NORFOLK, VA (WTKR) — There's a common saying at the end of most team activities for Old Dominion football this spring.
"D-D-T," said redshirt junior receiver Javon Harvey. "Dangerous, determined, and together."
That battle cry seems to be taking effect for the Monarchs during the Priority Charity Bowl Spring Game on Saturday. ODU showing its fans plenty of new aspects, such as a fresh offense and quarterbacks Grant Wilson and Jack Shields battling in another competition for the starting spot. Hayden Wolff, last year's starter, announced his intentions to transfer earlier in the week.
"I think we bought into everything," head coach Ricky Rahne said. "I think we became more together as a team, this team's as tight as I've ever seen a team."
"This is as close we've been since I've been at Old Dominion," Harvey said. "It's just a sense of together."
A Lake Taylor alum, Harvey provided plenty of highlights in the final period of the scrimmage. He hauled in two touchdowns passes in the left corner of the endzone, diving for one and snagging one out of the air while being held.
The defense showed some depth during the game, playing without All-American linebacker Jason Henderson, who was held out of the game. Blake Seiler's group forced a safety and picked off a pass in the contest.
"We could put anybody on the field and I'm confident that they're going to compete to the best of their abilities and do just as good," said junior defensive tackle Devin Brandt-Epps.
The common theme reverberated through the team as the Monarchs wrapped up spring ball, focusing on being united in their purusit to put a 3-9 campaign in 2022 behind them.
"This group we've really been together since Coach Rahne's first year in 2021," Brandt-Epps said. "So for all of us, we have come together like so close in this offseason."
"Leaving that in the past and knowing that's a place we don't want to go again," Harvey said.
Perhaps the best sign of that unity showed after the game, when Rahne surprised Shields with a scholarship offer.
"It was amazing, he deserves it," said receiver Jordan Bly. "He's been working his butt off all offseason and I'm happy for him."
"I didn't give him anything, he earned it," Rahne said. "Ever since he's got here, he's put his head down and done whatever we've asked him to do."
The attention turns to fall camp for ODU. Before then, Rahne says he intends to bring in a transfer quarterback to compete for the starting job. Wilson and Shields were the only quarterbacks to play in Saturday's scrimmage.
Old Dominion's season kicks off at Virginia Tech on September 2.
