand-off from the great Bob Ledbetter back in 2000, Todd and Riley Dodge have each been integral in the growth of Dragon football into becoming the state’s most notable program. Now, 18 years after Todd coached his son Riley to their joint 2006 state championship, the Dodges are enjoying extended family time, proximity and a passion for coaching.
In his seven seasons as head coach at Southlake Carroll from 2000-2006, Todd Dodge enjoyed otherworldly success putting together a 98-11 (.899) record and four state championships before making the extremely rare jump to D1 college football in 2007 at the University of North Texas.
In as rapid a succession as there’s ever been in the sport, Riley proved he was ready to continue the Dodge legacy in 2018 by accepting his very first head coaching position at at the age of 28. Although the younger Dodge has yet to win a state championship as a coach, his first six seasons have been nothing short of impressive, averaging 13 wins a year while compiling a 78-8 overall record (.906).
Now entering his seventh season, the 35-year-old still has a keen eye on each and every play and player. And now he is growing even more to trust the program he's worked so hard to uphold.
“I'm still an offensive play caller, and if you're going to do that here, you've got a lot of things on your plate, so you have to be an amazing delegator. I have amazing coaches across the board and it’s just about letting them work and not micromanaging them. Giving them opportunities to do important jobs. I think that’s where I’ve grown as a head football coach,” says Riley.
“I think [fatherhood] puts things in perspective. You have a softer heart for certain situations,” Riley says. “As my kids have gotten older, it’s given me a different perspective, especially the parent-to-coach relationship.”
With more life experience, Riley can also see more eye-to-eye with his father who settled back into North Texas this summer when he accepted the head coaching position at Lucas Lovejoy.
Resting up after another three-peat state championship stint (2019-2021), this time with Austin Westlake, Todd came out of his brief retirement telling KXAN in Austin back in January: “This opportunity for Elizabeth and I is absolutely answered prayers. Our five grandchildren, our children Riley and Molly and Elizabeth’s mother and sister will all be within 20 miles of us. That is truly a blessing.”
Football and life are coming even closer together as both father and son are spending even more time together. And if a few pearls of parenting and coaching wisdom come Riley’s way, all the better.
“We went over this past weekend, spent all day with [my parents] at their house. And my aunt and uncle live right across the street from them, so we got to see all of our cousins that are up in North Dallas — it was a lot of fun with our kids.” He adds, “It’s nice to have [my parents] not too far down the road, and especially for me and Alexis, if we ever need my mom's help — that’s definitely a benefit.”
Even the frenetic pace of the season won’t keep the Dodge’s apart. Both have plans to make time for as many in-season visits as the schedule allows.
“If we have a Thursday game and they have a Friday game, I'm sure my whole family will be at their game and vice versa," Riley says. "We just want to support each other. And especially now we're right down the road. We've got no excuses.”
With an ever growing perspective and a full complement of coaches and family support system in place, the future is looking bright.