College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Old Dominion Monarchs season with what you need to know.
CFN in 60 Podcast: 2020 Old Dominion Monarchs
Old Dominion preview in 60 seconds
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Old Dominion Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 1-11 overall, 0-8 in C-USA
Head Coach: Ricky Rahne, 1st year
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 127
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 125
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 115
NOTE: Obviously, no one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: Old Dominion Monarchs Offense 3 Things To Know
– The offense needs a whole lot of help in every way after a disastrous 2019. The Monarchs couldn’t block, couldn’t throw, couldn’t move the chains, and couldn’t run. Other than that, everything was great.
That’s where new head coach Ricky Rahne comes in. The former Penn State offensive coordinator and quarterback at Cornell has a big job to do to 1) find the right quarterback and 2) help the nation’s second-least efficient passing game start to produce. Fortunately …
CFN in 60 Video: Old Dominion Monarchs Preview
– ODU has a terrific young receiving corps – it’s easily the strength of the offense. Aaron Moore is a big, explosive player who led the team with just 26 grabs. The top five receivers are expected back, helped by former Virginia Tech transfer Eric Kumah, who was terrific in his first four games last year before getting hurt. Now they all need someone to throw to them.
Five Monarchs combined to throw five touchdown passes with 12 interceptions. Sophomore Hayden Wolff is a 6-5 passer who struggled to get anything going, but he’ll be pushed by former Michigan State Spartan Messiah deWeaver and former JUCO transfer and good runner Stone Smartt. Part of the problem was …
– The offensive line was a hot mess. It was a relatively young group overall, and four starters return, but ODU allowed the second-most sacks and tackles for loss per game. There’s decent size and good depth to play around with the lineup.
The running back situation is very, very thin, with leading rusher Kesean Strong done after coming up with just 353 yards. Elijah Davis is a quick option, but there isn’t a much thump to count on. The recruiting class will play an early role.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Old Dominion Monarchs Defense 3 Things To Know
4. College Football News Preview 2020: Old Dominion Monarchs Defense 3 Things To Know
– The new coaching staff has the luxury of not having to focus too much on the D. This wasn’t a killer group – it didn’t generate enough of a pass rush – but it was great at coming up with a whole lot of tackles for loss and wasn’t awful against the run. Nine of the top 11 tacklers are expected back.
– Keion White is a keeper. He led the way with 19 tackles for loss, defensive tackle Juwan Ross came up 9.5, and almost all the parts are back up front. There’s a little bit of size in the rotation across the line, and there’s a whole lot of quickness.
– Lawrence Garner returns to his spot in the middle of the linebacking corps, leading the team with 111 tackles in what was a 4-2-5 alignment. Garner and second-leading tackler Jordan Young were impossible to get off the field.
The secondary loses a few parts, but Kaleb Ford-Dement is a nice corner on one side, and Geronda Hall will work on the outside after finishing third on the team in tackles. There’s enough versatility at safety to play around with the alignment.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Top Old Dominion Monarchs Players
College Football News Preview 2020: Top Old Dominion Monarchs Players
Best Old Dominion Monarchs Offensive Player
WR Aaron Moore, Soph.
It might have been a rough year for the Old Dominion passing game, but the receiving corps is very young and very promising, starting with the 6-2, 184-pound Moore. He led the team with 26 catches for 389 yards with three scores. Give him steady quarterback play, and he’s a big play threat ready to blow up.
2. WR Eric Kumah, Sr.
3. WR/KR Blake Watson, Soph.
4. C Isaac Weaver, Sr.
5. RB Elijah Davis, Soph.
Best Old Dominion Monarchs Defensive Player
DE Keion White, Jr.
The tweener on the outside, the 6-4, 267-pounder turned into a killer in the backfield with 3.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss in an All-Conference USA season. The former tight end took to his new position right away, and now he knows what he’s doing – and he’s got good talent around him to take the pressure off.
2. LB Lawrence Garner, Sr.
3. DT Juwan Ross, Sr.
4. CB Kaleb Ford-Dement, Jr.
5. DE Marcus Haynes, Jr.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Old Dominion Monarchs Keys To The Season
College Football News Preview 2020: Old Dominion Monarchs Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Old Dominion Monarchs Offense
Block someone. The passing game might have been a disaster, and there wasn’t any ground game to count on, but that’s all mostly due to the line failing to be more than a polite suggestion at keeping anyone out of the backfield.
The Monarchs stunningly ran for 202 yards against Virginia Tech – they only ran for for over 100 against two other FCS teams. The line allowed 116 tackles for loss, and the quarterbacks were sacked a whopping 52 times.
There’s experience returning, and the coaching staff has enough options to come up with a better configuration, but giving the skill guys a little time to work is everything to the season.
Biggest Key To The Old Dominion Monarchs Defense
Turn loose all the playmakers on the defensive line and get them to the quarterback. Getting into the backfield wasn’t a problem, but closing was an issue. The Monarchs have a ton of quickness and upside up front – they were fantastic at coming up with tackles for loss – but the D generated a mere 17 sacks with seven coming in a two-game span.
Key Old Dominion Monarchs Player To A Successful Season
QB Hayden Wolff, Soph.
Or ANY of the ODU quarterback options. Five Monarchs threw a pass last season, and they combined to hit just 55% of their throws and averaging 5.6 yards per pass with just five touchdowns and 12 picks.
There’s going to be a terrific battle for the job right up until the opener, but the 6-5, 214-pound pro-style passer has all the tools to take over the offense and be head coach Ricky Rahne’s guy – but it’s an open casting call.
Key Game To The Old Dominion Monarchs Season
FIU, Sept. 19
Just how fast can it all start to come together for the Monarchs? They kick things off against Wake Forest, should match last season’s win total of one with Hampton to follow, and then the Conference USA season starts.
They pushed FIU in last year’s 24-17 loss, but the were two of the last four games in the series. Win that, and with the next three games against teams that didn’t go bowling, there’s hope for a great start.
– Old Dominion Monarchs Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Old Dominion Fun Stats
– Sacks: Opponents 52 for 283 yards – Old Dominion 17 for 124 yards
– Red Zone TDs: Opponents 32-of-41 (63%) – Old Dominion 14-of-38 (37%)
– 2nd Quarter Scoring: Opponents 101 – Old Dominion 39
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Old Dominion Monarchs Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
1. College Football News Preview 2020: Old Dominion Monarchs Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
WKU was able to go from 3-9 to 9-4 with a bowl win after a coaching overhaul, and Old Dominion might enjoy the same type of script-flip.
There’s a whole lot in place for Ricky Rahne and the new coaching staff to turn things around in a big hurry. It might not be the ten-win run of 2016, but there’s a whole lot of experience and a whole lot of options for the staff to work with at each spot.
There wasn’t enough scoring, but three of the losses were by a touchdown or less. The offensive line has to step up and be far, far better for an attack that has promising skill parts. At long as the O is able to do something, the D should be able to take care of the rest.
Don’t be shocked if this turns into one of the best defenses – and most disruptive – in Conference USA.
Set The Old Dominion Monarchs Regular Season Win Total At … 4
Bet at BetMGM Win Total Line: 3
The team should be a whole lot better and stronger in several areas, but the schedule doesn’t quite work out to make it easy.
Beating Hampton is a must, but can ODU win both road games against UConn and UTSA? That’s not asking for the world, but expect them to split those two, pull off a win somewhere against either Charlotte on the road or in an upset over FIU or Middle Tennessee at home.
It’ll take at least one big upset to get it done, but pushing for a three-win improvement after the 1-11 campaign is possible.
