Article on Todd Dodge Summer QB Camp

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from the Dallas Morning News - SOUTHLAKE – Asked how long it took to drive his son from Port Neches to Southlake last week, Greg McElduff said "a long, long time."

Not a very specific answer, but a very informative one. After all, the Todd Dodge Passing Camp must be one heck of a draw to get a father and son in a car for a sun-baked, 300-mile drive.

"He's one heck of a coach," McElduff said.

He was also one heck of a teammate, McElduff said. It turns out McElduff was the center snapping the ball to Dodge at Port Arthur Jefferson a quarter century ago.

But personal connections aren't what brought most of the 500 players – grades seven through 12 – to last week's four-day camp for quarterbacks and receivers at Southlake Carroll.

"If you're a quarterback in Texas and you're going to throw the football," one parent said, "then you're probably here."

Not just from Texas, either.

"I heard of some from Utah and Arkansas," said South Garland junior quarterback Nick Florence.

And Oklahoma, Mississippi and several other states. All came to Southlake for Dodge's 15th annual camp, which dates to 1992 when he was an assistant at UNT.

"It's grown a lot over the years," Dodge said.

Well, that happens when you win three state championships in four years. And your team is ranked No. 1 in the nation. And people known you can mold offenses into weapons of mass destruction.

That's why receivers such as Garland's Malcolm Williams, a Texas commitment, were at camp. That's also why a short list of the camp's quarterbacks was filled with potential stars: Florence, Mesquite's Kelly Page, Haltom's Kyle McDonald, Richland's Joe Kemp, Episcopal School of Dallas' Brock Mansion and Dodge's son, Riley, who is expected to be the next stellar Carroll quarterback.

"One reason I came was to see all the people that were going to be here," Page said.

But there wasn't much time for socializing.

At the start of Thursday's final day of camp, some receivers were working on pass routes while others were trying to haul in passes from a JUGS machine. As passes zipped at them from about 15 yards away, they heard a camp coach yell things such as, "your legs should never be straight," "freeze it with your eyes" and "do it right or go home."

The quarterbacks rotated through stations where they threw and threw and threw some more. Sometimes short, sometimes long, sometimes at targets in a net after high-stepping for five yards. Others were in a classroom setting, learning how to read defenses and be better leaders.

"This is the most organized camp we've been to, and we've been to a lot," said Dan Garrett, whose son, Brett, is the starting quarterback at Austin Hyde Park.

The most organized camp, and perhaps the most overwhelming. But Dodge acknowledged that.

"One thing we tell the kids is, 'Don't look for 15 things that are going to change you,' " he said. "Think of those two little nuggets that are going to make you a better player."

A player that might be using those nuggets against Carroll next season. But that doesn't concern Dodge, whose philosophy on the camp was summed up by what he told the players before they started Thursday:

"We all wish each other luck ... except on the night we play each other."

[KFDM COOP]

I bet that is a great Camp.

[Jsmity]

YEA!!!!!!!

You know who Dodges understudy All- American QB was right?????? Lets just say hes a coach at WB........... 8)

[KFDM COOP]

We're hoping to have Todd Dodge one week on our radio show KOLE Wednesday's at 5 PM.

[Critter]

Anybody know if we had any other local QB's there :?: