Riley Dodge, the head coach of Southlake Carroll, has announced his transition to the collegiate level by joining the coaching staff at Southern Methodist University (SMU). In a post on X, Dodge revealed that he will take on the roles of passing game coordinator and tight ends coach for the Mustangs.
Dodge has garnered a reputation as one of the standout young coaches in Texas high school football, achieving notable success during his tenure. With an impressive record of 108 wins and just 10 losses over eight seasons, he led Southlake Carroll to two state championship games and made three additional trips to the state semifinals in the last six years. His departure follows the recent hiring of Casey Woods, the former tight ends coach, who accepted a head coaching position at Missouri State.
Throughout his career, Dodge’s potential to move to collegiate coaching was a point of speculation, especially following a season where Southlake Carroll reached as high as No. 3 in national rankings. He has previous experience in the college ranks, having served as a graduate assistant at Texas A&M, where he was involved with quarterback Johnny Manziel, and as an offensive quality control coach at the University of Texas. Though he previously indicated that he would not leave Southlake Carroll for another high school opportunity, he kept the door open for potential college coaching ventures.
Dodge is the latest in a series of Dallas-area high school coaches who have recently made the leap to college football. Earlier this month, Ray Gates from North Crowley and Jeff Hulme from Mansfield Legacy announced their own transitions to coaching positions at North Texas and Eastern New Mexico University, respectively.
Interestingly, coaching runs in the Dodge family. Riley’s father, Todd Dodge, experienced a challenging season as the head coach at North Texas, yet he is widely recognized for his legendary tenure at Southlake Carroll, where he won four state titles and concluded his coaching career there with a staggering 79-1 record in his final five years.
Riley Dodge began his head coaching career at Southlake Carroll in 2018 at just 29 years old, becoming the youngest 11-man football coach in Texas at the time. He was expected to uphold the team’s esteemed legacy, which boasts a remarkable collection of eight state championships. Under his guidance, Carroll consistently achieved impressive results, including a record of 14-1 this past season, as they advanced to the Class 6A Division II state semifinals, demonstrating dominance by outscoring opponents 770 to 188.
Dodge’s journey has been marked by significant milestones, including appearances in state championship games, where in a historic matchup, he faced his father Todd during the pandemic-impacted 2020 season. Both father and son made history as the first to coach opposing teams in a Texas state championship game.
As a high school player at Carroll, Dodge left a lasting legacy, including accolades such as Texas High School Player of the Year and MaxPreps National Player of the Year. After his playing career, which included stints at North Texas and McNeese State, he transitioned seamlessly into coaching, earning titles such as Tom Landry Coach of the Year in 2019 and Texas 6A Coach of the Year in 2020. In 2024, he also took on the role of executive director of athletics for Carroll ISD, making him the first individual to hold both positions since the 1996 retirement of Bob Ledbetter.
Dodge’s move to SMU not only reflects his personal growth and ambition but also signifies a promising new chapter in his career, where his experience and success at the high school level could translate into collegiate achievements.