The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Why would they be any different from the "ordinary" HS kid, especially if they are getting room, board and tuition paid for.

Just before and right after the APP State game there was a discussion about why APP St was ahead of us . Not sure if anyone brought up facilities, but having decades to finance and build facilities seems like a huge recruiting advantage.

The "kids want to leave home" reason seems like a wash to me. Plenty of kids in other places who are jumping at a chance to leave home. Va. Beach/Norfolk can't seem like to bad of a destination (at least I think, not sure how kids in other places see us).

(09-23-2016 09:41 AM)Old Dominion Wrote:  Just before and right after the APP State game there was a discussion about why APP St was ahead of us . Not sure if anyone brought up facilities, but having decades to finance and build facilities seems like a huge recruiting advantage.

The "kids want to leave home" reason seems like a wash to me. Plenty of kids in other places who are jumping at a chance to leave home. Va. Beach/Norfolk can't seem like to bad of a destination (at least I think, not sure how kids in other places see us).

Appy has a main football/training building far larger than ours (even when we finish the extension) and it is not shared with other sports. They have a very nice indoor practice facility. Then add in their 25,000 stadium (with a cool nickname "The Rock") plus overflow crowd on the hill and they have a lot to offer facilities wise. Then add in their football history/traditions, 3 national championships, players in the NFL (plus former NFL players) and it is a lot to go against. In truth, the reason we push the sellout streak is because it is pretty much all we have to counter the claims of those we are recruiting against.

(09-23-2016 09:55 AM)ETSUDB8-79 Wrote:  

(09-23-2016 09:41 AM)Old Dominion Wrote:  Just before and right after the APP State game there was a discussion about why APP St was ahead of us . Not sure if anyone brought up facilities, but having decades to finance and build facilities seems like a huge recruiting advantage.

The "kids want to leave home" reason seems like a wash to me. Plenty of kids in other places who are jumping at a chance to leave home. Va. Beach/Norfolk can't seem like to bad of a destination (at least I think, not sure how kids in other places see us).

Appy has a main football/training building far larger than ours (even when we finish the extension) and it is not shared with other sports. They have a very nice indoor practice facility. Then add in their 25,000 stadium (with a cool nickname "The Rock") plus overflow crowd on the hill and they have a lot to offer facilities wise. Then add in their football history/traditions, 3 national championships, players in the NFL (plus former NFL players) and it is a lot to go against. In truth, the reason we push the sellout streak is because it is pretty much all we have to counter the claims of those we are recruiting against.

Says another retired football coach. You guys are killing me.

WTF! facilities matter for sure but not as much as some of you guys claim, exaggeration is the correct word. They have a better stadium i would give you that and a lot of FB tradition and that's where the things that they have going for them ends. We are more of an Urban School with a good endowment, budget and very nice facilities in other sports i understand this is about FB but we have a lot to sell than they do and kids wanting to leave the nest and get freedom we all got them and every urban school has this issue.

(09-23-2016 11:28 AM)12thmonarch Wrote:  WTF! facilities matter for sure but not as much as some of you guys claim, exaggeration is the correct word. They have a better stadium i would give you that and a lot of FB tradition and that's where the things that they have going for them ends. We are more of an Urban School with a good endowment, budget and very nice facilities in other sports i understand this is about FB but we have a lot to sell than they do and kids wanting to leave the nest and get freedom we all got them and every urban school has this issue.

Okay I try to stay out of these discussions because it is mostly opinion as in you like chocolate and someone else likes vanilla but facts are still facts. Check out APSU's locker room, training rooms, film theater and coaches offices (they have pics on their website) and compare them to ours. Also, they have an indoor practice facility which by default beats ours. Then there are the other points you were willing to acknowledge. It collectively gives them a big advantage when they show off their stuff versus us showing off our stuff to a recruit. Don't forget a football player sees those facilities every day of his life versus I can go to the Beach at ODU if I have a car and the time. Then you add that the APSU stuff does not even compare to an ACC school like Tech or NC State and they are not even up there with Alabama etc. The physical plant stuff is a lot for our coaches to offset. Then you add in the lack, for now, of former ODU players out there coaching at high schools who can help grease the skids for us with kids. It honestly all makes a difference and despite the good ODU can put out there it is a hell of a lot to overcome. Okay, I will go back in my cave now and let you folks have at it.

