NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion University seniors TJ Ricks and Rashaad Coward were each selected to play in College Football All-Star Games. Ricks will play in the FBS All Americans Tropical Bowl On Jan. 15 in Daytona Beach, while Coward will participate in the College Gridiron Showcase in Bedford, Texas Jan. 7-11.
Ricks became the first ODU defender to record a pair of 100 tackle seasons, as he led the Monarchs with 102 tackles in 2016. He added six tackles for loss, one sack, two fumble recoveries and forced two fumbles. He holds the ODU career record with seven forced fumbles and is second in school history in tackles with 323, 17 behind all-time leader, Craig Wilkins.
Playing nose tackle, Coward led all ODU defensive linemen and finished fourth on the team with 50 tackles. He finished with a career-high 7.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He recovered a fumble and returned it for a seven-yard touchdown in the win over Southern Miss. He finished his ODU career with 136 career tackles and 14.5 tackles for loss.
In the Monarchs’ 24-20 Popeyes Bowl win over Eastern Michigan, Ricks was named the defensive MVP with nine tackles and a tackle for loss, while Coward registered four tackles and a quarterback hurry.