The Monarchists • ODU Alumni Spotlight

Coach Brandon Linney

ODU alum and Presbyterian College running backs coach reflects on his path from student assistant to Division I position coach

Old Dominion alum Brandon Linney joined The Monarchists Podcast this week to talk about a coaching journey that began as a student volunteer in Norfolk and has since taken him through junior college, quality control work at Richmond, a homecoming return at Norfolk State, and now a full-time post as running backs coach at Presbyterian College. Linney set out a clear goal years ago — become a Division I position coach before turning 30 — and he hit it, crediting hard work, relationships, and a string of mentors along the way.

Getting in the Door at ODU

Linney's start in college football came after his senior year of high school football was wiped out by a chronic shoulder injury. At Old Dominion, he emailed the staff under head coach Bobby Wilder, landing a spot as a volunteer holding pads and shooting highlight reels for the athletic department. That access put him in the building during practices and on the road for ODU's 2016 trip to play NC State — an early look at gameplanning and recruiting that he says "opened the floodgates" for everything that followed.

Learning From a Loaded Roster

Linney's time at ODU overlapped with the 2016 Bahamas Bowl team, giving him an up-close view of players like Zach Pascal, Jonathan Duhart, and Ray Lawry. He says watching how those players were recruited and developed — and how receivers like Pascal built long careers partly through their willingness to block — shaped the notes he still pulls from today when evaluating prospects.

Building a Resume From the Ground Up

After ODU, Linney coached high school football at Rockbridge under George Matson, then moved through junior college stops at Independence and Tyler, where he says he learned how to connect with players from vastly different backgrounds on tight recruiting timelines. From there, his path included a quality control role at Richmond, a return home to Norfolk State, and a stint at Missouri Southern under current Presbyterian head coach Matt Rahl — the relationship that eventually brought him to South Carolina.

Rockbridge HS — Freshman team & varsity coaching under George Matson
Independence & Tyler JC — Player development across diverse backgrounds, rapid-turnaround recruiting
Richmond — Quality control assistant
Norfolk State — Full-time Division I job, homecoming return to ODU
Missouri Southern — Running backs coach under current Presbyterian Head Coach Matt Rahl
Bryant — Helped deliver program's win over an FBS opponent (UMass)

Life at Presbyterian College

Now in Clinton, South Carolina, Linney coaches running backs for Rahl, who hired him based on a recommendation despite the two not knowing each other previously. He describes Presbyterian — the smallest Division I program in the country — as a place built on close relationships and a staff with "dogs" who push players while genuinely caring for them off the field.

What He Looks for in a Running Back

Linney evaluates running backs as "complete backs" who can run, catch, and pass-protect. His non-negotiables for recruiting:

• Acceleration and deceleration — the ability to start, stop, and cut, not just raw speed
• Shows up on other people's film — effort on plays that aren't designed for them
• Willingness to pass protect — he calls it "50% coaching, 50% will"
• Coachability — partly judged by how a recruit treats his own parents

The "Gallon Mentality"

To manage incoming freshman ego, Linney uses a cup-and-gallon exercise passed down from one of his own coaches: a small cup can look "full," but a gallon — even partially filled — has far more room to grow. He tells his backs he wants them to think like a gallon, always able to take in more coaching rather than assuming they already know the game. He pairs that mindset with detailed film work on vision, patience, and run schemes, often breaking down how backs who post 100-yard games typically do it through steady four-to-ten-yard gains rather than chasing a single explosive run.

A Message for Monarch Nation

Linney closed the conversation with a message of support for his alma mater: continue backing Monarch athletics, show up for games, and recognize the standard Coach Rahne's staff has built. He pointed to relationships with Rahne and running backs coach Lucas as a source of pride as an alum, and said he'll be rooting for ODU football to keep climbing this season — right alongside his own Blue Hose.

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