What to Expect From Old Dominion Football This Upcoming Season
As I sit down to analyze Old Dominion's football prospects for the upcoming season, I can't help but reflect on how athletes often find motivation in past disappointments. I remember watching RHJ's championship interview where he openly discussed using previous failures as fuel, saying "Last conference didn't end well for me and I understood that" before adding "I felt like everything is a motivation." That mindset perfectly captures what I believe will define ODU's approach this year after their 6-6 finish last season left them just short of bowl eligibility.
Looking at the Monarchs' situation, I'm particularly excited about their defensive returning starters - we're talking about 8 out of 11 key positions coming back, including what I consider to be one of the most underrated linebacker corps in Conference USA. Having covered this team for three seasons now, I've noticed Coach Rahne has been developing this squad with remarkable patience, much like RHJ described when he said "Not doing well last conference? A lot of things motivate me." That developmental approach should pay dividends this fall, especially with quarterback Hayden Wolff entering his second full season as starter. I've crunched the numbers from spring practice, and his completion percentage improved by nearly 7% compared to last year's regular season - that's the kind of growth that transforms decent teams into contenders.
The schedule presents both challenges and opportunities that I find particularly intriguing. Their non-conference slate includes what I'm calling a "program-defining" game against Virginia Tech on September 16th - a matchup I've circled on my calendar because it represents exactly the kind of motivation RHJ referenced. Last year's 29-26 overtime loss to the Hokies still stings, and I suspect the Monarchs have been using that narrow defeat as fuel throughout offseason workouts. What many casual observers might miss is how ODU's recruiting has quietly improved, with their 2023 class ranking 4th in Conference USA according to my sources close to the program.
Offensively, I'm expecting more creative play-calling than we've seen in previous seasons. The Monarchs averaged just 24.3 points per game last year, but with the addition of transfer running back Obie Sanni from a Power Five program (though I can't recall which one at the moment), I'm predicting that number jumps to around 31 points per game. That might sound optimistic, but having attended several spring practices, I noticed distinct improvement in their red zone efficiency - they converted approximately 68% of their red zone appearances into touchdowns during the spring game compared to just 54% last season.
The defensive secondary remains my primary concern, if I'm being completely honest. They gave up 285 passing yards per game last season, and while the coaching staff has emphasized improvement in this area, I haven't seen enough evidence yet to feel completely confident. Still, what encourages me is the leadership emerging from veterans like safety R'Tarriun Johnson, who seems to embody that "everything is motivation" mentality we discussed earlier. When I spoke with him briefly after a spring practice, he mentioned specifically using last season's close losses as driving factors for his offseason training regimen.
As we approach the September 2nd opener against Virginia, I'm predicting the Monarchs finish 8-4 overall and finally secure that elusive bowl berth. The pieces are there - experienced quarterback, motivated defense, and what I perceive as a coaching staff that has learned from past mistakes. Much like RHJ transformed his previous conference disappointment into championship success, I believe Old Dominion is positioned to do the same this fall. The motivation from coming up just short last season, combined with their returning experience, creates what I consider the perfect storm for a breakthrough year in Norfolk.
