Minium: Expectations Are High For ODU Football Thanks In Part To Success in Portal

By Harry Minium

NORFOLK, Va. – The offseason buzz for Old Dominion football is different than it’s been in many years and by that, I mean in a very good way.

The Monarchs are confident that they will have a good team this season, and for once, some in the media seem to agree.

Although it’s still early – fall camp begins later this month – Athlon Magazine recently picked the Monarchs to finish third in the East Division, have a winning season and go to a postseason bowl game.

That’s higher than the Monarchs have been picked in a while and, if true, would be the best season under Head Coach Ricky Rahne.

“The Monarchs are a sleeper pick to win the Sun Belt in 2025,” opined Athlon.

It helps that ODU is only one of about two dozen FBS schools to return its head coach and all three coordinators for the third year in a row – winning often comes from continuity.

But there are also high expectations because ODU’s coaching staff has adjusted to the modern era of college athletics, in which, because of the transfer portal, you have to re-recruit everyone on your roster, as well as find good transfers.

The Monarchs had a ton of success in holding onto key players, including All-American linebacker Jason Henderson, who would have had a lot of offers had he put his name in the portal.

“Obviously, today, with the portal and everything, everyone has the thought that the grass is greener, and they just want to jump into the portal and go somewhere. But the truth is, the grass is greener where you water it,” Henderson said just after the spring football game, in which he confirmed he was returning to ODU.

“I’m very happy where I am.”

So were ODU’s top two quarterbacks from last season – starter Colton Joseph and backup Quinn Henicle both return. Having two talented players at the most important position on the field is a major reason for optimism.

Rahne said President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D., and Dr. Wood Selig, ODU’s director of athletics, OK’d a significant boost in Name, Image and Likeness funding that allowed the Monarchs to be competitive.

“Our president and Dr. Selig are committed to building a championship program,” Rahne said. “But it also shows a great commitment from our donors, who, with the changing times, have been willing to change with it. And I know that hasn’t been easy for some of our donors.

“I appreciate what they have done because without them, it would have been difficult to retain people on our roster the way we did.”

Joseph solidified his role as ODU’s starter last season and has had a good spring and summer, said Offensive Coordinator Kevin Decker.

Joseph was sidelined from the final game at Arkansas State with an injury, but Henicle stepped in and led the Monarchs to a 40-32 victory by passing for 143 yards and rushing for 206 more.

“Having two quarterbacks who were named Sun Belt Player of the Week last season, that’s really a great thing,” Decker said.

ODU’s offensive line will be larger, deeper and more experienced than any in years. Zach Barlev, a 6-4, 318-pound senior who transferred from Illinois in 2024, was a third-team All-Sun Belt choice and anchors the O line.

Transfer Ryan Joyce, a 6-foot-5, 305-pound senior from Stockton, New Jersey, will start at center, Decker said. Joyce was a three-year starter at Fordham, where Decker coached before coming to ODU.

Suffolk native Griffin Duggan (6-5, 295), a redshirt senior, transferred from Virginia Tech and will see extensive playing time. Logan Cox (6-4, 328) is a transfer from Kansas State whom Decker said will see a lot of playing time.  

Quarterback Ryan Huff, a freshman who played at Pensacola Catholic in Florida last season, enrolled at ODU in the spring and impressed. He is third on the depth chart.

“He throws the ball the way you want a quarterback to throw,” Decker said. “He’s really going to be a good freaking player.”

ODU will rely on a lot of newcomers at running back and wide receiver. And while most of the wide receivers are newcomers, ODU will be much taller and more talented than last season.

Devin Roche rushed for 283 yards last season and Maurki James, who did not carry the ball in 2024, had a great spring, Decker said. Trequan Jones, a transfer from Georgia Military College, is a newcomer expected to play a lot. He rushed for 607 yards last season.  

Running back Ke’Travion Hargrove, from Ruston, La., was a late transfer from Grambling. The 6-foot, 202-pound senior rushed for 505 yards and five touchdowns last season.

Freshman wide receiver Josh Rodriguez (6-1, 195), who had 27 receptions for 478 yards last season at Somerville, High in New Jersey, will likely play right away.

Two wide receivers from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas will see extensive playing time – Tre’ Brown III (6-2, 185) and Ja’Cory Thomas (6-3, 195).

