Final Todd Dodge conversation (for now)

Caught up with Todd Dodge late Wednesday after his firing at UNT was official. Here’s a transcript of the conversation:

On how the process unfolded:

[Rick Villarreal] came out to practice and asked me come by and see him. He was ready to make a move on it. At this point, I thought I’d be with the team through end of the season. It was not a direction he wanted to go, and that’s fine. There hasn’t been a whole lot of discussion [between them], really any at all, as we’ve gone through the entire season. I don’t think there’s any changing someone’s mind as you go through decisions they have to make. The decision was to go ahead and terminate me right now. It’s not like it’s completely shocking. I think when you get into something like this [season], you get into a grind and don’t think about anything passed today.

On accepting that the change had to be made:

I’m fine. I hope this team goes on and wins all five, that they have success. These players deserve to have some good things happen to them. I’m not angry. I’m not going to go there. I’m disappointed from the standpoint of I would have liked to take this season in its own capsule, with everything we’ve been through; I wanted to be with my team and coach the whole thing. But I’m not naïve to the business. Decisions have to be made. I’m not bitter.

On what’s next:

Over the next five weeks or few months, I’ll be in a situation that I’ve never been in, the parent of a college football player that gets to go support his son and the team he plays on. As the dust settles, I’ll be looking forward what the next step in my coaching career is.

On becoming a spectator at his son Riley’s UNT games:

It’ll be tough to find me [joking]. No, Elizabeth and I will drive to Nashville next Friday [for Western Kentucky]. I imagine it’ll be a little easier on the road. I don’t want to draw any unnecessary attention. I haven’t sat in the stands at a football game in probably forever, with the exception of going to scout somebody at Southlake Carroll. It’s my 25^th year of coaching and the first week during fall I’m not going to work or practice. It’ll definitely be different. Starting next weekend, it’ll be strange. I’ve got time off right now whether I want it or not.

On his next step professionally:

My desires are one of two things. Remain at the college level as a quarterbacks coach or go back into high school head-coaching in Texas. Either one sound appealing to me. I can’t imagine staying out of the business for very long. I’ve got faith God’s going to open doors. I’ll be patient and see how that happens.

On the failure to win at UNT after so much success previously:

From a competitor standpoint, that’s the biggest thing. I don’t have any regrets at UNT, except that we didn’t win enough games. A lot of good things were done. We were able to make differences in young men’s lives. Sometimes in coaching, those differences don’t come to be until five or 10 years after you’ve coached a particular group of players. We ran the program, I hope, with integrity, and I’m proud of that. One thing about going from being highly successful to not successful as far as wins and losses, I learned a long time ago you don’t get too high with your highs and too low with your lows. The last three or four years have been very disappointing, but you don’t stop believing in yourself. This window of time doesn’t define my career. Maybe there’s a difference of opinion on that, but the only ones that matter are the people themselves you coach and worked with.

On if he’ll enjoy the time off:

I look forward to letting the dust settle and getting back to working in one of those capacities. I have faith, and you don’t have to pigeon-hole yourself. I want to still coach, and I’m excited about the next journey.

On what’s next for his son, if anything:

Nothing more than he’s been released by a doctor [from wrist surgery] to be able to play. I told him he has a great opportunity to show great leadership right now. That’s what I expect he’ll do and compete. As a father, I’m looking forward to what’s in store for Riley. Now it’s a situation where he’s playing for a team and the coaches he’s involved with. I hired those guys, and I love ‘em all. I just want to see this bunch and my son do well.