ODU looking up!

[Spiderbone]

I have to say I am impressed with ODU. The amount of points they put up was staggering against UMASS. As I said in another post I think ODU has the easiest stretch over the next month playing URI, Villanova and Towson. They could be 7-1 going into their last three games with Richmond, W&M and JMU (win ONE of those, most likely W&M or UR and they are in the playoffs)xsmileyclapx

[The Eagle's Cliff]

I agree. I've been watching their program grow from a distance and have been impressed from the start. They're in a hotbed of talent and will be successful immediately.

[URMite]

Wait, so the 2 teams they miss this year are UNH & Maine? That is looking rather fortunate, 5-3 in the conference looks possible.

[smallcollegefbfan]

I have to say I am impressed with ODU. The amount of points they put up was staggering against UMASS. As I said in another post I think ODU has the easiest stretch over the next month playing URI, Villanova and Towson. They could be 7-1 going into their last three games with Richmond, W&M and JMU (win ONE of those, most likely W&M or UR and they are in the playoffs)xsmileyclapx

They also have 3 players at ODU getting NFL interest right now.

[VBR_Productions]

I've seen every game in person except at Georgia State, which I saw on TV. The team has its moments on offense when their receivers get the ball in space and they just make plays. The running game has been decent against the OOC teams but as expected, the CAA defenses are much tougher. However, we've potentially lost starting QB DeMarco with a stress fracture in his leg, and our top two running backs left Saturday's game with injuries. This is not what we need with five straight games coming up.

The defensive line has been the biggest surprise. I didn't think we could develop such a stout front in just three years. We lost our best CB in Week Two but have managed without him to date. But special teams has really made the difference, as we've blocked four punts and one FG attempt in our last four games. If there's one thing you can say about our coaching staff, they look for weaknesses in all phases of our opponents and attack them. It won't lead to wins every week but they're putting the players in the best position possible to win.

My expectation was for ODU to go 3-0 out of conference and win two or three conference games. If we continue to play this way then we should get there.

[crusader11]

I have ODU in my top 25 this week.

[ODUsmitty]

Thanks for the comments. We have honestly tried to build this program the "right" way, and it has been an absolute pleasure watching this program grow.

[GannonFan]

What's shocking is that their offense isn't even all that good. DeMarco doesn't have much of an arm and the receivers aren't anything to write home about. They have a good front 7 on defense, but offensively they aren't anything more than average. But I said it when they announced they were adding football - they'll be a CAA title contender by 2013 and there doesn't appear to be any reason why that won't happen.

[VBR_Productions]

What's shocking is that their offense isn't even all that good. DeMarco doesn't have much of an arm and the receivers aren't anything to write home about. They have a good front 7 on defense, but offensively they aren't anything more than average.

I won't debate you about DeMarco - he misses way too many passes to receivers that are simple hitch routes and even WR screen passes. But I respectfully disagree with you about our receivers. How many games have you watched? When they've gotten the ball in their hands they've made their share of plays. Also, how would you rate UMass' defense this season? Old Dominion scored six touchdowns against them, including three TD drives led by a freshman making his collegiate debut, and even this was after we lost our top two running backs in the game. So if the Monarchs' offense "isn't even all that good" against a CAA defense, what does that say about the Minutemen on defense?

Do not interpret this as smack talk - I am curious what the fan of an opposing team sees differently than what I've seen.

[Spiderbone]

I won't debate you about DeMarco - he misses way too many passes to receivers that are simple hitch routes and even WR screen passes. But I respectfully disagree with you about our receivers. How many games have you watched? When they've gotten the ball in their hands they've made their share of plays. Also, how would you rate UMass' defense this season? Old Dominion scored six touchdowns against them, including three TD drives led by a freshman making his collegiate debut, and even this was after we lost our top two running backs in the game. So if the Monarchs' offense "isn't even all that good" against a CAA defense, what does that say about the Minutemen on defense?

Do not interpret this as smack talk - I am curious what the fan of an opposing team sees differently than what I've seen.

I think Umass got caught with their pants down and you guys took it to 'em (that is not a real good visual but you know what I mean). Umass expected you guys to roll over to play dead particularly with their newfound FBS aspirations and woke up too late to do anything in the game.

[henfan]

I've seen every game in person except at Georgia State, which I saw on TV. The team has its moments on offense when their receivers get the ball in space and they just make plays. The running game has been decent against the OOC teams but as expected, the CAA defenses are much tougher. However, we've potentially lost starting QB DeMarco with a stress fracture in his leg, and our top two running backs left Saturday's game with injuries. This is not what we need with five straight games coming up.

The defensive line has been the biggest surprise. I didn't think we could develop such a stout front in just three years. We lost our best CB in Week Two but have managed without him to date. But special teams has really made the difference, as we've blocked four punts and one FG attempt in our last four games. If there's one thing you can say about our coaching staff, they look for weaknesses in all phases of our opponents and attack them. It won't lead to wins every week but they're putting the players in the best position possible to win.

My expectation was for ODU to go 3-0 out of conference and win two or three conference games. If we continue to play this way then we should get there.

Hard to disagree with anything here. You should be very proud of your FB program, VBR. They've come a long way in a short time, which some of us expected.xthumbsupx

[MinuteFan]

I'm taking nothing away from ODU. They are a great story! But someone asked about the UMass defense. They are very good againnst the run, but have the worst pass defense I've seen in 40 years of following UMass. Any team that doesn't go at least 70-30 pass against the Minutemen (at least while the outcome is in doubt) has a bad game plan. URI handed the game to UMass a few weeks ago by insisting on trying to establish the run. They still threw 4 TD passes, but too little too late.

Good luck ODU!

[VBR_Productions]

Old Dominion got another "first" today, earning the program's first road conference victory 31-23 at Rhode Island. The Rams were giving us fits until Steve Probst injured his ankle, and they didn't score on any subsequent drive. Now at 5-1, the team is one win away from its third consecutive winning season and two wins away from playoff talk. We've got Towson and Villanova next, followed by a murderer's row of JMU, Richmond and William and Mary.

But they've already met by expectations of two conference wins. It's a good time to be a Monarch!

I should mention we did this with a true freshman at QB making his first career start, and our starting RB out with an ankle injury.