Brown had 30 receptions for 566 yards and 10 touchdowns while Thomas had 28 receptions for 477 yards and four TDs for Hutchinson, which finished 11-1 last season.

Sidney Mbanasor (6-4, 209), a sophomore from Pflugerville, Texas, is a transfer from Tulane also expected to see playing time.

ODU will be much deeper at tight end. Jalen Butler (6-4, 295), returns after being out last season with an injury. Florida transfer Dawson Johnson (6-4, 225), a redshirt freshman from Denver, Colorado, will battle for the starting position, as will freshman Chris Warren (6-3, 220) from Birmingham, Ala., and transfer Karl Peterson (6-3, 240) from New Mexico Military Institute.

Peterson hails from Tallinn, Estonia, and is a late comer to American football.   

With Henderson and starters Mario Thompson, Koa Naotala and Jahleel Culbreath returning at linebacker, ODU clearly has the best linebackers in the Sun Belt Conference and likely the best in the Group of 5.

Jackson Forrest, a 6-1, 225-pound linebacker from Concord, N.C., could see playing time as a freshman. Keshawn Thomas (6-2, 220), a Mississippi Golf Coast junior college transfer, will also see time.  

ODU’s defensive line returns a lot of experience, including Kris Trinidad, the 6-foot-5, 272-pound fifth-year senior defensive lineman from Richmond who was a third-team All-Sun Belt choice.

But the Monarchs will have to fill a ton of holes in the defensive backfield.

Kollin Collier, a sophomore from Memphis, Tenn., and a transfer from Hutchinson College, will compete for playing time at free safety, said Defensive Coordinator Blake Seiler.

Collier had a scholarship at TCU but lost it because of the recent House Settlement that reduced FBS roster sizes.

“That was unfortunate for him but good for us,” Seiler said. Seiler played under TCU defensive coordinator Brian Norwood at Kansas State. “They loved him at TCU,” Seiler said. “And he’s doing well.”

Lucas Struck, a transfer from Iowa Western junior college; Botros Alisandro, a transfer from Purdue; Marco Tyson, a junior from Coahoma Community College; and Nickendre Stiger, a senior transfer from Kansas State; are all newcomers to watch.  

“Botros was a dominant special teams player for Purdue,” Seiler said. “He came in late in the spring and had a great spring.

“I think all of our fans are going to get to know Kendra Stiger,” Seiler said.

Trey Caver, a 6-foot transfer from Benedict College, was a late comer in the transfer portal. He had 33 tackles and an interception in 10 games for the Division II school.

Defensive lineman Fred Giles, a 6-4, 230-pound junior college transfer from Jonesboro, Ark., had 71 tackles and five sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery at Coffeyville College in Kansas.

Hunter Malecki (6-3, 250), a freshman from South County High in Lorton, Va., and Javen Gibson (6-3, 235), a transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast, are other newcomers who may play on the D line.

“Malecki is a workhorse,” Seiler said. “He’s going to play as a true freshman.”

Special teams coach Kevin Smith has two newcomers expected to compete for starting roles – long snapper Brendan Durkin, a redshirt junior transfer from New Mexico, and placekicker Riley Callaghan, a senior transfer from Northern Virginia who played at Southeastern Louisiana.

Seiler said, on paper, this defense looks strong. “But we’ve got a lot of new guys,” he said. “We’ve had to replace 15 starters the last two years and that’s hard.

“It will take some time, but I think this is going to be a very good group.”

ODU had the nation’s 14^th-best rushing attack last season, and with two fleet quarterbacks, depth at running back and the best offensive line the Monarchs have had in years, Decker is optimistic.

“We were 14^th in the country last year, and we have all of these guys back,” he said.

“I’m very excited about the potential of this offense.”

