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The Time Has Come
Credit Mace & Crown Old Dominion University fans await their Monarchs at Foreman Field.
OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL PREPARES FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE CAA BY:
MATTHEW MCCRACKEN Sports Editor
It is time. It’s time for the Old Dominion University football program to officially join the CAA Conference this upcoming season. They have heard never-ending talk about how their success so far will be brought to a halt when they enter CAA competition. Monarchs’ head coach Bobby Wilder has one prediction for the 2011 season. “This football team will compete for 11 weeks. We built this program to compete for championships.” With spring ball over and summer classes underway, all Monarch football players are preparing for camp August 7. Some players stayed at Old Dominion while others have gone home for summer. Either way, there is no such thing as a summer vacation for an ODU football player. “They’re all training, working hard, and highly motivated at the fact we are joining the CAA,” Wilder said. Despite entering CAA play this season, training for Monarchs will not change drastically. Entering the fourth summer of training, Coach Wilder preaches that training changes won’t be needed. “The key is to stay consistent with the workout program. You don’t want to change drastically from one year to the next because your players get confused.” While coaches are finishing up their recruiting trips, incoming freshman get an advantage previous Monarchs didn’t; time to develop. Being a new program, many freshman three years ago were forced to mature fast, physically and mentally. Team captains such as Craig Wilkins were pronounced starters before their first camp went underway. Coach Wilder says that
isn’t the way Old Dominion plans to do things now. When asked about what new recruits will contribute on the field next season, Wilder said, “hopefully none of them.” Wilder went on to explain, “when you’ve developed a good program, your best players should be your seniors, then your juniors and sophomores, and then your redshirt freshman that are currently in your program.” Not foreign of contributions from young players, Wilder admitted “the farther away from the ball you get, the better opportunity you have to play as a true freshman.” Linemen on both sides of the ball usually need time to develop their bodies, therefore, giving incoming skill players a better shot of seeing the playing field first. Out of all recruits, Wilder said Rick Lovato, a long snapper recruited out of Middleton, New Jersey, will have the best chance to play due to the graduation of Monarch All-American long snapper Dustin Phillips. Recruits are key to bringing in more talent, but redshirt freshman and veterans are the key to success. Old Dominion will enter camp in August with only one key injury. Andrew Turner, starting defensive end, is out for the season with an Achilles injury. “You don’t replace Andrew Turner. You try to make some moves positionally to cover up as best you can for that loss,” Wilder said. Coming to the rescue will be redshirt junior Eddie McClam. Being a veteran, McClam will fill Turner’s position well. Redshirt freshman Preston Smith will see a lot more of the
grid-iron backing up McClam. Other key contributors to look for in the fall include offensive linemen Jack Lowny and David Born, defensive end Preston Smith, quarterback Nate Ong, and wide receiver Antonio Vaughan. For eight straight weeks, the Monarchs will be facing CAA opponents. “This is without a doubt the greatest challenge I’ve faced in my 23 years of coaching,” Wilder said. Having three years to develop a program to join one of the most competitive conferences in Division-1AA football, the Monarchs aren’t scared. Knowing their identity, Wilder and his team are not worried about the competition, but instead, will use their special skill against conference opponents. “Our philosophy on special teams. We’re an attack unit. We’re gonna do onside kicks, we’re gonna come after you on PAT attempts and punts,” Wilder said of Monarch’s special weapon. From the players to the coaching staff, every Monarch member of ODU’s football program is training for the fall. With camp starting August 7 and the season on September 3 against Campbell, Wilder knows best that this upcoming year will define Old Dominion’s development as a program. Joining CAA competition, “how we will withstand that competition will define our success,” Wilder said.
How we will withstand that competition will define our success.