Texas A&M’s Mark Dodge to be Featured on ESPN College GameDay
Sep 08, 2006 | Football
September 08, 2006
Texas A&M junior linebacker Mark Dodge will be the subject of one of the featured stories on ESPN College GameDay?™s tribute to the five-year anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. This edition of College GameDay can be seen Saturday, September 9 at 9:00 a.m. (central) on ESPN.
Dodge was in the Pentagon filling out paperwork on his top-secret security clearance on the morning of September 11 when hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building. After the attack, Dodge aided search-and-recovery efforts in and around the Pentagon.
Dodge spent four years in the military before he began his college football career, serving in the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, traditionally known as ?The Old Guard.? The oldest active-duty infantry regiment in the Army, The Old Guard is the official ceremonial unit and escort to the President. Dodge, who earned the rank of sergeant in just two years, has attended several state dinners and chatted more than once with President George W. Bush and many other world leaders in the areas of politics, sports and entertainment.
After enrolling at Texas A&M for the spring semester and going through spring drills, Dodge received the E. King Gill Aggie Spirit Award. He was also elected by his teammates to serve on Texas A&M head coach Dennis Franchione?™s Leadership Council.
In the Aggie?™s season opening win against The Citadel, Dodge burst onto the Texas A&M football scene as he fought off a block and made a bone-jarring tackle for loss in his first play from scrimmage. On the very next play, he lined up and made his second tackle and forced a fumble that led to a touchdown on the offense?™s ensuing possession. Later in the fourth quarter, Dodge made a key stop on fourth down to help seal the win for the Aggies. For the game Dodge had seven tackles, including one for a loss and forced a fumble.
