| Old Dominion (0-0, 0-0 Sun Belt) at South Carolina (0-0, 0-0 SEC) | |
| Date | Saturday, Aug. 31 • 4:15 p.m. • Columbia, S.C. • Williams-Brice Stadium |
| Where to Watch | SEC Network |
| Listen | ODU Sports Radio Network |
| Series | First Meeting |
| Game Notes | Old Dominion South Carolina |
NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion University Football opens the 2024 season on Saturday, Aug. 31 at South Carolina. The game kicks off at 4:15 p.m. on the SEC Network.
• Old Dominion travels to South Carolina for the 2024 season opener. It is the first meeting between the two programs and ODU’s first game against an SEC opponent since a 2013 tilt at Vanderbilt.
• Old Dominion went 6-7 in 2023 and played in a bowl game for the second time in the last three years.
• ODU played a Division I record 11 one-score games in 2023, going 6-5 in those games. Of the 11 one-score games, six came down to the final play of the game. ODU went 3-3 in those games.
• South Carolina finished 2023 with a 5-7 record and went 3-5 in the SEC. The Gamecocks won 3-of-their-last four games on the year. SC was 5-2 at home and 0-4 on the road.
• ODU Head Coach Ricky Rahne added a pair of new assistant coaches this season. David Weeks will coach the tight ends, while Kody Cook will coach the wide receivers. Both Weeks and Cook come to the Monarchs from Tennessee.
• ODU linebacker Jason Henderson led the country in tackles per game for the second-straight season with 14.2. He finished the year with 170 tackles, second behind only Jay Higgins of Iowa, who played two more games, and was fourth in the country with 19.5 tackles for loss. Henderson earned first-team All-America honors last season and is a two-time All-American.
• Old Dominion’s 57 newcomers are the 15th most in the country and the 28 transfers (JUCO and Four-Year) are tied for 15th most in the country.
Captains
Head Coach Ricky Rahne named six captains for the 2024 season.
Grant Wilson: Set to become the first ODU QB since Taylor Heinicke to start back-to-back season openers. Was a captain last season.
Santana Saunders: Started all 13 games bouncing between left and right tackle last season. First time captain.
Jason Henderson: Led the country in tackles per game for the second-straight year. Was a captain last season.
Koa Naotala: Former walk-on earned a scholarship prior to last season. Made his first career start in the Famous Toastery Bowl last year in place of Henderson.
Denzel Lowry: Lowry started all 13 games last season at defensive tackle.
Seamus Hall: A transfer from Sioux Falls University, Hall is in his first season with the Monarchs.
Young Coaching Staff - Again
Since Ricky Rahne was hired in 2020 Old Dominion has had one of the youngest coaching staffs in the country. The Monarchs had the youngest staff in the country in 2021 and 2023 and were second youngest in 2022. The 2024 staff is the second youngest staff in the country behind only Sun Belt Conference foe, Georgia Southern.
Youngest Coaching Staffs in the Country
Rank School Average
1. Georgia Southern 33.2
2. Old Dominion 34.5
3. UTEP 34.7
4. North Texas 36.4
5. Indiana 38.2
6. Sam Houston 38.9
7. UTSA 39.2
8. Iowa State 40.0
Welcome to the Team
With the transfer portal has come the age of most college football teams acclimating new players into the fold. ODU had 58 new players a season ago which was seventh most in the country. This year ODU has 57 new players which ranks 14th in the country.
| School | Transfers |
| North Texas | 77 |
| Army | 74 |
| Charlotte | 71 |
| Navy | 69 |
| Arkansas State | 64 |
| Colorado | 63 |
| Michigan State | 61 |
| Troy | 61 |
| Nebraska | 60 |
| Arizona State | 60 |
| MTSU | 60 |
| New Mexico | 59 |
| Houston | 59 |
| San Diego State | 58 |
| Old Dominion | 57 |
A Decade of Quarterbacks
When Grant Wilson takes the opening snap from center in the season opener at South Carolina, he will become the first ODU quarterback in nine years to start the season-opener in back-to-back years. Not since Taylor Heinicke started the 2012, 2013 and 2014 season openers have the Monarchs started the same QB in consecutive years.
Season Opening Quarterbacks
| Year | Starting QB |
| 2014 | Taylor Heinicke |
| 2015 | Shuler Bentley |
| 2016 | David Washington |
| 2017 | Blake LaRussa |
| 2018 | Steven Williams |
| 2019 | Stone Smartt |
| 2021 | DJ Mack Jr. |
| 2022 | Hayden Wolff |
| 2023 | Grant Wilson |
From FCS to FBS
Grant Wilson started 11-of-12 games at quarterback for ODU last season. The Fordham transfer completed 178-of-312 passes for 2,149 yards and 17 touchdowns with eight interceptions last season.
He is also ODU’s leading returning rusher with 289 yards and four touchdowns.
What is Returning
Of Old Dominion’s 115 players, 58 were on the team last year and 57 are newcomers. Here are the percentages of ODU’s stats that returned from the 2023 season.
Percentage Of Stats Returned for ODU
| Stat | Percentage | Returning Leader |
| Passing Yards | 85 | Grant Wilson - 2,149 |
| Rushing Yards | 25 | Grant Wilson - 289 |
| Receptions | 43 | Isiah Paige - 43 |
| Receiving Yards | 47 | Kelby Williams - 451 |
| Touchdowns | 34 | Grant Wilson, Dominic Dutton - 4 |
| Points | 51 | Ethan Sanchez - 78 |
| Tackles | 46 | Jason Henderson - 170 |
| Sacks | 68 | Jason Henderson - 4.5 |
| Tackles For Loss | 60 | Jason Henderson - 19.5 |
| Interceptions | 45 | Markus Knight - 2 |
Up Next
ODU returns to Norfolk next weekend on Saturday, Sept. 7 against East Carolina at 6 p.m. on ESPN+. The game will be Hall of Fame Weekend as this year's ODU Sports Hall of Fame Class will be inducted in a ceremony on Friday, Sept. 6. Click here for more information on the hall of fame ceremony.