By Brian Gosset
After eight seasons, leading his alma mater, the Southlake Carroll Dragons, head football coach Riley Dodge is headed to the next level. Sources told ESPN college football senior writer Pete Thamel that SMU was hiring Dodge as an assistant coach, primarily as a tight ends coach and pass game coordinator.
Dodge played for the Dragons as a quarterback in the mid 2000s – leading the team as a starter to a state title in 2006 under head coach and father Todd Dodge.
Riley Dodge returned to the sidelines in Southlake when the program hired him before the 2018 season. Carroll just wrapped up a trip to the state semifinals and a 14-1 record. The season ended with a 57-44 loss against eventual 6A D2 state champ the DeSoto Eagles.
Under Dodge’s watch in the past eight seasons, the Carroll Dragons were one of the top teams in the state, including getting a #1 ranking this season in the 6A poll by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football as well as the #1 spot nationally by MaxPreps.
If Dodge doesn’t return to the high school level as a head coach, he will finish with one of the best runs in state history despite not winning a championship. However, Dodge did take the Dragons to at least the regional final in all eight years and played for a state title during the 2020 season and 2024 season. Dodge hit a milestone in October when he became the second fastest Texas high school football coach to reach 100 career wins according to Carroll ISD. Dodge ranked second fastest only behind Gary Joseph of Katy HS.
With a 107-10 career record at Carroll, Dodge also won 55 of 56 district games and seven district championships with his only loss coming against Byron Nelson in 2023. Also, under Dodge’s watch Carroll featured one of the most prolific offenses in the state this season. The Dragons produced over 7,200 yards on offense and averaged more than 51 points per game.
Dodge became the second big name coach in the area to leave for college this month – North Crowley’s Ray Gates was hired by UNT after four seasons with the Panthers.
