By Harry Minium
Of all the athletic programs at Old Dominion University, none has seen the improvement in the NCAA's all-important APR scores than the Monarch football program. And that's no coincidence.
In large part because it was a startup program that began in 2009, and then began the transition to the Football Bowl Division in 2013, its scores lagged behind the competition. New programs and those in transition tend to lose players, and that dampens APR rankings.
ODU's first APR score of 896 in the 2009-10 academic year was anemic, if understandable.
But it has slowly risen almost every season since to the point where in 2018-19, the most recent year for which APR scores were released, ODU had a much-improved score of 961, one that is finally beginning to truly reflect the program's true academic prowess.
To give that number some context, ODU's score is only seven points below the FBS average of 968 and is tied for seventh in Conference USA. ODU is ahead of Virginia Tech (958), North Carolina (959) and West Virginia (960) and tied with Houston, Texas-San Antonio and North Texas.
The NCAA created the APR in 2004 to measure eligibility and retention for athletes was developed to predict graduation rates.
The latest scores represent a four-year average from 2015-16 through 2018-19, and as ODU gets further away from the FBS transition, scores should improve.
The efforts of first-year coach Ricky Rahne and his staff obviously aren't reflected in those scores – Bobby Wilder was the head coach in 2018.
But Rahne's impact will be felt in a positive way down the road, said Ron Moses, ODU's associate athletic director for student-athlete services. ODU's most recent recruiting class is the best academically that the football program has had in years, he said.
"Only four of the players we signed had a GPA less than a 3.0," Moses said. "Coach Rahne signed four kids with a GPA of more than 4.0."
That includes linebacker Malcom Britt from Oscar Smith High School, who recently graduated with a 4.3 GPA.
ODU Athletics Well Represented at March for Justice
The March for Justice held Thursday at ODU to call for racial reconciliation in the wake of the murders of unarmed African Americans recently was begun by former football player Mufu Taiwo and ODU's athletics department was well represented among the 300 or so marchers.
The march began at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex, where the football, lacrosse and field hockey teams train. Dr. Wood Selig, ODU's athletic director, and much of his senior staff marched, as did Rahne and about 25 football players. Dozens of ODU athletes, coaches and even a half dozen cheerleaders also marched.
ODU's training staff also monitored the crowd on a hot, muggy day. Assistant athletic trainer Andilynn Beadles administered aid to a young marcher overcome by heat and her treatment resulted in the young man getting back on his feet pretty quickly.
It was a good day for ODU and an admirable turnout by the University's athletics department.
Ron Whitcomb Hired by Buffalo
Long-time ODU quarterbacks coach Ron Whitcomb has been hired by the University of Buffalo as the Bulls' scouting coordinator and offensive analyst.
Whitcomb was hired by Wilder nearly two years before ODU began playing and recruited and developed Taylor Heinicke, David Washington and Thomas DeMarco. He is the last of ODU's assistant coaches from last season to find a job.
His new job will bring him back to ODU twice in the next few years – Buffalo plays at ODU in 2021 and 2023.
"When I look back at my 13 years at Old Dominion, I will have nothing but awesome memories of the people, players, and Hampton Roads community I grew to love," he said. "Living in Norfolk while building the ODU football program from scratch was has truly the ride of a lifetime.
"I get emotional when I think about all the people in the 757 community I have become close with. ODU football will always be special to me, and I genuinely will be rooting and supporting coach Rahne, his staff and the team from afar."
Whitcomb will be much closer to his hometown of Rochester, N.Y. and joins a team that was 8-5 and defeated Charlotte, 31-9, last season in the Bahamas Bowl.
Other assistant coaches and their new destinations: Bryan Stinespring, Delaware; Brian Scott, Towson; Jeff Comissiong, Hampton University, John Allen and David Blackwell, Louisiana Tech, Daric Riley, UAB; Grady Brown, McNeese State; Frank Wilson, Houston and Charles Bankins, Charlotte.
Comissiong, who coached seven seasons at ODU, will make his return to S.B. Ballard Stadium on Sept. 12, when the Monarchs host Hampton. He is the Pirates' defensive line coach and run-game coordinator.
Bankins, who came to ODU from Vanderbilt in 2016, also will face off against ODU on Nov. 12, when the Monarchs travel to Charlotte. He is Charlotte's special teams coach.
Contact Minium: hminium@odu.edu
Minium: ODU's Football APR Scores Are Rising And Finally Reflect the Program's Academic Success
