Old Dominion University Football begins camp on Monday, Aug. 7. With camp one day away, ODUSports.com will do a position-by-position preview this week. Today we preview the secondary.
Defensive Backs (25)
| Brandon Addison | Sr-r. | 5-10 | 179 |
| Prince Ajegwu | Fr-r. | 6-3 | 211 |
| Andre Bernhard | Jr-r. | 6-2 | 192 |
| Elijah Blue | Fr-r. | 6-0 | 188 |
| Jamez Brickhouse | So-r. | 5-10 | 183 |
| Christian Byrum | Jr-r. | 6-1 | 182 |
| Jelani Carter | So. | 6-1 | 207 |
| Sean Carter | Jr-r. | 6-1 | 205 |
| Justice Davila | Sr. | 6-0 | 193 |
| Akim Bundu-Fitz | So-r. | 6-1 | 186 |
| Matt Geiger | Fr. | 5-10 | 200 |
| Jordan Glover | Jr-r. | 5-11 | 175 |
| Parrish Gordon | Fr-r. | 6-0 | 213 |
| Geronda Hall Jr. | Fr. | 5-10 | 170 |
| Joe Joe Headen | Fr-r. | 5-10 | 173 |
| Lawrence Holley | Jr-r. | 6-2 | 201 |
| Conor Kringel | Fr. | 6-1 | 208 |
| Jamshyer McUmber | Jr-r. | 6-0 | 176 |
| Kane Miskel | So-r. | 6-2 | 183 |
| Justin Noye | Jr-r. | 6-1 | 212 |
| Rob Thompson | Sr-r. | 6-1 | 189 |
| Tracy White Jr. | Fr. | 6-2 | 180 |
| Denzel Williams | So-r. | 6-2 | 204 |
| J.C. Williamson | So-r. | 5-9 | 193 |
| Austin Wood | Fr. | 6-3 | 190 |
Defensive Backs Preview
Like the defensive line, the defensive backs have a number of players not only with playing experience, but starting experience, especially at safety.
Former walk-on Sean Carter is the Monarchs’ leading returning tackler with 60 stops and is a vocal leader for the back end of the defense. Carter started all 13 games last season, while senior Justice Davila played in 10 games, finishing fifth on team with 47 tackles. Davila has started 22 games in his career, including seven last season. A third player, Rob Thompson, started the final six games at safety last year following an injury to Davila. Thompson recorded 28 tackles and his first career interception.
And those are just the players that started. Andre Bernhard, Christian Byrum, Kane Miskel and Justin Noye all saw playing time in 2016.
Bernhard played in 10 games before an injury ended his season. He had 24 tackles and led ODU in special teams tackles.
Byrum played in eight games on the year and heading into the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl had just one tackle. In the bowl game he notched a career-high 11 tackles to help solidify the defense in the four point win. Noye played in all 13 games, making eight tackles and two tackles for loss. Like Bernhard, he was also a valuable special teams player.
When C.J. Bradshaw got hurt early in the year, Kane Miskel stepped up and started a pair of games. He played in 12 games, making 33 tackles. Miskel was injured late in the year and his status for fall camp is questionable.
Sophomore Denzel Williams suffered an injury in the sixth game of the year at WKU and missed the final six regular season games, but came back to play in the bowl game and had a game-changing interception in the end zone to stop an Eastern Michigan drive.
Prince Ajegwu and Parrish Gordon redshirted last season, while ODU added Virginia Beach product, Austin Wood, on National Signing Day.
At cornerback, ODU is locked down on one side with returning all-conference player, Brandon Addison. After two years, Addison owns the single-season, game and career record for pass breakups at ODU.
Opposite of Addison is a battle between Jamez Brickhouse and Joe Joe Headen. Brickhouse played in 12 games last year and earned his first career start in the bowl game, notching 11 tackles. Headen redshirted in the fall and had a tremendous spring, seemingly intercepting a pass or making a play every spring practice.
Lawrence Holley missed all of last season with an injury but has experience, while Jelani Carter, Jordan Glover, Akim Bundu-Fitz and Jamshyer McUmber all made their first appearances on the field last season.
Norfolk native Elijah Blue also redshirted this season and adds depth to a solid group, while Geronda Hall and Tracy White were added with the recruiting class.