Taylor Heinicke will become the first Old Dominion Football player to have his number retired, when he receives that honor during ODU’s Thursday night game against Georgia Southern on Thursday, Oct. 15.
Heinicke was a record-setting quarterback out of Collins Hill High School in Georgia. Heinicke was the Old Spice Player of the Year in the state of Georgia as a senior and the Gwinnet Daily Post Offensive Player of the Year. He set Gwinnett County single-season records for passing yards and touchdown passes. But despite the accolades, Heinicke was not highly recruited. He received his first offer from ODU and received late offers from Georgia State and Richmond. Heinicke committed and signed with Old Dominion and the rest is history.
To celebrate Heinicke’s jersey retirement, ODUSports.com has put together a timeline of some of Heinicke’s greatest moments at Old Dominion.
February 2, 2011: Heinicke signs his National Letter of Intent to play at Old Dominion. It is a class that features many familiar names to ODU fans, including Rick Lovato, Josh Mann, Reggie Owens, David Born and DJ Morrell.
October 1, 2011: Thomas DeMarco led ODU to a 3-1 start to begin the 2011 season and in ODU’s second ever CAA contest, DeMarco and the Monarchs stormed out to a 25-0 lead over No. 20 UMass. The Minutemen scored the final 12 points of the first half to cut the halftime score to 25-12. DeMarco hurt his ankle late in the second quarter and head coach Bobby Wilder had a decision to make. The plan was to redshirt Heinicke, but just five games into the season, this was the latest they were willing to burn the redshirt. UMass scored on the opening possession of the third quarter and Heinicke trotted out at quarterback for ODU. His first pass was a seven-yard completion to Prentice Gill and the first drive culminated in a 51-yard field goal attempt by Jarod Brown that was no good. UMass scored to take the lead 26-25, but on its next possession ODU blocked a punt and for a safety to retake the lead, 27-26, while Heinicke led his first touchdown drive as a collegiate player, tossing his first TD pass to Larry Pinkard. The Monarchs never trailed again and won 48-33. Heinicke completed 8-of-11 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
October 8, 2011: On the first play of his first career start, Heinicke was sacked. Heinicke would recover and lead ODU to a win at Rhode Island, 31-23. Heinicke completed 26-of-32 passes for 205-yards and three touchdowns. He opened the scoring with his first career touchdown run.
November 26, 2011: After a last-second loss to Towson, ODU won four-straight and made the FCS playoffs for the first time in program history, in just its third year of football. The Monarchs hosted crosstown foe Norfolk State. The Spartans scored a touchdown on their opening drive, but Heinicke got the offense started with a touchdown pass to Nick Mayers. ODU led 35-7 before a couple of late scores by NSU made the final, 35-18. Heinicke completed 21-of-30 passes for 269 yards and a career high, at the time, five touchdown passes.
December 3, 2011: The second round of the FCS playoffs was an offensive slugfest, featuring ODU’s air attack and Georgia Southern’s triple option. Georgia Southern never trailed, but each time the Eagles took the lead, Heinicke and the Monarchs struck back. Heinicke passed for five touchdowns for the second-straight week and rushed for another and passed for 341 yards. ODU recovered a late onsides kick, but officials threw a flag for offsides that ended the game and ODU’s season with a 55-48 loss.
September 1, 2012: ODU had high expectations entering its final season in FCS but got off to a sluggish start in the opener against Duquesne. Heinicke threw two first half interceptions and the Monarchs trailed 20-10 at halftime. ODU outscored Duquesne 47-3 in the second half as Heinicke completed 41-of-63 passes for 492 yards and three touchdowns.
Following the win over Duquesne, ODU won a weather-shortened game at Hampton, 45-7, and hammered Campbell, 70-14, setting up one of the wildest games in program history.
September, 22, 2012: Old Dominion 64 New Hampshire 61
FCS Records still held by Heinicke from the game:
Passing Yards by Quarter – 293 in 4th
Passing Yards by Half – 490 in 2nd
Passing Yards in game – 730
Most passes attempted without an interception – 79
Total Offense by Quarter – 293 in 4th
Total Offense by Half – 496 in 2nd
Total Offense in game – 791
Team Records
Most First Downs combined by two teams – 74 (ODU 39, NH 34)
Most First Downs by passing – 37
In one of the craziest games in ODU history, Old Dominion needed every one of Heinicke’s 791 yards of total offense. The two teams combined for an FCS record 1,549 yards of total offense. ODU had 825 yards, while New Hampshire had 724 yards.
