HUGE Day for Old Dominion Football.

Bobby Wilder’s Monarchs are slowly but surely gaining some respect among the FCS football voters. 4 weeks ago Old Dominion earned its first votes in the FCS top 25 poll, receiving 5 votes. This week the ODU Football Monarchs claim 16 votes. They received one less vote than the Hofstra Pride team that sits at 2-2 in the CAA, Old Dominion’s future conference and the best conference in division 1aa football. While you can not deny Old Dominions opponents have not been up to the level of play that a CAA team would face, it’s how the Monarchs handle the teams they play that has them in the other coach’s ear when its time to vote.

ODU found a gem in the desert when landing red shirt sophomore Thomas DeMarco out of California. DeMarco is leading an Old Dominion offense that is 13th in rushing, averaging over 193 yards per game on the ground. DeMarco himself is responsible for many of those yards as he is 31st overall in total offense with 1,650 yards on the season, and averaging over 235 a game. ODU’s spread styled offense and Reid Evans’ 42 yard touchdown catch this weekend was par for the course as the Monarchs have the 13th highest scoring offense among FCS schools racking up 33 points per game.

While the high octane offense seems to be having its way with whoever lines up across from them, the defense could stand some improvement. Opposing teams seem to be having their way with the Monarchs defense, but somehow Old Dominion has 25 takeaways this season. And while only coughing up the ball 10 times themselves, that gives them the third best turnover differential in football. That number alone can account to a very large part of the Monarchs early success. This defense will give up yards, they will get scored on, but they will also make the big play and come up with a turnover when the team needs it the most.

While its really easy to overlook something as unexciting as a 4th down punt with such a high scoring offense and play making defense, I will not forget to mention Old Dominion’s Jonathan Plisco. Johnathan out of Newport News, boots the ball over 46 yards per punt, which gives him the third best average among FCS punters. Football is a field position game, and with one of the top punters around the Monarchs find themselves winning the field position battle more often than not.

As I said earlier, ODU’s schedule is full of lesser caliber teams. The Monarchs will soon join the Colonial Athletic Association, by far Division 1-AA Football’s best conference. The CAA had 4 of the final 8 playoff teams from last season and again has several top 25 ranked schools this season. ODU will have to step up their game and face some real competition when its time to play the big boys of the CAA. But to help prime themselves for the jump in opposing talent they’re mixing in a few HUGE games for next season. The 2010 schedule will have two home games against top 25 teams. September 18th the Monarchs will host its first CAA member and perennial playoff team when the William and Mary Tribe come to Norfolk. You’ll hear no lofty goals or expectations from me on this one. The Tribe are a top FCS school and should wipe the floor with ODU. If ODU just contends it will be a moral victory in my eyes. Just prove that you belong. Still in the 2010 season the Monarchs will be full of underclassmen still improving every week. They can not be expected to come out and beat a team like William and Mary or Cal Poly, who will play at Foreman Field on October 9th. I really like the fact that ODU recognizes that they have a soft schedule and need to beef it up for some respect. With the inaugural season this team is having I don’t see why they shouldn’t get some tougher opponents in here and compete with other good football programs.

Mike Lawson.