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

(12-26-2018 04:00 PM)djnva Wrote:  I subscribe to the school of thought that says Wilder likely has 2 years to show something substantial. Had LaRussa won the starting nod in 2019 and even had they won say 6 games, he'd have to start over in 2020, when a new QB can lead to issues that can lead to coaches leaving.

Now Wilder can pick his latest QB of the Future and hope that after a year of seasoning in 2019 (with a whole bunch of JUCO recruits to hopefully shore up the defense) then can get to a bowl in 2020 and save his job.

At ODU's level a QB can cover a lot of ills. He better hope he's hit on one of these guys.

There will be a lot of pressure put on Wilder this year for sure. They added a bunch of JUCOs to attempt to improve quicker. The loss of LaRussa is pretty big though as he was fantastic last year. They have 4 guys now; they need to have 1 of them step up and be the guy.

He helped us beat VaTech and I for one will be forever grateful. Best of luck young man.

(12-26-2018 04:00 PM)djnva Wrote:  I subscribe to the school of thought that says Wilder likely has 2 years to show something substantial. Had LaRussa won the starting nod in 2019 and even had they won say 6 games, he'd have to start over in 2020, when a new QB can lead to issues that can lead to coaches leaving.

Now Wilder can pick his latest QB of the Future and hope that after a year of seasoning in 2019 (with a whole bunch of JUCO recruits to hopefully shore up the defense) then can get to a bowl in 2020 and save his job.

At ODU's level a QB can cover a lot of ills. He better hope he's hit on one of these guys.

Based on the past, let's hope Bobby let's staff do their job and stay away from picking the QB himself.

(12-26-2018 04:47 PM)DaBigBlue Wrote:  He helped us beat VaTech and I for one will be forever grateful. Best of luck young man.

Same here. He will be remembered for decades by Monarch Nation. And what an awesome memory for he and his family for the rest of his days.

(12-26-2018 05:07 PM)84Monarch Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 04:00 PM)djnva Wrote:  I subscribe to the school of thought that says Wilder likely has 2 years to show something substantial. Had LaRussa won the starting nod in 2019 and even had they won say 6 games, he'd have to start over in 2020, when a new QB can lead to issues that can lead to coaches leaving.

Now Wilder can pick his latest QB of the Future and hope that after a year of seasoning in 2019 (with a whole bunch of JUCO recruits to hopefully shore up the defense) then can get to a bowl in 2020 and save his job.

At ODU's level a QB can cover a lot of ills. He better hope he's hit on one of these guys.

Based on the past, let's hope Bobby let's staff do their job and stay away from picking the QB himself.

Ill be truthful, I am disappointed that ODU has not be Bowling a few more times. In my mind I think ODU should be in a Bowl game 3 of every 4 years. If it is less than that I feel we are not were we should be with a program that has a budget that ranks #1 in CUSA.

Kinda cool national networks, news outlets and papers are picking up the story.

Thanks for the Tech win! Follow your passion!

(12-26-2018 01:59 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:45 PM)ODUalum78 Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:36 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  Cynical b-hole time!

Is there any possibility that LaRussa either a) didn't think he'd get the starting nod next year or b) Wilder told him that they still wanted Williams or someone else to win the role, and he left when and how he did to better control the narrative of his departure? I have no doubt that he's sincere when he says he wants to be a Christian evangelist and that he wants to get a master's degree in divinity. But unless he has foreknowledge of the timing of the Rapture, would one more year of playing football kept him from pursuing that goal? It could well be a calling and if you think it is, you don't turn it down or delay it, but at the same time, plenty of athletes have advocated for the Lord while in a football uniform.

I am reminded of a VCU basketball player, Calvin Duncan, who around 1983 was drafted by the then Jordan led Chicago Bulls. He respectfully turned them down to pursue his calling.
When asked about it, his response was something like "I would rather be on Jesus' team than Jordan's team"

He is the pastor of a church here in Chesterfield county now.

