Fifteen University of North Texas football players failed a drug test conducted this fall at the request of head coach Todd Dodge, according to documents obtained by the Denton Record-Chronicle through the Freedom of Information Act.

Drug tests were conducted on a pool of 86 football players selected by the coaching staff. UNT tested members of the team who were contributing on a regular basis. Fifteen of those tests, or 17 percent, were positive.

The university did not release the names of the players or what drugs they tested positive for.

“I don’t think we have a problem with drugs, but I will say that it’s every coach’s prerogative to test his team,” Dodge said. “It’s a great tool to help players stay away from drugs and temptations. When I talked to my team about drug testing all of them, I told them that if there was one young man on our team who secretly needed help, if it saved one young man from getting in trouble or ending up dead, then it is worth it.”

UNT athletes who fail a drug test must attend drug counseling and are subject to additional tests, according to the intercollegiate athletics drug education, testing and counseling program in UNT’s student policy manual.

A second offense results in a suspension, additional testing and mandatory counseling, while a third leads to a suspension from the team while the player undergoes a rehabilitation program. A fourth positive test results in a player being dismissed from the team and having his scholarship revoked, ac­cording to the policy.

UNT conducted its tests from Sept. 24 to Oct. 15.

The NCAA tested 20 UNT players on Sept. 30. The university has not yet received the results of those tests, according to information provided by UNT.

UNT athletic director Rick Vil­larreal declined to comment on the results of the tests.

The school normally tests athletes on a random basis.

“We call ourselves a team and it was appropriate to test the entire team,” Dodge said. “I don’t go by the protocol of what every other team has done.

“We are past it now and can go down the road.”

That road has been a rough one for UNT.

The Mean Green is off to the worst start in the history of the program at 0-8 heading into a game at Western Kentucky University on Sat­urday and has lost nine straight games overall.

Dodge came to UNT after winning four state titles in his last five seasons at Southlake Carroll High School.

His arrival has helped in­crease interest in the football program.

UNT averaged 17,734 fans per game last season, its highest total since 2003, and is averaging 18,754 fans this season.

Earlier this month, Dodge also played a lead role in convincing UNT’s student body to approve an athletic fee that will help the school replace a rapidly deteriorating Fouts Field with a new football stadium.

UNT has targeted 2011 to open its new venue.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com .