ODU+Football

**Old Dominion University Football**

The Old Dominion University Football team, located in Norfolk, Virginia is a part of the [|Colonial Athletic Association]. The CAA consists of eleven teams located up and down the eastern seaboard. The Monarchs returned to football in 2009 after almost 70 years without it. The team is coached by Bobby Wilder.

 The Football Monarchs have played three seasons of Division 1-AA recently finishing the 2011 season 10-3. They finished 10th in the Final Sports Network/ Fathead.com FCS Top 25 poll that was released in early January.

 **History**  The football program began in 1930. The first team was known as the Norfolk Division Braves and played until 1941. The program was discontinued due to rising debt.

 **Rebirth of a Program**  In 2005, the board of visitors approved a plan to create a football program. This program would play at the NCAA Division I (later changed to FCS, or Football Championship Series) level. The team signed their first recruiting class in 2008.

 **Season 1-3**  In the Monarchs first season they finished 9-2. This is the best winning season record for a first year program in the modern era of college football. Season two was just as successful with the Monarchs finishing 8-3. The third season was the Monarchs first season in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Monarchs final record was 10-3 and they finished second in the CAA. They also cracked the Final Sports Network FCS Top 25 Poll at #10. The Monarchs made the FCS playoffs and took on the Norfolk State Spartans at S.B. Ballard Stadium. The Monarchs came out on top and advanced to the second round of playoffs before losing to Georgia Southern in the next round.

 **Coaches and Players** ==== Bobby Wilder was named head coach in 2007, as the program renewed its football program. He had previously been at the University of Maine from 1990-2006. Coach Bill Dee is the acting Defensive Coordinator for the 2012-13 season. Brian Scott is the Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. Other coaches include Marc Bacote, Defensive Backs; Zohn Burden, Wide Receivers; Delton Cotton, Assitant Head Coach/Defensive line; Corey Heatherman, Linebackers; Brad Watkins, Running Backs; Ron Whitcomb, Quaterbacks; and Michael Zyskowski, Special Teams Coordinator.The [|football team] currently consists of 99 young men, 39 of which are currently red shirting for the 2011-2012 season. The Monarchs have an all-time home game record of 11-4 and an all-time away record of 7-1. ====

**Practice Fields and Stadium**
====The football team practices at the Powhatan Sports Complex located at 4251 Powhatan Avenue in Norfolk, Va. The stadium houses 2 football practice fields, a 6,000 foot training room, and an athletic training room. The Monarchs play their home games at Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium located at 5115 Hampton Boulevard Norfolk, Virginia. The stadium holds over 19,000 fans  every Saturday during the season. ====

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 2009 Season

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">1. [|ODU Football Recruiting Guide]<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 90%;">Retrieved 2012-13-03 <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">2.<span class="wiki_link_ext">[|Colonial Athletic Association] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 90%;">Retrieved 2012-15-03 <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">3.[|Coaches and Players] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Retrieved 2012-15-03 <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">4.[|ODU Football Homepage] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Retrieved 2012-15-03