Extending career with Monarchs hit home for senior

NORFOLK

Jason Fuller has a message for Old Dominion fans wondering why he's not being honored with a Senior Day sendoff this afternoon: Don't cry for me, Monarch nation.

"If I'd have been the only guy out there at midfield, it would have been uniquely awkward to say the least," the 6-foot-5, 260-pounder said.

To his relief, Old Dominion University officials decided against it. He'll just be one of the guys when the Monarchs play host to North Carolina Central at 2 p.m. in ODU's first football homecoming game.

Fuller is, in fact, the lone "senior" on ODU's roster - senior being loose terminology. A former Virginia Cavalier, Fuller ended up with this start-up program after the coaching staff at Virginia informed him last fall his scholarship wouldn't be renewed for this season.

He holds no grudge; things just didn't work out. He was never able to add significant weight to his frame and was stuck behind All-American Chris Long for much of his stay.

Fuller left Charlottesville with a business degree from the McIntire School of Commerce and a year of athletic eligibility after redshirting a season at U.Va.

He landed this summer in Norfolk, where he thought he might be able to help get the Monarchs' program off the ground and scratch that itch to play football. In four years at Virginia, he was in on 24 snaps. It was a heck of an itch.

He vividly remembers the moment he thought ODU might be the place for him.

"I was home on winter break and was listening to Tony Mercurio's radio show, and Bobby Wilder was on it," Fuller said. "I heard a passion in his voice I'd never heard before from a coach. Even on the radio, I could tell the man was driven to do things right. It's not always what someone says as much as it's how they say it."

Fuller employed the help of friend and former high school coach Jeff McGowan to act as a go-between with the ODU program. There were other options, but Fuller wanted to play for the Monarchs while taking graduate classes in public administration. ODU was close to Fuller's home - he played at Virginia Beach's Kempsville High - and offered a unique challenge.

"Jason just wanted an opportunity to play," McGowan said. "Just a chance."

Wilder, ODU's coach, made no promises.

For starters, Fuller's transfer to play one year of football had to be approved by the NCAA, which usually requires two years of remaining eligibility for a transfer. In addition, there was already a stable of talented defensive linemen on ODU's campus.

And whatever playing time Fuller received had to be earned. Fuller has played a back-up role for the Monarchs but has been more than satisfied.

He has been in on 24 tackles and is second on the team with 2-1/2 sacks. He's also recovered a fumble, and when the Monarchs have blitzed their linebackers, Fuller has more than adequately dropped back into pass coverage.

"I feel I've been a benefit to this team," he said.

His true value hasn't been measured in tackles and sacks. Wilder says Fuller brought maturity to the fold and seriousness to the daily approach. When Fuller hit the blocking sled at ODU's first preseason practice, he extended his arms and lifted the front end of the sled off the ground, then threw the sled to the side.

A sense of "Oh, that's how it's done" swept through the other linemen.

Younger players ask him questions, about life on and off the field. And his work ethic in the weight room and in practice is unquestioned.

His greatest value, though, probably will pay dividends in four years. With Fuller playing significant minutes, true freshmen Nate Barnes and Alex Johnson, two defensive linemen with loads of promise, saved a year of eligibility.

Fuller hasn't been a standout, but has held his own.

"Jason worked hard to fit in," Wilder said. "And he's been productive.

"There was one play two weeks ago where we blitzed and Savannah State threw a wide receiver screen pass. Jason turned and ran the receiver down 20 yards downfield. Plays like that epitomize effort. Things just didn't work out for Jason at Virginia. I'd like to think they worked out for him here."

Asked if, years from now, he'll tell people he played football at Virginia or ODU, Fuller quickly said, "I'll tell them ODU."

"I've been part of the most successful start-up program in the history of college football," Fuller said, "and I take a lot of pride in that."

Rich Radford, (757) 446-2463, rich.radford@pilotonline.com