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Former Bridge City head football coach Andy Griffin and Port Arthur-native coaching legend Todd Dodge will be heading to the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor in July.

The 62^nd annual Hall of Honor Induction Banquet event will be held July 16 at 7 p.m. at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio.

This event will kick off the THSCA Coaching School Convention, which will be held July 17- 19 at the same venue. This induction is considered the highest honor that the THSCA can give a coach.

“We commend our inductees for their outstanding contributions as a Texas high school coach whose life and actions have provided a positive role model for our athletes and coaches across the state of Texas,” said Joe Martin, Executive Director of THSCA.

Dodge, a quarterback legend at Thomas Jefferson High School in Port Arthur, served as the head football coach and athletic director at Westlake High for the last eight years.

Dodge, newly retired, finished his 36 years in coaching as a state champion. The last three years at Westlake, Dodge went 45-1 with back-to-back-to-back 6A State Championships.

Upon conclusion of his eight years at Westlake, Dodge boasts undefeated regular seasons in 2017, 2020 and 2021. During his five-year run at Southlake Carroll from 2002-2006, he was 79-1 with five consecutive state championship appearances at the Texas 6A level – winning the state championship four times during that run. Dodge holds eight career state championship appearances overall and has won seven. As a high school coach, Coach Dodge has been named National Coach of the Year four times. His overall career coaching record is 236-72.

Andy Griffin

Griffin notched a 39-29-1 record while the head coach at Bridge City from 1974-1980.

Griffin landed his first head coaching position at Hull Daisetta High School from 1965-1968. From 1968-1973, he then served as Athletic Director and head football coach at White Oak leading the school to four undefeated seasons in a row before going to Bridge City.

After stints at Pasadena and Georgetown, Griffin returned to White Oak in 1986-1994. He turned his former program around following 11 losing seasons. After a brief retirement Griffin returned to the sidelines in 2002 to take over the reins at Troup. He retired officially in 2005.
Griffin’s coaching achievements include a 243-116-6 record of 41 years. He led his teams to the playoffs during 13 seasons and is listed in the top 20 of all-time winningest coach among Texas high school coaches.

Griffin served on the THSCA Board of Directors from 1991-1994 and was a Tom Landry Award recipient in 2004. He was also elected into the Southeast Texas Coaches Association Hall of Honor by the by the SETCA.

 

Other inductees:

Dennis Alexander began his coaching career at Hughes Springs in 1972. Two years later, he moved to Daingerfield where Alexander saw his greatest success. He spent 13 seasons with the Tigers, winning 129 games. Between 1983 and 1985, Alexander led Daingerfield to three consecutive state title appearances, winning the championship in 1983 and 1985.
After leaving Daingerfield in 1988, Alexander would coach 13 seasons at Henderson and 10 at Harleton.
Alexander finished his career with 340 wins, the fifth highest in Texas history at the time of his retirement.
Brian Brazil has been the head coach at Hebron High School since 2000.  During that time, he has posted a 152-97 record with 16 playoff appearances, 5 district championships and one state championship in 2005 (16-0).
Brazil served on the THSCA Board of Directors from 2007-2010 and served as President of the THSCA from 2011-2012.  Additionally, he was a recipient of the Tom Landry Award in 2014.
Tom Kimbrough had an impressive coaching record, 171-28-7. He was head coach 16 of his 24 years at Plano High School.  As head coach he participated in four state championship games, winning three.
Honors include:
• Texas High School Coach of the Year in 1977,’86 and ’87
• National Coach of the Year in 1987
• Selected by the UIL as the Outstanding Male Coach in the State in 1991 (Denius – UIL Excellence Award). The first ever to receive the award.
• Coached in the THSCA All-Star Game in 1980.

Written by Van Wade of The Orange Leader.