ODU’s newcomers:

Four-Year College Transfers

Botros  Alisandro (6-1, 186), Sr., DB, Manchester, New Hampshire (Purdue)

Riley Callaghan (6-3, 19), Sr, Kicker, Ashburn, Va. (Southeastern Louisiana)

Trey Caver (6-0, 280), So., Safety, Montgomery, Alabama (Benedict College)

Logan Cox (6-5, 330), Jr., OL, Topeka, Kansas (Kansas State)

Griffin Duggan (6-5, 295), R-Sr., OL, Suffolk, Va. (Virginia Tech)

Brendan Durkin (6-1, 210), R-Jr., Long Snapper, Florida, N.Y. (New Mexico)

Josh Hamel (6-2, 200), Sr., Kicker/Punter, New Hartford, Conn. (New Haven)

Ke’Travion Hargrove (6-0, 200), Sr., RB, Ruston, La. (Grambling)

Zach Hobson (6-3, 190), Sr., Dallas, Texas (West Virginia State)

Dawson Johnson (6-4, 225), R-Fr., TE, Denver, Colorado (Florida)

Ryan Joyce (6-5, 305), R-Sr., OL, Stockton, New Jersey (Fordham)

Sidney Mbanasor (6-5 185), WR., R-Jr, Pflugerville, Texas (Tulane)

Nickendre Stiger (5-11, 187), Sr., Safety, Wichita, Kansas (Kansas State)

Junior College Transfers

Carson Bradley (6-6, 310), R-So., OL, Quincy, Fla. (Hutchinson Community College)

Tre’ Brown III (6-2, 185), R-So., WR, Savannah, Ga. (Hutchinson Community College)

Kollin Collier (6-0, 190), So., Safety, Memphis, Tenn (Hutchinson Community College)

Javen Gibson (6-3, 235), Jr., DL, Church Point La. (Mississippi Gulf Coast)

Fred Giles (6-4, 230), Jr. DL, Jonesboro, Arkansas (Coffeyville Community College)

Jorian Haynes (5-9, 170), So., DB., Rockmart, Georgia (Georgia Military College)

TJ Johnson (6-1, 190), Jr., WR, Alexandria, La. (Southwest Mississippi)

Trequan Jones (5-9, 175), Jr, RB, Bartow, Florida (Georgia Military College)

Titus Myers (6-2, 175), So., WR, Statesville, N.C. (Iowa Western)

Karl Peterson (6-2, 240), So., TE, Tallinn, Estonia (New Mexico Military)

Jayden Sheppard (6-2, 195), Jr., LB, Niceville, Fla. (Coffeyville Community College)

Lucas Struck (6-1, 200), R-So., Waukee, Iowa (Iowa Western)

Marco Tyson (5-10, 185), Jr., Safety, Memphis, Tenn. (Coahoma Comm. College)

Ja’Cory Thomas (6-3, 195), WR, Walker, La. (Hutchinson Community College)

Keshawn Thomas (6-2, 220), Jr., LB, Ocean Springs, Miss (Mississippi Gulf Coast)

High School Players

Ashten Dunman (5-9, 200), Fr., Long Snapper, Moneta, Va. (Staunton River)

CJ Floyd (6-0, 175), Fr., DB, (Pensacola, Fla. (Pine Forest)

Jackson Forrest (6-1, 225), Fr., LB, Concord, N.C. (Northwest Cabarrus)

Cameron Hill (6-3, 307), Fr., OL, Jacksonville, N.C (Jacksonville)

Justin Kalitsnik (6-2, 200), Fr., LB, Milford, Pa. (Delaware Valley)

Ryan Huff (6-3, 215), Fr., QB, Gulf Breeze, Fla. (Pensacola Catholic)

Hunter Malecki (6-3, 250), Fr., DL, Lorton, Va. (South County)

LeDarrion Menter (6-2, 245), Fr., DL, Cornelius, N.C. (Hough)

Tavares Murray Jr. (5-11, 174), Fr., Safety, Bartow, Florida (Bartow)

Zay Prince (5-11, 190), Fr., WR, Seat Pleasant, Md. (Rock Creek Christian Academy)

Josh Rodriguez (6-1, 195), Fr., WR, Somerville, New Jersey (Somerville)

Jack Sheehan (6-6, 295), Sr., OL, Fuquay-Varina, N.C., Cardinal Gibbons

Je’Hahj Sherrill (6-1, 165), Fr., DB, Statesville, N.C. (Statesville)

Andy Silverthorn (6-5, 295), Fr., OL, Toronto, Ohio (Toronto)

Justin Watts (6-0, 170), Fr., CB, Charlotte, N.C. (Mallard Creek)

Chris Warren (6-3, 220), Fr., TE, Birmingham, Ala. (Hoover)

CLICK HERE for detailed biographies on 2025 ODU football team

Minium is ODU’s senior executive writer. Contact him at hminium@odu.edu or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram