Old Dominion Monarchs football

The Old Dominion Monarchs football team is the college football program for Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. The first iteration of the team created in 1930 was known as the William & Mary Norfolk Division Braves. The current Monarchs founded in 2009 compete at the NCAA Division I-FCS level. Beginning in the 2011 season, they joined the Colonial Athletic Association and added conference games to their schedule, prior to 2011 the team was Independent. Old Dominion football will be joining Conference USA, the NCAA's second most-emerging football conference, and consequently be moving up to the FBS, on July 1, 2014 (their other sports will join on July 1, 2013).

1930–1941
William & Mary Norfolk Division Braves played football for eleven seasons (1930-1941) when the university was a two-year school, with a record of 62-19-4. The program was discontinued due to a rule against freshman players and a 10,000 USD debt.

Rebirth/Bobby Wilder Era
On June 14, 2005, the Board of Visitors approved with a 14-0 vote to create a new football team to compete at the NCAA Division I level, along with university's other sports teams, and to begin play in 2009. On February 9, 2007, Athletic Director Jim Jarrett announced that Bobby Wilder, then the associate head football coach at the University of Maine, would be the head coach, and the team signed its first recruiting class in 2008. As is the case with many new football programs, all players in 2008 were redshirted. These players, along with the recruiting class of 2009 and transfer players comprised the initial 2009 roster.

Old Dominion began play in 2009 as an independent team at the Division I FCS level (formerly I-AA), and joined the Colonial Athletic Association for the 2011 season. In 2009, their first competitive season in 68 years, the Monarchs finished 9–2. That was the best winning record ever for a first-year program in college football's modern era. The Monarchs were outscored by a total of only eight points in their two losses.

Wilder's inaugural team finished the year ranked in the top ten in five FCS statistical categories, including second in sacks allowed, third in scoring offense, turnover margin and net punting. The 2009 Monarchs were ninth in rushing offense.

In its first three years of competition after its rebirth, Old Dominion compiled a 26-7 record and earned a berth in the 2011 FCS playoffs, hosting, and defeating, crosstown rival Norfolk State. Also in 2011, after playing 27 games in its "modern era", ODU received its first Top 25 ranking on October 3, coming in at No. 21 in The Sports Network poll. The Monarchs were ranked among the Top Ten after competing in 33 games.

ODU was fifth in FCS attendance in 2009, selling out all of their home games in the 19,782-seat Foreman Field. Season tickets for the Monarchs' inaugural season sold out quickly and the school had to refund 1,065 orders. Foreman Field, formerly the ODU field hockey and women's lacrosse teams' home venue, was renovated to accommodate the new football program. Field hockey and women's lacrosse were relocated to the Powhatan Sports Complex.

CAA Years: 2011 - 2012
ODU finished 9-2 in their first season in the CAA, good enough for second place in the conference. Most media had picked ODU to finish near the bottom of the conference, however ODU outperformed those predictions and ultimately hosted a first round FCS playoff game. On the 26th of November, 2011 the ODU Monarchs beat their crosstown rivals, the Norfolk State Spartans, 35-18 to advance to the second round of the 2011 FCS playoffs. ODU then traveled Georgia to play the Georgia Southern Eagles in the second round of the playoffs where they lost 55-48. Following the season the Monarchs finished 10th in the final poll.

In April 2012 several reports linked ODU to possible conference realignment in FBS with the Big East and the C-USA and possibly beginning conference play as soon as 2013. The Big East reports were silenced with the addition of schools University of Houston, University of Central Florida, Southern Methodist University, Boise State University, San Diego State University, and University of Memphis. However the C-USA was still interested in ODU after adding five new schools including University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Florida International, University of North Texas, Louisiana Tech, and Texas-San Antonio.

It was officially announced that in 2013 that ODU will join C-USA for all sports.

Despite being voted ineligible for the conference automatic bid and conference title the Monarchs finished atop the CAA with a 7-1 in conference record. By finishing the regular season 10-1 the Monarchs won an at large bid into the 2012 NCAA Division 1 FCS Playoffs.

During the loss to Georgia Southern in the Quarterfinals, sophomore QB Taylor Heinicke passes Steve McNair for the most passing yards in a single season by an FCS quarterback with 5076 yards. He also became the first quarterback to eclipse the 5000 yard mark in a season as well as setting the record for most competitions in a season with 398.

Transition to the FBS (2013)
ODU began its transition to the FBS at the conclusion of the 2012 season. The Monarchs are going to spend 2013 as an FCS independent team and ineligible for the playoffs. Originally the 2014 season was supposed to be spent as an FBS independent before being fully accepted into the C-USA and both bowl and championship eligible. After a vote by the C-USA it was changed so that they would be eligible in 2014 for the conference title and a bowl berth.

Yearly Record



 * Despite finishing the season with the best record in the CAA, ODU was ineligible for the CAA championship because it announced its 2013 departure for Conference USA in May 2012. Under CAA bylaws, a school that announces its departure for another conference is automatically ineligible for CAA championships in team sports. The team and university recognize the 2012 team as unofficial champions of the CAA because of on-field performance.

William & Mary - Battle for the Silver Mace
ODU played William & Mary on September 18, 2010 in the inaugural meeting between the two schools. ODU lost 21-17 but proved that they could compete with the Tribe despite being only a second year program. Since 2011 the winner of the rivalry has been presented with a replica of the Norfolk Mace. ODU was the first to earn the trophy, winning by a score of 35-31 over the Tribe. The all time series is lead by ODU 2-1.

''Old Dominion victories are shaded ██ blue. William & Mary victories shaded in ██ green.''

Norfolk State - Five Mile Rivalry
ODU and Norfolk State played for the first time on November 26, 2011 in the first round of the FCS playoffs which resulted in a 35-18 Monarch win. Norfolk State and ODU announced a new deal for a home and away series in 2013 and 2015 to help fill out open game dates for ODU's transition to the FBS.

''Old Dominion victories are shaded ██ blue. Norfolk State victories shaded in ██ green.''

National Awards

 * Walter Payton Award FCS Most Outstanding Offensive Player
 * QB Taylor Heinicke - 2012


 * FCS Player of the Year
 * QB Taylor Heinicke - 2012


 * Dudley Award Virginia's Best College Player
 * QB Taylor Heinicke - 2012

Conference Awards

 * Offensive Player of the Year
 * QB Taylor Hienicke - 2012 CAA


 * Defensive Player of the Year
 * DT Ronnie Cameron - 2011 CAA

Monarchs in the NFL

 * DL - Ronnie Cameron - Philadelphia Eagles