And maybe that's what this is. I certainly am not going to doubt one's sincerely held beliefs, not simply on timing alone. But speaking of pastors, an old one of mine was apt to say that the mission field isn't a place, it's a state of mind, and there's not a parcel of land on this planet that can't be covered by it. He also would say that you don't have to apply to be an evangelist, you just start doing it.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Maybe playing football is no longer compatible with what he believes is his Godly duty. Maybe Wilder made a deal with the devil and he's trying to get out of there before the check comes due . But I work in an industry that lives by the credo If your mama says she loves you, get a second source. So maybe I'm just too cynical for my own good.

Think about it. He is a redshirt junior, so he has been in college 3.5 years. He is on pace to graduate in May. For him to come back he would be working a degree that he does not want. One that wouldn’t be of use to him in the future.

He made the right decision for him.

(12-26-2018 02:09 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:36 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  Cynical b-hole time!

Is there any possibility that LaRussa either a) didn't think he'd get the starting nod next year or b) Wilder told him that they still wanted Williams or someone else to win the role, and he left when and how he did to better control the narrative of his departure? I have no doubt that he's sincere when he says he wants to be a Christian evangelist and that he wants to get a master's degree in divinity. But unless he has foreknowledge of the timing of the Rapture, would one more year of playing football kept him from pursuing that goal? It could well be a calling and if you think it is, you don't turn it down or delay it, but at the same time, plenty of athletes have advocated for the Lord while in a football uniform.

People that go into this field often do so when others might think its illogical.

I do believe him, but if someone were to tell me it was because he didn't want to be a backup QB, that would not surprise me either. There is no way Wilder is running him off (he's even honoring his scholarship for the spring semester), but Wilder could have told him he was going to have a fight on his hand.

And FWIW, this was decided by Blake before the JUCO QB came aboard.

It is in BW’s best interest to honor the scholarship.
1) APR points
2) what sort of message would it send if he didn’t?
3) scholarship wouldn’t be availabile until the end of the school year.

ODU has been known for their undersize QBs since starting football. Next season our shortest QB on the roster will be 6'4"

(12-27-2018 12:17 PM)Justanodufan Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:59 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:45 PM)ODUalum78 Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:36 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  Cynical b-hole time!

Is there any possibility that LaRussa either a) didn't think he'd get the starting nod next year or b) Wilder told him that they still wanted Williams or someone else to win the role, and he left when and how he did to better control the narrative of his departure? I have no doubt that he's sincere when he says he wants to be a Christian evangelist and that he wants to get a master's degree in divinity. But unless he has foreknowledge of the timing of the Rapture, would one more year of playing football kept him from pursuing that goal? It could well be a calling and if you think it is, you don't turn it down or delay it, but at the same time, plenty of athletes have advocated for the Lord while in a football uniform.

I am reminded of a VCU basketball player, Calvin Duncan, who around 1983 was drafted by the then Jordan led Chicago Bulls. He respectfully turned them down to pursue his calling.
When asked about it, his response was something like "I would rather be on Jesus' team than Jordan's team"

He is the pastor of a church here in Chesterfield county now.

And maybe that's what this is. I certainly am not going to doubt one's sincerely held beliefs, not simply on timing alone. But speaking of pastors, an old one of mine was apt to say that the mission field isn't a place, it's a state of mind, and there's not a parcel of land on this planet that can't be covered by it. He also would say that you don't have to apply to be an evangelist, you just start doing it.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Maybe playing football is no longer compatible with what he believes is his Godly duty. Maybe Wilder made a deal with the devil and he's trying to get out of there before the check comes due . But I work in an industry that lives by the credo If your mama says she loves you, get a second source. So maybe I'm just too cynical for my own good.

Think about it. He is a redshirt junior, so he has been in college 3.5 years. He is on pace to graduate in May. For him to come back he would be working a degree that he does not want. One that wouldn’t be of use to him in the future.

He made the right decision for him.

