Stick and Go: ODU Goes Back to Boone

Old Dominion Football sits at 1-4 through five games, with its lone victory coming against the crosstown Norfolk State Spartans. To make matters worse, the gap between the Monarchs and their recent opponents has widened, with ODU outscored 88-30 the last two weeks. Few expected the Monarchs to be in this position before the season, but persistent offensive struggles have forced the defense to play near-perfect football just to stay competitive, a burden that has predictably caused that unit to buckle in recent weeks.

As discussed last week, running the ball has been a grind, with sacks heavily distorting the team's rushing figures in recent weeks. Because NCAA statistics count sack yardage against rushing totals, 149 yards have been erased from ODU's ground attack. Strip those out, and the Monarchs are averaging a more respectable 135.4 rushing yards per game at 4.4 yards per carry, compared to the official stat sheet's 105.6 yards per game and 2.9 per carry.

However, sacks do not tell the entire story. ODU's running backs have combined for just 372 yards on 101 carries, an average of 3.7 yards per attempt, with only one touchdown between them. One statistic in particular illustrates the battle to find running room: Devin Roche has generated an impressive 207 yards after contact, yet has only 247 net yards on the season. Gaining just 40 yards before encountering a defender means he is routinely met at or behind the line of scrimmage, averaging less than a yard of clean space per carry.

The passing attack has suffered from similar dysfunction, as the two phases remain inextricably linked. A more effective passing game would keep defenses from stacking the box against the run; conversely, a productive ground game would help ODU avoid third-and-long situations where pass rushers can pin their ears back and hunt the quarterback. Improvement in either area would immediately ease the burden on the other.

Instead, ODU quarterbacks have spent far too much time on the turf. The Monarchs have surrendered 25 sacks, the most in FBS, with quarterbacks going down on roughly one out of every six dropbacks. For Ryan Huff, that rate spikes to one in five. Even when the ball comes out, it hasn't traveled far. ODU is completing 51.6% of its passes for 152.8 yards per game, netting just 4.2 yards per dropback once sack yardage is factored in. Quinn Henicle has been the steadier distributor, completing 55.9% of his throws for 7.0 yards per attempt with three touchdowns and two interceptions, while Huff has connected on 47.9% for 5.8 yards per attempt. Through five games, ODU has thrown four touchdown passes; its opponents have thrown 13.

To turn the season around, the Monarchs must address a few critical areas:

The Monarchs have found their highest efficiency on the perimeter. Runs off the left end have produced 204 yards on 24 carries (8.5 yards per attempt), yielding three touchdowns and seven gains of 10 or more yards. Runs off the right end have averaged 5.1 yards per attempt, driven largely by individual effort: 96 of those 113 yards came after contact, with 12 missed tackles forced.

Between the tackles, however, efficiency plummets. ODU has run up the middle 48 times, nearly a third of its non-sack carries, averaging just 3.0 yards per attempt, with a mere 19 of those 145 yards coming before contact. The right side has presented the toughest challenge, with carries between the right guard and right tackle netting just 49 yards on 20 attempts.

The goal should not be abandoning the interior entirely, but using it as a complement rather than the foundation. Stretch runs, tosses, and jet sweeps (ODU has run only one all season) would quickly get backs to the perimeter where they excel. Furthermore, integrating designed quarterback runs and read-option looks to the left side would utilize Henicle's athleticism where he has been most dangerous. Inside runs can then be reserved for lighter defensive boxes or set up with counters and pulling linemen to prevent defenses from keying on the interior line.

When given adequate protection, Henicle has proven effective. On clean dropbacks, he completes 67.3% of his passes for 8.4 yards per attempt, with three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Under pressure, which has come on 40% of his dropbacks, those figures drop to 26.3% and 3.2 yards per attempt, alongside both of his interceptions.

Fixing this begins with speeding up the throw. Henicle averages 2.51 seconds before throwing from a clean pocket compared to 3.46 seconds under pressure, with over a third of those pressured dropbacks resulting in sacks. A quick-release passing game must serve as the centerpiece, particularly over the middle, where Henicle is 11-for-11 on short throws.

Combining quick strikes with selective deep shots plays directly into his strengths. On throws of 20 or more yards, Henicle averages 18.7 yards per attempt with zero interceptions and a strong PFF grade, so calling a few max-protection deep shots per game makes tactical sense. Conversely, ODU should dial back intermediate routes over the middle, where Henicle is just 1-for-7 with two interceptions, as those slower-developing concepts leave him vulnerable to pressure.

Interestingly, Henicle has been more productive against blitzes (8.6 yards per attempt) than against standard four-man rushes (6.0), indicating that pressure is often coming from defenders winning individual matchups rather than from extra rushers. Adding protection help from chipping running backs and tight ends, alongside designed rollouts, will keep the pocket moving and give Henicle clearer reads.

Finding answers won't get any easier in Boone. Appalachian State enters at 3-1, fully rested off a bye week, featuring an offense operating at high efficiency. Quarterback Malachi Singleton is completing 72.7% of his passes with seven touchdowns and one interception for a Mountaineers team that leads the Sun Belt in passing offense and has converted 18 of 20 red-zone trips into points. App State also protects the football well, boasting a plus-four turnover margin.

This presents a stern challenge for an ODU defense already carrying an unsustainable load. The Monarchs cannot expect to keep pace if the offense musters only a couple of field goals.

However, openings exist. Appalachian State's pass rush has generated modest production, recording just six sacks through four games. Additionally, NC State exposed the Mountaineers' run defense two weeks ago, rushing for 206 yards. If there is a matchup for ODU's pass protection to stabilize and its running backs to hit the outside, this is it.

Ultimately, opponent weaknesses are only relevant if ODU's offense can capitalize on them, something it has struggled to do. The defense can refine its eye discipline and special teams can win the hidden yardage, but until the offense stops falling behind the chains and surrendering sacks, progress will remain elusive.

As linebacker Mario Thompson noted on Monday:

"We have been beating ourselves."

Mario Thompson, Linebacker

That self-inflicted damage must end in Boone, or the road ahead will only get bumpier.