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

(09-01-2013 07:27 AM)ODUR8R Wrote:  We played with them. My only criticism was the 4th down punt from Taylor. It was a negotiable defense and we were down a score. Instead he punted it 12 yards and they go down and score.

Lets scratch that play against FBS teams

I agree the 4th down punt was the most disturbing play of the game for me. That seemed to me like a terrible breakdown. Otherwise, our offensive line did a really great job and we played alot of young first year players. Things will only improve cause we do belong.

I am disappointed only to extent that I hate to lose.

We didn't start with an FBS cupcake.
ODU went in and played arguably the best (since the debacle at Tulsa) team in CUSA.
Additionally, ECU has one of the best offenses in all of college football.

Last year, ECU blew out a good Appalachian State team 35-13. Make no mistake, this years ECU team is better than that one, maybe substantially.

We lost, but we were neither intimidated no blown out.
ODU showed that we can not only compete in the FBS, but indeed we should be making a substantial impact in our very first season next year.

I for one am very optimistic about our future.

Go Monarchs!
On to Maryland!

(09-01-2013 10:21 AM)odu83alumni Wrote:  I agree the 4th down punt was the most disturbing play of the game for me. That seemed to me like a terrible breakdown. Otherwise, our offensive line did a really great job and we played alot of young first year players. Things will only improve cause we do belong.

I wanted to go for it as well, but Heinicke was pretty good at that play last year. He simply shanked it.

D is same as last year. Giving up 52pts at this level is huge. We need to make turnovers.

But also saw how the hometown is not behind odu too. Game not shown in downtown norfolk at aj gators or buffalo wild wings. That was huge too. They need to be on board if we are goin to continue to grow. Chilis did have the game on.

Odu should be all over them. We run their ads for events. And coaches was broadcasted there.

(09-01-2013 10:02 AM)LuckyLion Wrote:  Overall, have to be pleased with the performance last night. I wish they could have picked up a final TD and made the score match the stats a little better. ECU definitely knows Old Dominion was there and came to play. ODU fans have been spoiled by their success and easily forget this is still a "baby" football team just beginning their 5th season. Most of their players are still FCS recruits. Only one player, the Vandy transfer, had ever played a down in FBS before last night. There is still work to do, but this team has made huge steps forward each year. Look at what Georgia State has done and be glad that isn't us. If ECU is the best of CUSA, then I think next year looks very good for ODU.

Most of the ECU fans were very cordial and welcoming. Many went out of their way to greet us and thank us for coming down for the game. I didn't think Dowdy-Ficklen was as loud as it was at James Madison last year. The ODU fans sounded pretty good on TV. And, that cannon was A-Dor-Able! I think I saw one just like it at Toys R Us.

Yup, the enthusiasm of the crowd was a little subdued last night....Rivalry games always have more enthusiasm, a good majority of the fans were probably wondering what the hell was going on and a little disappointed in ECU's performance...The fans that really know college football understood you guys would give us a good game.

Btw, this game really was closer than the final score.

3 plays determined the outcome.

Taylor heinicke getting stripped by his own offensive lineman and them returning it for a TD on the first drive of the second half for us.

We go down and score there and we get the lead back. Instead they push it out to 10. Changed the entire game.

The other big play was their goal line fumble into the end zone that they recovered for a TD. We recover that and again, much closer game.

The heinicke punt. We've won games by gambling and having the cojones to go for it where others wouldn't. We could have absolutely got 2 yards with heinicke with the run or pass. Why not roll the dice in a season that will have no postseason for us? What do you have to lose?

The punt was a huge momentum killer.

If any of those three go for us, it was an entirely different game.

Ahh well, hopefully the breaks will go our way next week.

(09-01-2013 10:41 AM)workingodu Wrote:  D is same as last year. Giving up 52pts at this level is huge. We need to make turnovers.

But also saw how the hometown is not behind odu too. Game not shown in downtown norfolk at aj gators or buffalo wild wings. That was huge too. They need to be on board if we are goin to continue to grow. Chilis did have the game on.

Odu should be all over them. We run their ads for events. And coaches was broadcasted there.

Did you ask them to turn it on? That is really sad. Seems ECU has the town behind it. Banners on the street, and highway. Signs and posters in convenience stores etc. ODU needs to get all,of Hampton Roads on board here. The Monarchs are not just Norfolks team, they are representing the Hampton Roads area and deserve the support.