(12-26-2018 02:09 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:36 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  Cynical b-hole time!

Is there any possibility that LaRussa either a) didn't think he'd get the starting nod next year or b) Wilder told him that they still wanted Williams or someone else to win the role, and he left when and how he did to better control the narrative of his departure? I have no doubt that he's sincere when he says he wants to be a Christian evangelist and that he wants to get a master's degree in divinity. But unless he has foreknowledge of the timing of the Rapture, would one more year of playing football kept him from pursuing that goal? It could well be a calling and if you think it is, you don't turn it down or delay it, but at the same time, plenty of athletes have advocated for the Lord while in a football uniform.

People that go into this field often do so when others might think its illogical.

I do believe him, but if someone were to tell me it was because he didn't want to be a backup QB, that would not surprise me either. There is no way Wilder is running him off (he's even honoring his scholarship for the spring semester), but Wilder could have told him he was going to have a fight on his hand.

And FWIW, this was decided by Blake before the JUCO QB came aboard.

It is in BW’s best interest to honor the scholarship.
1) APR points
2) what sort of message would it send if he didn’t?
3) scholarship wouldn’t be availabile until the end of the school year.

I believe that by remaining at the institution and being academically eligible there would not be an APR hit.

(12-27-2018 01:31 PM)ODUalum78 Wrote:  

(12-27-2018 12:17 PM)Justanodufan Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:59 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:45 PM)ODUalum78 Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:36 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  Cynical b-hole time!

Is there any possibility that LaRussa either a) didn't think he'd get the starting nod next year or b) Wilder told him that they still wanted Williams or someone else to win the role, and he left when and how he did to better control the narrative of his departure? I have no doubt that he's sincere when he says he wants to be a Christian evangelist and that he wants to get a master's degree in divinity. But unless he has foreknowledge of the timing of the Rapture, would one more year of playing football kept him from pursuing that goal? It could well be a calling and if you think it is, you don't turn it down or delay it, but at the same time, plenty of athletes have advocated for the Lord while in a football uniform.

I am reminded of a VCU basketball player, Calvin Duncan, who around 1983 was drafted by the then Jordan led Chicago Bulls. He respectfully turned them down to pursue his calling.
When asked about it, his response was something like "I would rather be on Jesus' team than Jordan's team"

He is the pastor of a church here in Chesterfield county now.

And maybe that's what this is. I certainly am not going to doubt one's sincerely held beliefs, not simply on timing alone. But speaking of pastors, an old one of mine was apt to say that the mission field isn't a place, it's a state of mind, and there's not a parcel of land on this planet that can't be covered by it. He also would say that you don't have to apply to be an evangelist, you just start doing it.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Maybe playing football is no longer compatible with what he believes is his Godly duty. Maybe Wilder made a deal with the devil and he's trying to get out of there before the check comes due . But I work in an industry that lives by the credo If your mama says she loves you, get a second source. So maybe I'm just too cynical for my own good.

Think about it. He is a redshirt junior, so he has been in college 3.5 years. He is on pace to graduate in May. For him to come back he would be working a degree that he does not want. One that wouldn’t be of use to him in the future.

He made the right decision for him.

(12-26-2018 02:09 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:36 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  Cynical b-hole time!

Is there any possibility that LaRussa either a) didn't think he'd get the starting nod next year or b) Wilder told him that they still wanted Williams or someone else to win the role, and he left when and how he did to better control the narrative of his departure? I have no doubt that he's sincere when he says he wants to be a Christian evangelist and that he wants to get a master's degree in divinity. But unless he has foreknowledge of the timing of the Rapture, would one more year of playing football kept him from pursuing that goal? It could well be a calling and if you think it is, you don't turn it down or delay it, but at the same time, plenty of athletes have advocated for the Lord while in a football uniform.

People that go into this field often do so when others might think its illogical.

I do believe him, but if someone were to tell me it was because he didn't want to be a backup QB, that would not surprise me either. There is no way Wilder is running him off (he's even honoring his scholarship for the spring semester), but Wilder could have told him he was going to have a fight on his hand.