New Hampshire led 40-24 at halftime and 47-24 early in the third quarter before Heinicke just kept throwing. He connected with Jakwail Bailey for a 32-yard score to cut the lead to 47-31. On New Hampshire’s ensuing possession, Craig Wilkins recovered a fumble at the ODU 2 to stop a Wildcats’ drive. Heinicke hit Nick Mayers for a 43-yard gain to get ODU breathing room and Colby Goodwyn rushed for a seven-yard score to make it 47-38. Andy Vailais ran in from 67 yards to put NH back on top 54-38, but Heinicke followed with a 12-yard TD pass to Mayers, and the two-point conversion was also good to Mayers to make the score 54-46. The defense got another stop and Heinicke found Antonio Vaughan for a 62-yard completion to set up another Mayers touchdown. A two-pointer was good to Blair Roberts to tie the score at 54. The suddenly stout ODU defense forced another punt and Heinicke and the Monarchs took their first lead on an Angus Harper run with 4:39 to go at 61-54. New Hampshire tied the score with a TD pass but left 3:18 on the clock. Starting at its own 18, Heinicke hit Mayers on consecutive plays for 26 and 23 yards to put the ball at the NH 33. Heinicke then hit Larry Pinkard and Vaughan to pick up key first downs, and eventually Goodwyn ran to the NH eight to set up Jarod Brown’s 25-yard field goal, which was good, with 41 seconds left. New Hampshire drove to the ODU 49, but there Vailas was intercepted by Andre Simmons and the comeback was complete.
October 27, 2012: Broadcast nationally on NBC Sports, the second game between ODU and Delaware was played primarily in the rain. Heinicke completed 36-of-45 passes for 375 yards, one interception and no touchdowns, but rushed for three touchdowns as the Monarchs avenged its first CAA loss from the season before, winning 31-26.
December 1, 2012: ODU received a bye in the first round of the FCS Playoffs and hosted Coastal Carolina in round two. ODU led 28-21 at half but broke it open late with 21 fourth quarter points, including a pair of Heinicke touchdown passes. Heinicke was 32-of-44 for 497 yards, and six touchdown passes and rushed for 45 yards and two more touchdowns.
December 8, 2012: ODU’s final game in FCS was a rematch with Georgia Southern, this time in Norfolk and in the quarterfinals. Another back-and-forth affair, Heinicke started the scoring with a two-yard TD run, but Georgia Southern came back to take a 14-7 lead. On the first play of the next drive, Heinicke hit Antonio Vaughan for a 74-yard touchdown pass to tie the score. ODU took a 21-14 halftime lead on a five-yard Heinicke to Mayers touchdown pass. The Monarchs pushed their lead to 35-21 on a Goodwyn touchdown run and another Mayers touchdown catch, but GS scored 28 fourth quarter points to close out the Monarchs. Heinicke finished the season with a then FCS record 5,076 passing yards, and a record 398 completions. He led the country in total offense, touchdown passes and total touchdowns.
December 17, 2012: Heinicke became the second sophomore to win the Walter Payton Award, given to the Best Player in FCS. He nearly doubled the points total of second-place finisher Miguel Maysonet, a running back from Stony Brook.
August 31, 2013: ODU’s first game in FBS was at East Carolina, a team that went 10-3 in 2013. The Monarchs lost 52-38 but Heinicke and ODU showed they belonged. Heinicke completed 38-of-51 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for 52 yards and a touchdown.
October 5, 2013: In what would become a signature of Heinicke’s, the Monarchs trailed Liberty 21-7 late in the fourth quarter before Aaron Evans delivered a 64-yard punt return to make the score 21-14. The defense got another stop and Heinicke hit Blair Roberts for a 27-yard touchdown with 28 seconds left to give ODU a 21-17 win. Heinicke finished 39-for-52 for 450 yards and two touchdowns.
