Todd Dodge

Born July 21, 1963 - Port Arthur, TX

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According to a Texas Monthly Article about Todd Dodge stated, he was Texas’s arguably the greatest high school football coach in Texas history.

Todd Dodge's last school to coach was the Austin Westlake Chaparrals High School team. He decided to retire at the end of the 2021 season and announced it at the beginning of the season. In his final year leading to his retirement, Todd coached his team to win their third consecutive 6A state championship the year he retired. They are the first school to win three straight titles in 6A. With their victory in the title game, Westlake's winning streak reached 40 games. 
 
In 2020, the year before Todd retired from coaching at Westlake High School, his season had a unique ending when he was preparing for the final game of the season, for the 6A State Championship. He found himself competing against no other than his son Riley Dodge, Southlake Carroll's Head Football coach for the opposing team. While the competition took on another level of intrigue, the match between Father and Son made the contest a lot more interesting. After the entertaining teasing and kidding ended, Todd ended his career with a win against his son for the State championship. 

So, Todd retired with three straight state championships and 40 consecutive wins with West Lake, and a career total of 7 State Championships.  Westlake ended 2021 ranked No. 2 in the High School Football America 100 national rankings. It was the second consecutive year the Chaparrals finished No. 2 in the HSFA national rankings.

Before Austin Westlake, Todd won four 5A state championships in five years at Southlake Carroll. 5A was the highest classification at the time.  He lost the title game by one point in the one state championship he didn't win in those five years. His team's record over that stretch was 79-1.

As Head Football Coach and Athletic Director, Dodge boasts undefeated seasons in 2017, 2020, and 2021. His overall career coaching record is 236-72.  To date, Coach Dodge has mentored 11 quarterbacks named Texas State Offensive Players of the Year, while four have also been named Parade All-American. Besides his Coaching career at the Texas High School level, Todd has had Twelve of his career players play in the NFL. Three were quarterbacks Chase Daniel, Same Ehlinger, and Greg McElroy.  

 Todd played quarterback at Thomas Jefferson High School in Port Arthur, Texas, under the talented and cutting-edge coach of his time, Ronnie Thompson. Todd was the QB of the 1980 TJ team that went 14-1, with the only loss being to Odessa Permian in the state championship game. That season he became the first QB in Texas high school history to pass for over 3,000 yards. He also set Texas high school records for most career completions (382) and most completions in a season (221); while finishing his career with the second most career passing yards behind Gary Kubiak. 

In addition, Todd was a two-time Associated Press All-State & Player of the Year, and as a senior, he was selected to the Parade Magazine All-American Team.  In 2001, he was inducted into the Port Arthur Yellow Jacket Hall of Fame, and in 2007, he was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame.

Todd received additional National Attention for the 2021-22 school year by being named the 1st Annual Texas High School Coach Association Coach of the Year and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association "Coach of the Year." Todd was also informed that he would be inducted into their National Hall of Fame in addition to this year's national recognition.  He has been named a national coach of the year four times before.