2025 ODU Season Preview - Offense

By David Asbury

Kevin's Revamped Offense
Old Dominion's offense has new energy after quarterback Colton Joseph's breakout season.  But it has been trending in the right direction ever since offensive coordinator Kevin Decker took it over in 2023.  He brought in a new system that some call the Tennessee Wide Splits, which splits the receivers out very wide to use the entire width of the field.  This system usually generates large running lanes with the occasional deep shot down the field.  Decker modified the offense last season with Joseph's rise and ran a lot more quarterback pass-run-options.  With the big rushing lanes and RPO's ODU was a juggernaut running the ball.


Kevin Decker coaching Quinn Henicle on the sidelines. Photo courtesy of CB Sports Photography

Decker's offense has been much better.  His first season saw the rushing offense explode to 175 rushing yards per conference game (3rd in SBC) and the offense averaged 26.8 points per conference game (9th in SBC).  These numbers improved in 2024, and the rushing offense was the best in the conference averaging 235 rushing yards per conference game.  Along with the passing game, the total offense was the second best in the Sun Belt averaging 452 yards per conference game and 32 points per conference game.  The offense has an opportunity for continued growth under Decker's guidance in his third year.

Quarterback
Quarterback Grant Wilson played most of 2023 with mixed results.  He started in 2024 but would be knocked out for the year in just his 3rd start of the season against Bowling Green due to injury.  In came Colton Joseph who earned the starting job with his good play, eventually leading to Wilson to transfer to Indiana for 2025, where he will be serve as the backup.

Joseph has become the face of the offense. Photo courtesy of CB Sports Photography.

At ODU, the Pride of ODU Collective signed Colton Joseph to secure his return for the 2025 season.  The electric dual-threat quarterback had a breakout season in 2025 scoring 22 total touchdowns, passing for 1,627 yards and running for 647 yards.  He made those stats without even playing the full season.  He is a dynamic player and the ideal quarterback to build this offense around, given his ability to beat defenses with both his arm and feet.  He is arguably the best quarterback Rahne has had since he started coaching Old Dominion and arguably the best quarterback in the Sun Belt. His biggest area for growth this season will be in passing the ball more consistently. 

Redshirt freshman Quinn Henicle also returns, he is one of the fastest guys on the team and serves as a talented backup. Last year he gave us a good glimpse of his potential with a breakout game against Arkansas State, where he scored four total touchdowns and gained 349 total yards.  (Whispers:  some even believe Henicle's ceiling may be higher than Joseph's).  Redshirt freshman walk-on Holden Brown also returns along with incoming true freshman Ryan Huff (watch this kid warm up, he's got serious arm talent) to round out the bullpen.  This is the best quarterback room Ricky Rahne has ever had at ODU.

Running back
The very reliable Aaron Young is out of eligibility and Bryce Duke transferred to Utah while Tariq Sims transferred to William & Mary.  However, the running back room remains strong with the very shifty Devin Roche returning.  Last season he averaged 6.2 yards per carry and scored three total touchdowns.  He is joined by freshman Maurki James, who will begin his second year this fall and has the size and skill to eventually develop into an every down back. The Monarchs also picked up a big (more like small at 175 pounds) JuCo signee in Trequan Jones, who looks like a great change of pace back with a ton of speed.  At Georgia Military College Prep Jones ran for 464 yards and seven touchdowns.  Finally, the Monarchs also picked up Ke'Travion "Bull" Hargrove in the portal from Grambling State where he had 505 rushing yards and five touchdowns.  Bull has the talent to become the lead back this season, offering a great mix of speed, patience and power. Overall, the running back room looks very stout despite the turnover.  Running back coach Tony Lucas has always delivered at this position and it looks like he is ready to do so again this season.

Devin Roche in open field. Photo courtesy of CB Sports Photography

Receivers
ODU lost the most production from 2024 in the receiver room. ODU had the big job of replacing their top six receivers from a year ago including Isiah Paige, Diante Vines, Peanut Houston, tight end Pat Conroy and running back Aaron Young.  Even some of the top 2023 receivers have moved on with Dominic Dutton transferring to Western Carolina and Kelby Williams headed to Western Kentucky.  The top returning receiver is running back Devin Roche who caught just seven catches last year for 52 yards.  Na'eem Abdul-Rahim "A.R." Gladding also returns and received some playing time late in the season scoring a touchdown against Marshall. Na'eem's athleticism could also lead to him seeing time as a returner this year.

AR Gladding (17, now 7) looks to be a key contributor in 2025. Photo courtesy of CB Sports Photography.

