RELATED LINKS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
These teams have only met once, and it was one of the most memorable games in the history of both programs. For Towson, the 39-35 win was highlighted by a 63-yard touchdown pass from Grant Enders to Tom Ryan with 1:07 left on fourth-and-down-and-29. That may go down as the greatest single play in the history of Towson Football.
For the Monarchs, it was the most frustrating moment in their program's short history. That program started in 2009, when head coach Bobby Wilder took a program that had been resurrected after a 69-year absence to a 9-2 season. After a 10-3 season (6-2 CAA) with their first playoff appearance in 2011, Wilder has the program headed towards another likely postseason run-in its final year of FCS competition. In 2013, Old Dominion's entire athletic program will be moving to Conference USA, where the football team will jump to FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision).
This season, Old Dominion opened up with a 57-23 win over Duquesne. The Monarchs followed that with a 45-7 road win over local rival Hampton. On Sept. 15, they routed Campbell, 70-14.
On Sept. 22, Old Dominion put its footprint on the FCS record books with a 64-61 win over New Hampshire. The Monarchs set many records, including most passing yards in a game by a Division I quarterback with 730 yards - breaking the 1990 record set by David Klingler (716).
They followed that record-breaking performance, with a 45-37 road win over Richmond. But last week, after a bye, Old Dominion was upset at home by Villanova, 38-14.
This will be a major test for the improved Towson defense, which ranks fifth in FCS with 285.3 yards allowed per game.The Monarchs lead all FCS schools in scoring offense (49.2), total offense (603.5), and passing offense (427.3), and also rank in the top 20 defensively in sacks (2.8) at No. 17 and tackles for loss (8.0) at No. 5. Additionally, sophomore quarterback Taylor Heinicke leads the nation in total offense at 464.8 yards a game, while wide receiver Nick Mayers is 13th in receiving yards (97.5 yards per contest).
Even more impressive is the fact that Old Dominion is 14-of-17 on fourth down conversions (82 percent) and 43-of-90 (48 percent) on third downs.
Heinicke (6-1, 195) is the key to the offense. He not only leads the team in passing with 2,520 yards and 23 touchdowns (and just seven picks), and rushing with 269 yards. Old Dominion averages 176.2 rushing yards per game, so that's not a part of the game defenses can take lightly. Angus Harper (6-0, 215) and Colby Goodwin (5-10, 195) have combined for 430 yards and seven touchdowns.
Old Dominion will often line up four wide receivers led by senior Nick Mayers (5-7, 175), who leads with 30 catches for 585 yards and eight touchdowns (19.5ypc). Sophomore Antonio Vaughan (5-8, 170) is another small and speedy wide out who adds 29 catches for 436 yards. The Monarchs have 10 players with double-digit catches.
Defensively, the Monarchs have struggled at times, as they've allowed an average of 30 ppg, 186.3 ypg on the ground and 200.3 ypg in the air.
Up front, ODU is big and experienced on the defensive line. It starts with senior DT Chris Burnette (6-4, 290), who played at Maryland's Gilman School. He was a third-team All-CAA selection as a junior and this year, leads the team with 42 tackles, three sacks and has two forced fumbles-incredible numbers for a defensive tackle.
Old Dominion has 17 sacks in six games along with 48 tackles for loss.
At linebacker, junior WLB John Darr (6-0, 235) leads the team with 6.0 tackles for loss, adding 34 tackles, one sacks, one interception and two pass breakups. Senior SLB Craig Wilkins (6-2, 235) ranks second on the team in tackles with 37, adding 5.5 TFLs, two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The Washington D.C. native (H.D. Woodson) was a first-team All-CAA slection last year.
In the secondary, senior FS Devon Simmons (6-2, 205) adds 33 tackles and three pass breakups, while sophomore cornerback Reggie Owens (6-0, 190) adds 20 tackles, two sacks and one pass breakup.
On special teams, Mayers (5.5 ypr) returns punts while Goodwyn (21.8 ypr) and Vaughan (23.4 ypr) have returned kicks this season.
With their prolific offense, they don't get a chance to use their punter or kicker that often, but both are very good. PK Jarod Brown has made 6-of-7 kicks including a long of 51, while Jonathan Plisco averages 43.9 yards per punt.
