ODU Football Fall Camp
Fall Camp BATTLes
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By Mike Langston
Sun Belt media days are behind us, and week 1 is closing in fast. Before the season officially opens, though, the focus belongs to fall camp and the preparation for a season-opening matchup against Norfolk State.
With so many contributors from last year's Cure Bowl championship squad now gone, some to graduation and others to the transfer portal, the Monarchs enter camp searching for answers across multiple spots, including the offensive line, secondary, and defensive end.
Two position battles stand out above the rest to the Monarchists staff, though, and how they shake out could shape the entire trajectory of the 2026 campaign.
WIDE RECEIVER
Heading into 2025, Monarch fans had plenty of questions at receiver after losing Isiah Paige, Pat Conroy, Diante Vines, Myles Alston, and Peanut Houston to graduation. The top returning pass-catcher, Na'eem A.R. Gladding, had hauled in just 2 passes for 18 yards the year before. Of course, we now know how that story played out; Tre Brown, Ja'Cory Thomas, and A.R. exploded for a combined 130 catches, 2,148 yards, and 15 scores.
This offseason presents a near-identical puzzle. Brown is now at LSU, Thomas landed at Vanderbilt, and Gladding is suiting up for Maryland. That leaves TJ Johnson and Sidney Mbanasor as the top returning options, each having posted 68 yards through the air a year ago. Sidney, at 6'5", 216 pounds, brings tight end size mixed with solid speed and strength to the role β€” a quarterback's dream on 50/50 balls. TJ, meanwhile, is the prototypical outside receiver, with good length and athleticism at 6'3", 180 pounds, and he's fearless, often putting his body on the line to secure the catch.
Also in the mix is Josh Rodriguez, who redshirted his first year on campus. Rodriguez may be one of the most gifted receivers to come through Coach Rahne's program, and while a breakout is coming, the question is whether it arrives this fall or down the road.
As they did last year, the Monarchs turned to the portal and junior college ranks to plug the holes left behind.
Kendall Harris arrives via the portal from Mercer. The redshirt sophomore caught 38 passes for 482 yards and 3 touchdowns last season, following a freshman campaign of 33 grabs, 330 yards, and a touchdown; memorably scored against Alabama. At 6'1", 200 pounds, Harris offers positional versatility.
JJ Harrell joins from Holmes Community College after beginning his career at Mississippi State, where he played in four games as a true freshman while preserving his redshirt; leaving him three years of eligibility. He picked ODU over a long list of suitors including Temple, Coastal Carolina, Ball State, ECU, Georgia State, ULM, Sacramento State, Southern Miss, Texas State, Toledo, Troy, UTSA, and Western Kentucky. Spring reps showed a well-rounded skill set both outside and in the slot.
Zion Agnew comes over from Lenoir-Rhyne after starting his career at ECU, where he redshirted before transferring. His sophomore season at Lenoir-Rhyne was a breakout: 41 catches, 655 yards, and 5 touchdowns, plus return duties on special teams. At 5'9", 160 pounds, his blend of speed likely projects best in the slot, though he can create explosive plays outside as well.
The Monarchs also brought in a strong freshman class, headlined by Zialis Blackmon, BJ Bedgood, and Brayden Myovela; three names 247Sports ranks among the six highest-rated recruits in program history. Expecting any of them to start week 1 may be premature, though, so we'll hold off on that projection for now.
Under new offensive coordinator Kody Cook and receivers coach Michael Smith, the competition for the top three spots should be one of the more compelling storylines of camp. The talent is clearly present; now it's a matter of who separates from the pack.
LEFT TACKLE
Similar to receiver, every starting offensive line spot opened up this offseason. Spring ball suggests center, right guard, left guard and right tackle are likely settled; but left tackle remains up for grabs, and it's arguably the most critical spot up front. Protecting the quarterback's blind side and controlling the edge against increasingly athletic pass rushers is no small task, and the job appears to be a two-man race between Kendrick Hall and Raykwon Goldthwaite.
Hall, a 6'5", 300-pound tackle from West Memphis, Arkansas, arrives via Butler Community College. He drew offers from Arkansas State, FAU, FIU, Middle Tennessee, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Troy, Western Kentucky, and several FCS programs. Ranked as the 17th-best tackle prospect in his class, Hall brings a strong combination of size, strength, footwork, flexibility, and balance.
Goldthwaite, a fifth-year senior, spent four seasons at FCS North Alabama before transferring in. He started at left tackle there in 2025, logging 452 snaps while surrendering just two sacks. At 6'8", 305 pounds, he offers rare size along with the experience this unit badly needs after last offseason's exodus.
The stakes here run deep. A clear winner who stays healthy and performs well would stabilize the entire line, keeping the rest of the unit locked into their roles and making both the run and pass game easier to execute. A murkier outcome could mean more shuffling along the line as the staff hunts for the right combination; and with it, more uncertainty across the group.
Now, for the question some of you are already asking: what about quarterback? It's a fair one. Quinn Henicle, Jaxon Potter, and Ryan Huff are all competing for the job and each bring something distinct β€” Huff's arm talent, Potter's cannon, and Henicle's playmaking legs. But none of that matters much if the line and receiver room aren't rounding into form first.
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Stay tuned to the ODU Monarchists as we bring you coverage all camp long on both the website and on YouTube.