And FWIW, this was decided by Blake before the JUCO QB came aboard.

It is in BW’s best interest to honor the scholarship.
1) APR points
2) what sort of message would it send if he didn’t?
3) scholarship wouldn’t be availabile until the end of the school year.

I believe that by remaining at the institution and being academically eligible there would not be an APR hit.

He would have no impact on the spring apr points if he isn’t on scholarship in the spring. Teams tend to lose more points between the spring and fall then the fall and spring

(12-27-2018 03:49 PM)Justanodufan Wrote:  

(12-27-2018 01:31 PM)ODUalum78 Wrote:  

(12-27-2018 12:17 PM)Justanodufan Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:59 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:45 PM)ODUalum78 Wrote:  I am reminded of a VCU basketball player, Calvin Duncan, who around 1983 was drafted by the then Jordan led Chicago Bulls. He respectfully turned them down to pursue his calling.
When asked about it, his response was something like "I would rather be on Jesus' team than Jordan's team"

He is the pastor of a church here in Chesterfield county now.

And maybe that's what this is. I certainly am not going to doubt one's sincerely held beliefs, not simply on timing alone. But speaking of pastors, an old one of mine was apt to say that the mission field isn't a place, it's a state of mind, and there's not a parcel of land on this planet that can't be covered by it. He also would say that you don't have to apply to be an evangelist, you just start doing it.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Maybe playing football is no longer compatible with what he believes is his Godly duty. Maybe Wilder made a deal with the devil and he's trying to get out of there before the check comes due . But I work in an industry that lives by the credo If your mama says she loves you, get a second source. So maybe I'm just too cynical for my own good.

Think about it. He is a redshirt junior, so he has been in college 3.5 years. He is on pace to graduate in May. For him to come back he would be working a degree that he does not want. One that wouldn’t be of use to him in the future.

He made the right decision for him.

(12-26-2018 02:09 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:36 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  Cynical b-hole time!

Is there any possibility that LaRussa either a) didn't think he'd get the starting nod next year or b) Wilder told him that they still wanted Williams or someone else to win the role, and he left when and how he did to better control the narrative of his departure? I have no doubt that he's sincere when he says he wants to be a Christian evangelist and that he wants to get a master's degree in divinity. But unless he has foreknowledge of the timing of the Rapture, would one more year of playing football kept him from pursuing that goal? It could well be a calling and if you think it is, you don't turn it down or delay it, but at the same time, plenty of athletes have advocated for the Lord while in a football uniform.

People that go into this field often do so when others might think its illogical.

I do believe him, but if someone were to tell me it was because he didn't want to be a backup QB, that would not surprise me either. There is no way Wilder is running him off (he's even honoring his scholarship for the spring semester), but Wilder could have told him he was going to have a fight on his hand.

And FWIW, this was decided by Blake before the JUCO QB came aboard.

It is in BW’s best interest to honor the scholarship.
1) APR points
2) what sort of message would it send if he didn’t?
3) scholarship wouldn’t be availabile until the end of the school year.

I believe that by remaining at the institution and being academically eligible there would not be an APR hit.

He would have no impact on the spring apr points if he isn’t on scholarship in the spring. Teams tend to lose more points between the spring and fall then the fall and spring

You don't lose APR points if a player leaves the program unless he also leaves the school and/or is academically ineligible.
Since BL is graduating in the Spring anyway APR is irrelevant as it applies to him in the Fall.

http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/rese...-explained

(12-27-2018 03:59 PM)ODUalum78 Wrote:  

(12-27-2018 03:49 PM)Justanodufan Wrote:  

(12-27-2018 01:31 PM)ODUalum78 Wrote:  

(12-27-2018 12:17 PM)Justanodufan Wrote:  

(12-26-2018 01:59 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  And maybe that's what this is. I certainly am not going to doubt one's sincerely held beliefs, not simply on timing alone. But speaking of pastors, an old one of mine was apt to say that the mission field isn't a place, it's a state of mind, and there's not a parcel of land on this planet that can't be covered by it. He also would say that you don't have to apply to be an evangelist, you just start doing it.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Maybe playing football is no longer compatible with what he believes is his Godly duty. Maybe Wilder made a deal with the devil and he's trying to get out of there before the check comes due . But I work in an industry that lives by the credo If your mama says she loves you, get a second source. So maybe I'm just too cynical for my own good.

