With the beginning of spring football practice just a few weeks away, ODUSports.com will preview each position before the first day of practice. Today's preview we take a look at the wide receivers.
Wide Receiver
The Monarchs lost First-Team All-Conference wide receiver, Antonio Vaughan, but return every other receiver that caught a pass in 2014, including the next three in Zach Pascal, David Washington and Melvin Vaughn. ODU also redshirted three players from the 2014 recruiting class and once again will have depth at the position.
The Returners
A key returner for the Monarchs did not play a down in 2014, but the comeback of Blair Roberts gives ODU an experienced and productive receiver. Roberts redshirted in 2014 after an injury kept him out for the season. He is healthy and gives the Monarchs a receiver with 106 career receptions to go along with Pascal, Washington and Vaughn. Pascal emerged as a playmaker in 2014, recording 59 receptions for 743 yards and seven touchdowns. Two of his biggest catches set up game-winners at Rice and against FIU. At Rice, he caught a 45-yarder to set up Ricky Segers’ 25-yard field goal for the win and against FIU he caught a 24-yarder to set up Satchel Ziffer’s game-winning kick. In his first season at wide receiver, Washington finished third on the team with 47 catches for 599 yards and four touchdowns. He had a career-best eight catches for 106 yards and the game-winning touchdown in overtime in the victory over Louisiana Tech. Junior Melvin Vaughn returns after a 30 catch season for 315 yards and three scores. He notched a career-best eight catches for 94 yards and a touchdown at Western Kentucky. Also returning are Nick England, Marques Little and Jonathan Duhart. The trio combined for 30 receptions for 442 yards while, Little corralled three touchdowns.
The Newcomers
Travis Fulgham, Isaiah Harper, Will Howard, Quintin Reynolds and walk-on R.J. Brown redshirted last season. They will have a chance to compete for time at receiver and also punt and kick returner, where the Monarchs lost both Vaughan and Cam Boyd.
By The Numbers
12: Touchdown catches by Antonio Vaughan, tied for seventh in the FBS.
0: Career catches by David Washington before catching 47 passes last season.
13: Career touchdown catches by redshirt senior Blair Roberts.