(09-01-2013 11:56 AM)monarx Wrote:  

(09-01-2013 10:41 AM)workingodu Wrote:  D is same as last year. Giving up 52pts at this level is huge. We need to make turnovers.

But also saw how the hometown is not behind odu too. Game not shown in downtown norfolk at aj gators or buffalo wild wings. That was huge too. They need to be on board if we are goin to continue to grow. Chilis did have the game on.

Odu should be all over them. We run their ads for events. And coaches was broadcasted there.

Did you ask them to turn it on? That is really sad. Seems ECU has the town behind it. Banners on the street, and highway. Signs and posters in convenience stores etc. ODU needs to get all,of Hampton Roads on board here. The Monarchs are not just Norfolks team, they are representing the Hampton Roads area and deserve the support.

we were on at the same time as VT so that could have something to do with it. otherwise I agree with you.

the thing that bothered me more than anything was twice during the game we were in a 3rd down situation and both time TH threw bombs that were incomplete. He was picking up 5 & 10 yard passes the entire game. Why the bombs?

Two fumbles in the game turned into ECU TDs, that was the difference.

Love the tailgating and gameday experience, 1st rate all the way. I love how college towns, everybody supports the team. I thought the ECU fans' were top notch. Thought the ODU fans represented well and did show up well for a night game (glad it was). Good road trip, lets take this and move on to Maryland.

I'm excited for the direction the Monarchs are headed. I think 28k-30k stadium is too small for us, need to be 35K.

I love the college town vibe too. Shame our soon to be Lt Gov Northam wants to stick it to the whole area with the EVMS/WM debacle. If that merger with ODU happened it would make an awesome united academic corridor from the Hospital to the main campus with Colley ave tying it all together. That whole area could be so cool if it were united by an ODU EVMS merger. sigh. Shame common sense and politics never mix. Game day with shuttles and tailgating from Colley north would be awesome.

Good Post

(09-01-2013 11:12 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  Week 1 Scores

W @MT 45 W. Carolina 24 I hope most of those 24 were garbage points
W @Tulane 34 Jackson St. 7 Nice solid win
W @Marshall 52 Miami (OH) 14 Great win against the MAC
W @N. Texas 40 Idaho 6 Good win against a very bad team
W UTSA 21 @N. Mex 13 The only road win for C-USA. Great job UTSA
W @ECU 52 ODU 38 This score is a Win-Win for the conference
L Tulsa 7 @B. Green 34 Good BG team, Tulsa lost too many players from last season
L FAU 6 @Miami 34 No surprise here
L FIU 10 @Maryland 43 Thought FIU would keep it closer
L LA Tech 14 @NC State 40 Tech lost too many players from last season
L Rice 31 @Tex A&M 52 Great effort from Rice. Still look strong in the West
L @Troy 34 UAB 31 Troy isn't that good. This should have been a win
L Tex St. 22 @USM 15 USM must be terrible. Worst C-USA loss of the week

Week 1 Attendance

ECU- 44,597 Thought more people would show up for this game
Marshall- 27,148 Good number. Was it hot out there too?
S. Miss- 25,729 Might be a season high
UNT- 21,975 103 degrees at kickoff really hurt. Must do better
Tulane- 20,992 Bad opponent, bad attendance
MT- 20,011 Would a better opponent have helped? Was it hot?

Week 2 games

9-5 FAU @ECU
9-6 UCF @FIU
9-7 OK St. @ UTSA
MT @ N. Carolina
USA @ Tulane
USM @Nebraska
Gardner Webb @ Marshall
Colorado St. @ Tulsa
Lamar @ LA Tech
N. Mex @ UTEP
N. Tex @ Ohio
UAB @ LSU

Good luck to everyone.

OK, so I ran into several ECU fans at my hotel on Sunday morning. All had praise for our team and surprise or admiration for our offense.

The one noteworthy comment came from what I consider a veteran Pirate fan and alum. The man I spoke with, along with his wife, was a mid-80's grad and from Richmond. So we had some things in common with both living in the Richmond area and kids in various high school activities. So the comment I thought was quite a compliment was comparing Heinicke to Russell Wilson. He said our QB was better than Russell Wilson when they faced him (when he was playing at NC State) in 2010. He was more elusive, had better poise, and to steal his words “was either more damn aggravating to a defense or the ECU fans.....one or the other". ECU is and should be expecting a good year for their team......and early measurements of your D's performance can lead to worrying about the long-term. He also said that Russell Wilson is 5-11" and they both were built about the same and that is what initially reminded him and others in his seating section when watching TH play. BTW, ECU beat NC State in OT that time....they have quite a rivalry.

