ODUSports.com will preview spring football the next few weeks and do a position-by-position breakdown of the Monarchs' roster. The first preview is of the ODU quarterbacks.
2016 Spring Roster
Quarterbacks (5)
David Washington
Blake LaRussa
Drayton Arnold
Joey Verhaegh
Shuler Bentley
2016 Signees (2)
Drayton Arnold – Mid-Year Enrollee
Brennan Lewis
Quarterback Preview: Shuler Bentley and David Washington combined to throw for 2,587 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2015 as each took their first significant college snaps of their careers. Bentley started the first six games of the 2015 season and led ODU to a 2-0 start but struggled before giving way to Washington against Charlotte.
Washington provided a spark in the win over Charlotte and passed for more than 290 yards three times, all ODU wins. Washington injured his knee at Southern Miss, pressing Bentley into action and the sophomore to be passed for 228 yards and three touchdowns.
Bentley started the finale against Florida Atlantic and passed for a career-high 287 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 18 yards and a touchdown. Washington’s knee injury will cause him to miss spring ball but he is on track to be ready for fall camp.
Walk-on Blake LaRussa showed flashes while redshirting in 2015. Junior college transfer Joey Verhaegh suffered a shoulder injury during last year’s spring practice and sat out the 2015 season.
Mid-year high school enrollee Drayton Arnold was a standout at Myrtle Beach High School, passing for more than 8,500 yards and 104 touchdown passes in his high school career, including helping Myrtle Beach to a state championship as a sophomore.