So who else will be catching balls from Joseph?  Well, Rahne and Wide Receiver's Coach Kody Cook hit the recruiting trail hard here bringing in JuCo products Ja'Cory Thomas, T.J. Johnson, Titus Myers and Tre' Brown to join the aerial attack.  Both Thomas and Myers were nominated for JuCo Wide Receivers of the year and they faced off in the JuCo National Championship.  Thomas and Brown both were recruited to Hutchinson by Kody Cook.  Then there is also Sidney Mbanasor, a very tall receiver who transferred in from Tulane.  Underclassmen T.J. Lott has looked good this offseason, as well as Dallas Sims. Both are in the running for more playing time. Talanted Freshman Josh Rodriguez from New Jersey brings in a lot of potential and could see the field early in his career.

We'd be remiss to not mention the change in height at the wide receiver position. Each of the JuCos that joined the team are 6'1 or taller. Last season, the group was talented but short. This added height could bring improvements to our run blocking and screen blocking on the the edges of the field. 

Out of these transfer players and underclassmen rising up, there is plenty of potential for playmakers to breakout in 2025 and camp showed a lot of rotation at the position. We expect to see a lot of rotation for this group with so much talent in the room. However, given the massive amount of turnover, wide receiver is the Monarchs biggest question mark on the roster. 

Tight End
Breakout tight end Pat Conroy is out of eligibility and spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders before being waived in early August. Due to injuries, Conroy was often the ONLY healthy tight end on the roster to suit up and despite that, he was extremely productive with 37 receptions for 523 yards and 5 TDs.   We'd look out for him to join a practice squad or potentially join a league like the UFL or CFL.

This season the tight end position is ready to build on the success Conroy had.  After redshirting last season, due to injury, Jailen Butler returns and is expected to start.  He started at the position in 2023 and caught nine catches including a two-point conversion. He is a fantastic blocker in both the passing and running game and was often tasked with that due to offensive line issues in 2023.  He has the ability and opportunity this year to show he can be just as impactful as a pass catcher. He has camp competition though.  Redshirt freshman Dawson Johnson transferred in from University of Florida for the opportunity to get playing time.  JuCo transfer Karl Peterson is also turning heads.  He is an All-American JuCo player from Estonia. In 2024, he led JuCo tight ends with 37 receptions for 392 yards and three touchdowns. True Freshman Chris Warren is a talented athlete who shows potential to become a bigger target as he develops. All 4 show this position should be deeper in 2025 and just as, if not more, productive than 2024.

Butler celebrates after his score against App. State in 2023. Photo courtesy of CB Sports Photography.

Offensive Line
ODU loses a few pieces here.  Guard/Tackle Santana Saunders is out of eligibility after an impressive career at ODU.  Meanwhile, Center Mike Flores entered the transfer portal to Louisville.  However, 5 different offensive lineman with starts in 2024 return making this the most experienced group on the offense. Included in those starting returners is one of the most talented lineman we have seen in recent years, Zach Barlev. He has the versatility to play any position on the line, was just voted in as a team captain and is currently slotted to play left tackle.  Stephon Dubose-Bourne also returns for some consistency on the line at right tackle. Super senior center Ryan Joyce transferred in from Fordham. Joyce already knows the playbook from OC Kevin Decker's time at Fordham and brings in valuable experience on the line with 43 starts in his career.  The guard positions are currently slotted to be Skyler Grant (4 starts in 2024) and underclassman Logan Cox (Kansas State transfer).

You may also want to keep an eye out for JuCo-signee Carson Bradley, Maarten Woudsma (7 starts in 2024), Colin Henrich, Elijah Hoskins (3 starts in 2024) and Virginia Tech-transfer Griffin Duggan.  The offensive line showed significant improvement from its sack heavy play in 2023.  That improvement can and should continue as this is Rahne's most experienced and deepest offensive line groups in his time at Old Dominion.  It could and should be even better in 2025.

Stephen Dubose-Bourne is ready for his senior year. Photo courtesy of CB Sports Photography.

Offense Overall
Are you excited?  You should be.  Sure, the offense only has four returning starters slated to start but those starters happen to be Colton Joseph and three offensive linemen.  Playmakers need to arise from somewhere for it to reach success, but I would bet on it.  The Monarchs have had success reloading at receiver and running back in past years and this year should be no different.  In fact, camp reports tell us that the reloaded playmakers are actually really talented and there could be a lot of depth at these positions.  Expect the Sun Belt's top rushing offense to run the damn ball extremely well and for Joseph to continue his development as a dual threat quarterback.  This should be a fun season.