Minium: ODU Spring Football Fan Field Day is a Hit With Players, and With Monarch Nation
By Harry Minium
NORFOLK, Va. – The 56th Annual Priority Charity Bowl ODU Spring Game had ended just minutes earlier, but already, more than 100 Old Dominion football fans had lined up to spend a few minutes with linebacker Jason Henderson.
ODU hosted a Fan Field Day at the end of the spring game for the first time in years and it was a huge hit with Monarch Nation. Most players sat on long benches as hundreds of fans sought autographs and handshakes.
Fans also took turns kicking, passing and catching footballs and talking with coaches and staff members on a festive day at S.B. Ballard Stadium, with sunny skies and warm temperatures.
Honestly, the fans seemed to enjoy interacting with players as much or more than they did watching them play.
As Henderson was doing media interviews, fans took advantage before he headed to the autography bench and lined up to grab a few moments with him.
“This is so awesome,” said Betsy Jones of Virginia Beach as she mugged for a photo with Henderson, the redshirt senior All-American linebacker from Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania, who missed most of last season recovering from surgery.
For half an hour, Henderson graciously signed autographs, posed for selfies and exchanged pleasantries with adoring fans. “We’re so glad you’re back this season,” was the refrain heard from so many fans.
So is ODU’s coaching staff.
The spring game lasted an hour, shorter than usual, and that’s because in the era of the transfer portal and NIL, dozens of high school players and transfers who will play key roles don’t enroll at ODU until this summer.
Quarterbacks Colton Joseph and Quinn Henicle, whom Offensive Coordinator Kevin Decker has said made a ton of progress in the 15 spring practices, led the offense to just two touchdowns. That was understandable, Head Coach Ricky Rahne said, given the brief nature of the game.
“It’s more about all 15 practices combined and I thought we got better,” Rahne said. “And today, I thought it was very competitive on both sides.
“We’re obviously not going to show everything under the sun. but you know, but I thought they did a nice job.”
Including Henderson.
“He looked good out there today,” Rahne said. “We wanted to make sure we got a bunch of guys reps today. So, you know, he took his reps and then got out. But while he was in there, I thought he did some good things.”
Henderson had not played in anything resembling a game since last August, when he played sparingly in ODU’s season-opening loss at South Carolina.
Henderson was then attempting to come back from offseason surgery and it was clear that he wasn’t ready. After many months more of rehabilitation, he says he’s not quite at 100 percent, but that he’s close.
“It was nice to be able to get back out on the football field with the boys and to be able to play in front of fans at S.B. Ballard was great,” he said.
Henderson had never suffered a major injury until the 2023 season, when he underwent surgery. Making the decision, with his parents, Bill and Melissa Henderson, to sit out the 2024 season was one of the most difficult moments of his life.
“I’ve played football all my life and never had a serious injury like that,” he said. “I’ve always been able to play.
“Having the talk with my family about deciding to sit out the season, it wasn’t easy, but it was something that I knew was best for me.
“I’m grateful for everything Old Dominion has done for me. They’ve done a lot of great things for me.
“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.
“I’m very happy where I am.”
And he was happy to interact with Monarch Nation.
“We haven’t done this since I’ve been here,” he said. “But I think it’s great.
“You know, it was really nice to be able to interact with the fans, the community, the people who came out and support us. It was an awesome experience.”
Minium is ODU’s senior executive writer. Contact him at hminium@odu.edu or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram