“It’s more intense.” Old Dominion holds first full-contact practice as countdown to opener against Virginia Tech intensifies – The Virginian-Pilot

NORFOLK – It’s a late summer rite with an almost universal effect.

For college football players, putting on full pads for the first time tends to make things real.

Under an unforgiving late morning sun, Old Dominion held its first full-contact practice on Monday. It was the Monarchs’ sixth practice since the start of fall camp, and there was no doubting the difference between this one and the other five.

“It’s a lot more intense,” junior receiver Ali Jennings said. “We know we have live periods where we can actually get tackled and stuff. It’s not a tag-off and stuff like that anymore. Now every play where we catch the ball or run the ball, we try to score. We’re not trying to get tackled, and the defense is trying to stop us. So it’s more of a feeling of playing with all the pads.

Under NCAA rules, the Monarchs can have nine full-contact practices before the Sept. 2 season opener against Virginia Tech. Third-year coach Ricky Rahne said the team may or may not use all nine.

But he liked what he saw during the first one.

“I think they did a great job,” said Rahne, who will enter her second season on the sidelines of ODU after the program halted the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I thought it was a lot of energy. A lot of times in full pads you have guys playing outside of their technique, outside of the pattern and just trying to hit people and make plays and make things like that. I didn’t see that today. I saw a lot of good balls, so I was excited about that.

The Monarchs’ battle at quarterback continues, Rahne said, with all three contenders showing improvement while pushing each other to improve.

Only the quarterbacks were safe from contact, which echoed throughout the LR Hill sports complex until shortly after noon.

For the most part, the noises were long overdue. The ODU players last met at the end of spring training.

“It was really fun for me,” senior linebacker Ryan Henry said. “Anytime we get pads, linebackers, we’re ready to hit.

“It’s just fun to improve and make contacts.”

Rahne, a former Penn State offensive coordinator, said the Monarchs remain a work in progress as the days count until the season opener.

The Monarchs went 6-7 last season, including five straight wins before a loss to Tulsa in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. It’s early days, but Rahne is optimistic with an offense that fires 10 starters.

“I feel like we’re where we want to be,” Rahne said. “Are there a lot of things to clean? Yeah, and I think that’s almost a good thing too. I think we look at each other well on both sides of the ball, which is difficult and stresses our schemes and our players. And I think that’s also a positive thing.

David Hall, david.hall@pilotonline.com