Anyway I thought it was interesting. TH has a ways to prove he is a Russell Wilson athletic pro-player obviously. Yet, the gist of what I rec'd feedback on from ECU fans is that we were in that game and gave them a heck of a game thru most of it. Again, I think the ECU fans I encountered were class acts.

Congratulations on a great showing. A young team facing a new level of competition gave ECU all they could handle. Unfortunately, I couldn't watch the game in Michigan, but followed it on twitter. Thank you #odufootball. Whoever you are.

TWITTER MESSAGE

ECU strong safety Chip Thompson, a senior from Jackson, Miss, Tweeted a flatterig message about Heinicke following the game: "Taylor Heinicke is a great player. Look for him on Sundays."

(09-01-2013 11:54 AM)Razor Ramon Monarch Wrote:  Btw, this game really was closer than the final score.

3 plays determined the outcome.

Taylor heinicke getting stripped by his own offensive lineman and them returning it for a TD on the first drive of the second half for us.

We go down and score there and we get the lead back. Instead they push it out to 10. Changed the entire game.

The other big play was their goal line fumble into the end zone that they recovered for a TD. We recover that and again, much closer game.

The heinicke punt. We've won games by gambling and having the cojones to go for it where others wouldn't. We could have absolutely got 2 yards with heinicke with the run or pass. Why not roll the dice in a season that will have no postseason for us? What do you have to lose?

The punt was a huge momentum killer.

If any of those three go for us, it was an entirely different game.

Ahh well, hopefully the breaks will go our way next week.

Well said. DeMarco was a master at that QB punt play, and I don't remember Heinicke shanking one like that before. He's allowed a mistake once and a while, but it did affect the outcome. One of several breaks that didn't go our way.

I was glad to see the improvement in our kickoff squad. One of my gripes from last year was that it seemed like after every score we had, we gave the other team a short field because they were returning the ball to the 40 or so. Didn't happen here - the one they did return (Brown was really kicking strong) only made it to the 23.

I gotta say Brown looked great. Every kickoff was in the endzone

(09-01-2013 12:16 PM)BigBlueBobby Wrote:  the thing that bothered me more than anything was twice during the game we were in a 3rd down situation and both time TH threw bombs that were incomplete. He was picking up 5 & 10 yard passes the entire game. Why the bombs?

He saw something and went for it. In two of these three cases, if I remember correctly, the refs could've/should've called ECU for passing interference. Instead, no-calls.

(09-02-2013 02:38 PM)Monarch_Pride Wrote:  

(09-01-2013 12:16 PM)BigBlueBobby Wrote:  the thing that bothered me more than anything was twice during the game we were in a 3rd down situation and both time TH threw bombs that were incomplete. He was picking up 5 & 10 yard passes the entire game. Why the bombs?

He saw something and went for it. In two of these three cases, if I remember correctly, the refs could've/should've called ECU for passing interference. Instead, no-calls.

Regarding the end of the game......Wilder made the call. He was playing to win. All or nothing was basically it. Forget the first down with 2 min"s and change.....he thought if we can be in positon for a quick score we could throw into the end zone on the next play and do just that......pursue the score. Then it"s one touchdown to go with an on sides kick. I thought the same thing why not just get the first down?

Wilder didnt't care how the box score read. He was in it to win it.

(09-01-2013 12:16 PM)DaBigBlue Wrote:  Two fumbles in the game turned into ECU TDs, that was the difference.

Love the tailgating and gameday experience, 1st rate all the way. I love how college towns, everybody supports the team. I thought the ECU fans' were top notch. Thought the ODU fans represented well and did show up well for a night game (glad it was). Good road trip, lets take this and move on to Maryland.

I'm excited for the direction the Monarchs are headed. I think 28k-30k stadium is too small for us, need to be 35K.

Hey just browsing your board to see the reaction of your fans on the game. I was there and you guys have yourselves a great QB in Heineke and some excellent skill guys as well. Our defense is not great but you guys came ready to play. Thought your band and the fans of ODU brought it as well.

I thought your coach was a little over the top with the "we could beat them if we played later in the year" comment but other than that ODU represented itself very well. Best of luck the rest of the way-