With Riley Dodge’s announced departure to join SMU's coaching staff, one of the top head coaching gigs in Texas is open at Southlake Carroll.

Who are some candidates that the DCTX staff feels should get a phone call as this coaching search kicks off?

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Lee Munn, Defensive Coordinator Southlake Carroll: Considering the success Carroll had under Dodge, staying in-house makes a ton of sense as it rewards your staff that played a part in a lot of that winning, and you keep continuity in place. Munn joined Carroll’s staff in 2018 when Dodge was hired and even served as Carroll’s interim head coach in a stunning state semifinal upset of Duncanville in 2020 when Dodge was out due to Covid protocols. Munn comes from the same UMHB coaching tree that has produced Austin Westlake head coach Tony Salazar and current Lovejoy defensive coordinator David Branscom.

Todd Dodge, Head Coach Lovejoy: Although unlikely, it wouldn’t be surprised if the architect of the modern Carroll dynasty is brought back to close his career. Todd Dodge led Carroll four state titles in the early 2000s before leaving to be the head coach at the University of North Texas. He then won three straight state titles from 2019-2021 at Austin Westlake. He’s been at Lovejoy for two seasons, including a regional final appearance in 2024. The Dodge name is golden in Southlake but hiring Todd Dodge is likely not a long-term solution for Carroll ISD as Dodge came out of retirement in 2024 to coach at Lovejoy.

Jeff Rayburn, Head Coach Frisco Lone Star: Locally there may not be a better fit as a current head coach for the Carroll job than the current Frisco Lone Star head coach. Rayburn has rolled up a 136-33 overall record and leading Lone Star to two state appearances in 2015 and 2025. Rayburn worked as an assistant coach under former Carroll offensive coordinator Clayton George at Dallas Hillcrest as a young coach and his offensive system is a perfect fit at Carroll. The only negative for Rayburn may be the lack of direct ties to the Southlake Carroll program.

Jeff Joseph, Head Coach Port Neches-Groves: Joseph checks a lot of the boxes when you are looking for Carroll’s next head coach. He’s only been a head coach for four seasons and has posted an impressive 53-7 record. He led Port Neches-Groves to a state runner-up finish in 2022 and in 2023 led the Indians to a state championship in an upset of South Oak Cliff. Joseph has familiarity with the Carroll football program as he spent a season on Riley Dodge’s staff as special teams coordinator and defensive assistant coach. Joseph also spent time in the college game at Texas A&M and served as a defensive coordinator at Austin Westlake. Joseph has a great job at Port Neches-Groves so it would take a lot to get him.

Jake Fieszel, Former Head Coach Gunter: Fieszel may be considered a long-shot due to his sudden departure from Gunter last offseason and sitting out coaching in 2025, but the resume is undeniable. Fieszel led Gunter for 18 seasons from 2007-2024 posting a 224-31 record and leading Gunter to five state titles and two other state title games appearances. Fieszel’s Gunter teams were known for the run-oriented pistol offenses, but Fieszel is a defensive coach by trade so the school of thought here is he’d employ a similar version of Carroll’s wide-open spread offense. The downsides for Fieszel are he didn’t coach in 2024 and his success was at a much smaller school in Gunter. Managing a program with the pedigree and scrutiny of Southlake Carroll would be a major jump.