(09-23-2016 12:41 PM)ETSUDB8-79 Wrote:  

(09-23-2016 11:28 AM)12thmonarch Wrote:  WTF! facilities matter for sure but not as much as some of you guys claim, exaggeration is the correct word. They have a better stadium i would give you that and a lot of FB tradition and that's where the things that they have going for them ends. We are more of an Urban School with a good endowment, budget and very nice facilities in other sports i understand this is about FB but we have a lot to sell than they do and kids wanting to leave the nest and get freedom we all got them and every urban school has this issue.

Okay I try to stay out of these discussions because it is mostly opinion as in you like chocolate and someone else likes vanilla but facts are still facts. Check out APSU's locker room, training rooms, film theater and coaches offices (they have pics on their website) and compare them to ours. Also, they have an indoor practice facility which by default beats ours. Then there are the other points you were willing to acknowledge. It collectively gives them a big advantage when they show off their stuff versus us showing off our stuff to a recruit. Don't forget a football player sees those facilities every day of his life versus I can go to the Beach at ODU if I have a car and the time. Then you add that the APSU stuff does not even compare to an ACC school like Tech or NC State and they are not even up there with Alabama etc. The physical plant stuff is a lot for our coaches to offset. Then you add in the lack, for now, of former ODU players out there coaching at high schools who can help grease the skids for us with kids. It honestly all makes a difference and despite the good ODU can put out there it is a hell of a lot to overcome. Okay, I will go back in my cave now and let you folks have at it.

I am not denying that at this point they have better FB facilities honestly they are ahead of us in that matter. The difference of opinion here springs in our views to what extent they matter. Honestly it all comes down to a kids choice if he is looking to go for an urban setup or a country one or if he is setting himself atleast a driveable distance from his parents home etc. etc. its not all facilities that matter. Coaches, playing time, fan support, financial support and finally location all of these come into play along with facilities.

Schools typically have a difficult time getting football players to an urban environment.

Good way to lead into this great article by Harry on Josh Marriner and Brandon Addison. Josh loved ODU, but his dad didn't want him to stay that close to home.

http://pilotonline.com/sports/college/ol...c2da5.html

(09-23-2016 11:28 AM)12thmonarch Wrote:  WTF! facilities matter for sure but not as much as some of you guys claim, exaggeration is the correct word. They have a better stadium i would give you that and a lot of FB tradition and that's where the things that they have going for them ends. We are more of an Urban School with a good endowment, budget and very nice facilities in other sports i understand this is about FB but we have a lot to sell than they do and kids wanting to leave the nest and get freedom we all got them and every urban school has this issue.

To think recruits care about endowments (other than their own) is laughable. Urban University? More a turn off than turn on for some kids, hard to tell how many. Facilities for other sports? let's listen in on recruit Jones' self talk "ummmm ODU has a great sailing boat house and their field hockey stadium is excellent. Think I'll go there rather than .... "fill in the blank.

You are describing reasons why AAC might select us, not a recruit.

The latest podcast

http://pilotonline.com/sports/college/ol...e27a8.html

Nothing major or exciting but solid info. Interesting to hear Harry's thoughts on the back half of the season.

I know that UTEP is a long trip. But if we lose them, I'll be extremely disappointed. Their O is dreadful.

As to who will be the QB next year, how would you guys (and gals) feel about another freshman starter? Obviously he has yet to sign, but QB commit Steven Williams, Jr. looks like he might be just what we need to go with all the other experience that is coming back. As a reminder, here are his Hudl videos. Be sure to watch both his junior year highlights and his senior year mid-season highlights. He looks more like a seasoned college QB than a high school senior. He has an arm like a cannon, is incredibly accurate and may well be the guy to step up to Heinicke's level for us.

http://www.hudl.com/video/3/3000559/5721...5d90e1cec9

http://www.hudl.com/video/3/3000559/57f9...4b38bd2be0

By the way, he is 6'4", 196 lbs, and runs a 4.49 forty.

I"m not even going to think about this kid until he signs on the dotted line. He's a long way from being a Monarch.
I like the sound of Brennan Lewis.

(10-20-2016 07:29 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  I"m not even going to think about this kid until he signs on the dotted line. He's a long way from being a Monarch.
I like the sound of Brennan Lewis.

FWIW I hear he looks pretty good.

Its very rare to have a true freshman starting QB. I really don't expect it considering how stacked the roster should be (non rebuilding year). If they do not believe Bentley can play at this level, I would venture to guess they try to find a JUCO or grad student for one year to get some additional development from the redshirt/true freshman on the roster.