How's my new FCS team (ODU) doing recruiting wise?

[ktuck911]

They start play this fall and appear to be doing a heck of a job so far... They have a BEAUTIFUL facility.... Couldn't have a better start for a FCS program than there... Anybody know how recruiting is going for them so far?

[coover]

Congratulations to ODU for their preparations for the 2009 football season. But it would be nice to know who they are. Oh, I can make a guess. Maybe even two or three. How about Orville Duncan University? Or Oriente Oregon University? It's kind of like guessing whether or not FSU is Fresno State or Florida State, USC is Southern California, or South Carolina. Initials do not tell the story. Even ND could be North Dakota, Notre Dame, or Naughty Daughter (whoa, sounds like a school I'd like to attend). But ODU? Outdoor Delaware U?

[4th and What?]

Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA is starting up their football program this year and will be joining the CAA in 2011.

[Tribe4SF]

The Monarchs appear to be putting together another respectable class. Will be interested to see how they do with linemen this year. That's the tough area, and was the weakness of their first class.

[Tribe4SF]

Congratulations to ODU for their preparations for the 2009 football season. But it would be nice to know who they are. Oh, I can make a guess. Maybe even two or three. How about Orville Duncan University? Or Oriente Oregon University? It's kind of like guessing whether or not FSU is Fresno State or Florida State, USC is Southern California, or South Carolina. Initials do not tell the story. Even ND could be North Dakota, Notre Dame, or Naughty Daughter (whoa, sounds like a school I'd like to attend). But ODU? Outdoor Delaware U?

Here's the link to their official site. Check out their facilities...you'll be envious.

http://odusports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/oldd-m-footbl-body.html

[mcveyrl]

The Monarchs appear to be putting together another respectable class. Will be interested to see how they do with linemen this year. That's the tough area, and was the weakness of their first class.

Regardless of their difficulties, I've still been impressed with how they've been recruiting given their "newbie" status.

[GoBlueHens83]

Here's the link to their official site. Check out their facilities...you'll be envious.

http://odusports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/oldd-m-footbl-body.html


Foreman Field looks like it will be a great place to watch a game. Can't wait for Delaware to play there, I will definitely make that trip.

[appfan2008]

I suspect that they will be major players very soon in the caa as will georgia state... which will make the caa even that much tougher every year...

[Casey_Orourke]

Regardless of their difficulties, I've still been impressed with how they've been recruiting given their "newbie" status.

Old Dominion is a well known institution outside of Virginia for its successful basketball program. I have no doubt that there will be kids from all over Virginia and surrounding states who would jump at the chance of making the inaugural team. Best of luck and I hope they have great success.

[JMU Newbill]

It will be interesting to see how ODU affects JMU and UR recruiting. JMU draws a large contingent of players from the Norfolk/Chesapeake/Va Beach area.

Also, here is another link from the local newspaper (Virginia Pilot) to the ODU football program's website.
http://hamptonroads.com/pilot/sports/odu-football

[jmufan999]

pretty nice facilities. it'll take them a few years to be competitive. hopefully we have our new stadium by that time, and will boast not only a better program but a better stadium. we really need that, because as JMUNewbill said, a LOT of our players come from that area... (see: Landers and Scotty McGee)

[Monarch History]

Will be interested to see how they do with linemen this year. That's the tough area, and was the weakness of their first class.
As Tribe4SF says, the line was one area that was our weakness in our recruiting for a new program. Wilder has signed and received commitments
from several JC lineman as well as getting commitments from several HS lineman. Until our lineman get some college experience, learn technique, and get stronger, we will get manhandled by good teams. That includes all the CAA teams when we begin conference play in 2011. I shudder to think what the score of the W&M score will be when we play in 2010.

Here's an article on just this topic from today's Virginian-Pilot.
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/01/inside-look-what-goes-recruit

[93henfan]

ODU is going to be a formidable CAA opponent, and quickly. It looks like they're off to a helluva start and are doing a lot of things right. They are smack dab in a recruiting hotbed and will steal recruits from W&M, JMU, Richmond, and Delaware. Hell, they recruited a kid from my alma mater HS (Alex Bell, OL/DL, from Milford DE HS), so I know they're already snagging potential Blue Hens.

In response to the OP, I have watched Bell and he is damn good. 6'5" 275 lbs and still growing.

[coover]

Good luck, Old Dominion. It will be tough.

By the way, if you are looking for opponents, you might want to look to the west. Western FCS teams have a difficult job finding games. And some of the schools, such as my own, are so feared by the eastern schools, that they won't even consider playing them.

