Dec. 22, 2011
NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion head football coach Bobby Wilder has announced the signing of three student-athletes to play for the Monarchs beginning in the spring of 2012.
They include Rahsaan Moore (District Heights, Md.), a 6-2, 230 defensive end transferring from the University of Maryland, Ervin Johnson (Bradenton, Fla.), a 6-1, 200 linebacker from Dean Junior College, and Darius Wilkins (Apex N.C.), a 6-3, 210 defensive end from Middle Creek High School.
Moore comes to Old Dominion after two seasons at Maryland and will have three years of eligibility with the Monarchs. At Wise High School in District Heights, Maryland, Moore was ranked the No. 16 fullback nationally by Scout.com and was No. 94 among defensive ends by Scouts, Inc. Moore was an honorable mention all-state selection on defense his senior season while also totaling 461 yards on 74 carries with 15 touchdowns for the offense. As an honorable mention All-Met selection as a junior in 2009, he posted 38 solo tackles, including five sacks, and an interception helping the Pumas reach the Class 4A state final.
Johnson joins the ODU roster from Dean Junior College and will have two years of eligibility remaining. As a sophomore at Dean Junior College in 2011, he was a First Team All-Northeast Football Conference selection and helped his team to the Northeast Football Conference Championship and the Valley of the The Sun Bowl Championships. Dean Junior College finished the 2011 campaign at 8-1 overall and ranked eighth in the final NJCAA national poll. Johnson totaled 20 tackles (14 solo, 6 assisted), including three for loss.
Wilkins graduates high school a semester early after helping Middle Creek, located outside of Raleigh, North Carolina, to a 10-3 regular season record and 7-1 conference mark. The First Team All-Conference selection helped his team to win a share of the Tri-9 Conference title. In his junior year, Wilkins posted 103 tackles and 10 sacks as Middle Creek posted a 9-4 overall record, including a 6-2 mark in the Tri-Nine 4A Conference and second round playoff appearance. He also returned an interception 34-yards for a touchdown and a fumble 40-yards for a score.
Since restarting its football team in 2009, Old Dominion has become the winningest start-up program in FCS history with a three-year total of 27 wins and only eight losses. In 2011, the Monarchs garnered their first national ranking, including cracking the top ten after concluding the regular season at 9-2 overall and 6-2 in the Colonial Athletic Association, a league which sent five teams to the post-season. ODU made its first post-season appearance in 2011, advancing to the second round of the FCS playoffs.