November 9, 2013: The first FBS win. ODU fell behind at Idaho14-0 four minutes in, but rallied quickly behind three first half touchdown passes by Heinicke, and the score was tied 31-all at the break. ODU dominated the second half. Heinicke and Colby Goodwyn scored on TD runs, and Heinicke hit Marquel Thomas for the second time for a touchdown and Goodwyn added a second scored for a 59-38 ODU win. Heinicke completed 40-of-56 passes for 533 yards, four touchdowns and an INT. He also rushed for 42 yards and a score.
September 20, 2014: Old Dominion’s first game in Conference USA was against the defending champions, Rice, in Houston. It was a hot, noon kick and the Monarchs were also hot out of the gate, jumping out to a 28-14 halftime lead, as Heinicke rushed for a touchdown and tossed touchdown passes to Melvin Vaughn, Antonio Vaughan and former Collins Hill High School teammate Nick England. A Heinicke to Pascal 32-yard touchdown made the score 35-14, but Rice stormed back to eventually tie the score at 42-all with 1:05 to play in the fourth quarter. On second and 10 at the ODU 41, Heinicke found Pascal down the left sideline for a 45-yard gain and set up a game-winning 25-yard field goal by Ricky Segers and give the Monarchs a 45-42 victory. Henicke completed 27-of-43 passes for 430 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed for a touchdown.
The Monarchs followed the win with a five-game losing streaking, including a 42-35 setback at UTEP, a 66-51 shootout loss at WKU and a 42-28 loss at Vanderbilt. At 3-6, ODU needed to win its final three games to be conditionally bowl eligible.
The streak began with a 38-35 come-from-behind victory at home against FIU. Trailing by seven with just over a minute remaining, ODU had fourth and three at the FIU 32. FIU came with an all-out blitz and Heinicke lofted a pass to a wide-open Gerard Johnson, who caught the pass off his shoe tops and rumbled 30 yards to the two. Ray Lawry ran in from two yards out to tie the score. Two plays later, Fellonte Misher intercepted Alex McGough to set up the offense at the FIU 33. The next play, Heinicke hit Pascal to set up a Satchel Ziffer game-winning 28-yard field goal.
Heinicke’s final home game wasn’t his best, as he threw four interceptions against Louisiana Tech. But the defense pitched a second half shutout, and ODU came back to tie the score on a Cam Boyd touchdown and send the game into overtime. The Monarchs held LA Tech to a field goal on its first possession and Heinicke went to work. He found David Washington for a 19-yard gain and then ended the game with an eight-yard touchdown pass to give ODU a 30-27 win in ODU’s first-ever overtime game.
November 29, 2014: ODU needed to win to reach 6-6 in its first FBS season and send Heinicke out with a win at Florida Atlantic. A tight tilt from the beginning, Heinicke threw three touchdown passes in the first half, to Melvin Vaughn, Antonio Vaughan and Zach Pascal. The game was tied at 21 entering the fourth quarter when Ray Lawry gave ODU a 28-21 lead on a 68-yard touchdown run. FAU tied the score with 5:14 remaining at 28 and gave Heinicke one final collegiate possession. Heinicke began the possession with first down completions to Vaughn and Lawry, and after Lawry converted a fourth and 1 at the FAU 36, ODU converted another fourth down on a pair of FAU penalties. Heinicke found Washington to put the ball at the Owls’ 9 and a few plays later Satchel Ziffer drilled a 27-yard field goal to give ODU a 31-28 win.
Heinicke completed 32-of-50 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns.
In his ODU career, Heinicke completed 1338-of-1829 career passes for 14,959 yards and 132 touchdowns and rushed for 1320 yards and 22 career touchdowns. Heinicke ranks ninth in Division I history in passing yards and is eighth in touchdown passes.
In 2015 following his ODU career, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings. He never played in a game for the Vikings but earned his first NFL regular season action in 2017 with the Houston Texans. He received his first NFL start in 2018 with the Carolina Panthers. He signed with the Washington Football Team in 2020 and started a playoff game against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, going toe-to-toe with Brady before falling to the eventual Super Bowl Champions.
In 2021, Heinicke started all but one game for Washington, passing for 3,419 yards and 20 touchdowns.
In 2023, Heinicke signed with his hometown Atlanta Falcons, starting four games before playing his final season in 2024 with the LA Chargers.
Heinicke’s four years at ODU will be forever remembered by ODU fans, and now his jersey will be officially retired.