Again, good luck. The CAA is a very tough league, certainly one of the best in FCS, and there will not be many "easy" games.

[JMU Newbill]

pretty nice facilities. it'll take them a few years to be competitive. hopefully we have our new stadium by that time, and will boast not only a better program but a better stadium. we really need that, because as JMUNewbill said, a LOT of our players come from that area... (see: Landers and Scotty McGee)

.... Holloman, Moats, Williams, Cuffee, Brown, Daniels, Monroe (not a complete list).... all went to high school within 15 - 20 minutes of ODU. You add in the players from Williamsburg and Yorktown (i.e. Haywood, Ramsey, etc.)... which is about 30 - 45 minutes away depending on traffic, you are looking at a good chunk of the starting line up.

JMU, UR, and W&M will all have to step up their recruiting efforts big time.

[GannonFan]

ODU's going to be competitive pretty quickly. They have a very solid fanbase and you could argue they have one of the best athletic departments/programs in the CAA. No reason to think that won't extend to football. Plus, they'll have top tier facilities right from the get-go so even with plans on the table from other schools, ODU is not going to be in a competitve disadvantage.

They'll have a rocky start, although they get two years to start-up before they hit the CAA full bore in 2011, but I wouldn't be shocked to see them seriously competing for the conference title by 2013 or 2014.

[DTSpider]

The toughest part for ODU is that they will be coming into a conference with JMU, UR, UD, Nova & W&M. The CAA South right now is full of teams that are putting big (well, at least FCS big) money into football.

Recruiting is so hard though to judge at the FCS. There's both no much information available and so much depends on how guys progress. The key is to be able to get in addition to your scholarship guys, about a dozen walk-ons that can fill out the roster and maybe break through.

[ktuck911]

As Tribe4SF says, the line was one area that was our weakness in our recruiting for a new program. Wilder has signed and received commitments
from several JC lineman as well as getting commitments from several HS lineman. Until our lineman get some college experience, learn technique, and get stronger, we will get manhandled by good teams. That includes all the CAA teams when we begin conference play in 2011. I shudder to think what the score of the W&M score will be when we play in 2010.

Here's an article on just this topic from today's Virginian-Pilot.
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/01/inside-look-what-goes-recruit

I beg to differ... I think you underestimate the Monarchs. The way they are recruiting, they WILL (I'm predicting it) be good sooner, rather than later... They've got some pretty good talent... Quite a few kids that have been getting offers from D1 A schools already... The facilities are truly selling the program to pretty solid recruits... Now, as long as the coaches have these kids prepared (yeah, I know, experience is the best teacher, but these kids have all played QUALITY HS football)...you guys will be OK... You're definitely one of my favorite college football programs for life.. that's for sure...

[ktuck911]

.... Holloman, Moats, Williams, Cuffee, Brown, Daniels, Monroe (not a complete list).... all went to high school within 15 - 20 minutes of ODU. You add in the players from Williamsburg and Yorktown (i.e. Haywood, Ramsey, etc.)... which is about 30 - 45 minutes away depending on traffic, you are looking at a good chunk of the starting line up.

JMU, UR, and W&M will all have to step up their recruiting efforts big time.

Did the RB, Holloman, from the philly area commit to ODU? Did I miss something? He's a helluva player... although diminutive in stature...

[GannonFan]

Did the RB, Holloman, from the philly area commit to ODU? Did I miss something? He's a helluva player... although diminutive in stature...

Two different Holloman's - the guy he's talking about is the RB that JMU had for the past two years, a JUCO transfer from I thought someplace out in the Midwest. He was a senior last year at JMU.

The Holloman you're talking about, I assume, is the RB from West Catholic in Philly. I don't think he's committed anywhere yet, although I thought there was an item in the Philly paper just recently that he hasn't even qualified academically yet - I guess he could commit somewhere but he's got work to do to get in somewhere.

[GannonFan]

I beg to differ... I think you underestimate the Monarchs. The way they are recruiting, they WILL (I'm predicting it) be good sooner, rather than later... They've got some pretty good talent... Quite a few kids that have been getting offers from D1 A schools already... The facilities are truly selling the program to pretty solid recruits... Now, as long as the coaches have these kids prepared (yeah, I know, experience is the best teacher, but these kids have all played QUALITY HS football)...you guys will be OK... You're definitely one of my favorite college football programs for life.. that's for sure...

Every FCS team can claim tons of guys who also reportedly had DIA offers. Whether that's true is a matter of opinion and it doesn't make ODU any different than any other FCS school out there. While I think ODU will be good (CAA good) by 2013, expecting them to be good right off the bat in 2009 or 2010 is too optimisitic even for me.