Think about it. He is a redshirt junior, so he has been in college 3.5 years. He is on pace to graduate in May. For him to come back he would be working a degree that he does not want. One that wouldn’t be of use to him in the future.

He made the right decision for him.

(12-26-2018 02:09 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  People that go into this field often do so when others might think its illogical.

I do believe him, but if someone were to tell me it was because he didn't want to be a backup QB, that would not surprise me either. There is no way Wilder is running him off (he's even honoring his scholarship for the spring semester), but Wilder could have told him he was going to have a fight on his hand.

And FWIW, this was decided by Blake before the JUCO QB came aboard.

It is in BW’s best interest to honor the scholarship.
1) APR points
2) what sort of message would it send if he didn’t?
3) scholarship wouldn’t be availabile until the end of the school year.

I believe that by remaining at the institution and being academically eligible there would not be an APR hit.

He would have no impact on the spring apr points if he isn’t on scholarship in the spring. Teams tend to lose more points between the spring and fall then the fall and spring

You don't lose APR points if a player leaves the program unless he also leaves the school and/or is academically ineligible.
Since BL is graduating in the Spring anyway APR is irrelevant as it applies to him in the Fall.

http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/rese...-explained

You do realize APR is a team number right? So a good student like LaRussa is guaranteed points. Not sure what last year’s APR number was but I assume they can’t afford to lose stupid points.

On scholarship for fall and spring LaRussa is worth 4 points. On scholarship for the fall only he is worth 2 points

Now why would you lose guaranteed points when you will have APR hits in the spring?

(12-27-2018 01:11 PM)AimHigh Wrote:  ODU has been known for their undersize QBs since starting football. Next season our shortest QB on the roster will be 6'4"

And hopefully with proper launch angles. '78, you got your camera ready? We are going to need that for proper message board scouting and evaluation.

Plus side of keeping him on scholarship until May if for some freak accident we lose some quarterbacks during the spring practices and game maybe God leads him to return. It's all about the resurrection!!

(12-27-2018 04:34 PM)FearTheLion Wrote:  

(12-27-2018 01:11 PM)AimHigh Wrote:  ODU has been known for their undersize QBs since starting football. Next season our shortest QB on the roster will be 6'4"

And hopefully with proper launch angles. '78, you got your camera ready? We are going to need that for proper message board scouting and evaluation.

Only if they start throwing into the dirt. We haven't had a QB do that since.

Heads up for our fans who aren't religious or otherwise may not know. Blake LaRussa did an interview with Shawn Brown. The interview will be aired on CBN News and The 700 Club. These shows reach 95 percent of the television markets across the United States, The 700 Club airs in nearly 90 million homes, averages one million viewers on a daily basis, and averages 14,000 daily callers to their prayer lines. Info as stated on their website.

Not ESPN but this is great publicity for ODU since most of the viewers of these shows may have never heard of ODU.




Also, I have heard there is a famous book author from the Charlottesville area with ties to UVA doing research on him so possible a book novel.

He's a pretty remarkable young man. It would be cool if we got a Rudy-like movie made on Blake's story.

(01-11-2019 10:30 AM)ODUDrunkard13 Wrote:  He's a pretty remarkable young man. It would be cool if we got a Rudy-like movie made on Blake's story.

As long as all the highlights in the movie are from the VA TECH game so tech fans would always have a reminder!

Hope Pat tells his audience to donate to ODU, since we attract such religious people. s/