ODU Football's Top Three Focuses for Spring Practices

By David Asbury

No Winter lasts forever.  No Spring skips its turn. 

Did you enjoy Norfolk's recent snow fall?  I know many at ODU did as the students' classes were canceled and they took their sleds to Lambert's Point.  Some used their free time to literally take the seal off Kaufman Mall.  Legend says that those guys will never graduate now.  Others gathered outside the Naro for a snowball fight now known as "the Great Ghent Snowball Fight of 2025."  What did ODU football do?  They had fun clearing off the practice field to get ready for Spring Ball.

Snow Day Shenanigans ⛄️#ReignOn pic.twitter.com/kcC9xnGszU

— ODU Football (@ODUFootball) February 21, 2025

You see, contrary to popular opinion, college football has no offseason.  The team has been hard at work in the weight room and the practice facility.  They need that field to keep up the hard work.  But as winter turns to Spring, the workload is about to increase when Spring Practices begin next month.  These practices will crescendo to the Spring Game on April 19, 2025.  The game at the Castle is free to the public. 

Spring Ball is a great time of year for the coaches and team to get better without worrying about a weekly opponent.  It is a time for the team to look inward.  The coaches will tell you that every position group is out there to get better.  That is true and not just "coach speak."  But what the coaches will not tell you is how some position groups need more work than others.  Here are my top three focuses the Monarchs should have this Spring.

1.) Brand new wide receivers 

The Monarchs' top-6 receivers either graduated or transferred out.  ODU's top returning receiver is...running back Bryce Duke with only nine catches for 58 yards and a score.  No worries, ODU reloaded the position with top JuCo transfers Tre Brown, Ja'Cory Thomas, TJ Johnson, and Titus Myers.  There are also freshmen TJ Lott, Dallas Sims, and AR Gladding.  These seven players are the only wide receivers on the roster this Spring and are going to get a lot of reps.  That is a good thing because with so much turnover, this position group really needs the practice. 

AR Gladding got some playing time late in the season and even scored a touchdown against Marshall. Can he develop into a top receiver in 2025?

2.) Passing game - This may sound a little redundant with the top focus being the receivers, but there is a lot more to the passing game than just the receivers.  The line needs to block well, the quarterback needs to make his reads, the receivers need to run good routes and make good choices for option routes.  Last season, the offense was amazing running the ball in large part due to running quarterbacks.  It was literally the best running team in the Sun Belt last season.  However, the unit finished 11th out of 14 in the Sun Belt passing the ball.  There is a lot of work for them to do this offseason to improve these numbers.

Colton Joseph (2) getting an offseason as the starter can really help his development. He took big strides improving from his mediocre 2024 Spring Game to eventually winning the starting job after Grant Wilson's injury.

3.) Keep up the defense's game -

The defense was generally a strength last season and finished with rather good overall stats.  Indeed it excelled against the run allowing only 4.3 yards per carry (tied 4th in SBC) and only allowed 18 total rushing touchdowns (2nd in SBC).  But down the stretch, it struggled against the pass, especially against the top SBC quarterbacks, like JMU's Alonza Barnett and Marshall's Braylon Braxton.  The Monarchs allowed 237.8 passing yards per game (11th in SBC).  With Jahron Manning's transfer to Miss. State, the secondary has work to do to improve.  But there is a good amount talent returning and new transfers like Botros "Boat" Alisandro and Ronald Jackson coming in.   So this defensive unit may actually see a big improvement if they put the work in this Spring.

Rasheed Reason returns for what is likely his last year of eligibility. With the additions of Botros Alisandro and Ronald Jackson, this cornerback group might be the best it has ever been at ODU.

Right now, the team looks like it could be Rahne's most talented roster yet.  The Sun Belt is wide open and 2025 is a make-or-break year with a lot of potential.  The schedule says the season starts on August 30th.  But that's a lie.  The season starts now.  This roster needs to put the work in now and to get better every day.  Let's see how they look at the Spring Game on April 13th.  You better believe I will be there, will you?