Spring Football Practice Update

NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion University football has completed 12-of-15 practices and will conclude spring practice this week with the culmination the Priority Charity Bowl ODU Spring Game on Saturday, April 9 at 2 p.m.
 
"I think we've showed that we're going to be a physical team. I like the way we tackled (on Saturday) on defense and I like the way we're playing up front on defense right now," head coach Ricky Rahne said. "Saturday will be a regular scrimmage. I don't want to break up into teams, I don't feel like that's necessarily a productive day. I'd rather it be like today with a lot of energy and get a lot out of it."
 
Old Dominion returns 19 starters overall, including seven on defense.
 
The Monarchs return a pair of freshmen that started on the defensive line in Alonzo Ford and Amorie Morrison, as well as senior Tyre Bibby. Ford started all 13 games at defensive tackle a season ago and led ODU upfront with 38 tackles. Bibby also started all 13 games at defensive tackle and notched 20 tackles. Morrison started seven games at defensive end, earning C-USA All-Freshman Team honors. He recorded 32 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
 
ODU also returns Devin Brandt-Epps and Chazz Wallace up the middle and defensive ends Marcus Haynes, Deeve Harris and Kris Caine. Brandt-Epps played all 13 games seeing time at defensive tackle and defensive end and made 31 stops and five tackles for loss. Wallace played all 13 games at tackle, recording 26 tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss. Haynes led ODU with 5.5 sacks and was tied for second on the team with six tackles for loss. Harris became the first ODU defensive player to score two touchdowns in the same season, as he returned an interception for a TD at FIU and recovered a fumble for a score in the season finale against Charlotte. He notched 24 tackles and a pair of sacks. Morrison earned all-freshman honors with 32 tackles, 3.5 sacks and five tackles for loss, while Caine played in nine games, registered five tackles and a sack. 
 
Linebacker Jordan Young graduates as the program's all-time leader in tackles, but the Monarchs return starter Ryan Henry and part-time starter from a season ago Jason Henderson. Henry earned all-conference honors recording 80 tackles and two tackles for loss, and Henderson earned all-freshman honors with 80 tackles, including three tackles for loss and a sack. ODU also returns Steven Williams, who played in 12 games, making 18 tackles and blocked a punt. 
 
R'Tarriun Johnson is the Monarchs' leading returning tackler from 2021, when he made 91 tackles, six pass breakups and two interceptions. He returns at safety along with Terry Jones, who came on mid-way through the season and finished sixth on the squad with 69 tackles. Tre Hawkins started all 13 games at corner last season and earned all-conference accolades along with Johnson. He finished with 76 tackles and seven pass breakups.
 
To read more about the offense, click here.