ODU goes out like a lion with win over VMI

LEXINGTON

The Old Dominion Monarchs knew they couldn't stop VMI's triple-option offense Saturday, so instead, they decided to try and outscore them.

Quarterback Thomas DeMarco proved up to that challenge as he threw for a career-high 245 yards, connecting on two touchdown passes and rushing for three more as the Monarchs capped an improbable first season of football with a 42-35 victory at Foster Stadium.

It was ODU's sixth consecutive victory as the Monarchs finished the year 9-2, the most victories by a start-up program.

For all of DeMarco's heroics - he scored on runs of 1, 2 and 16 yards - ODU coach Bobby Wilder dug deep into his bag of tricks to pull this one off, beginning with the opening kickoff.

Deciding 10 minutes prior that if the Monarchs won the coin toss they'd defer, ODU pulled off an onside kick, with placekicker Drew Hareza falling on the ball and giving the Monarchs the opening possession.

That trickery proved a precursor.

ODU didn't score on that opening drive, but won the early battle for field position and eventually scored first, with DeMarco hitting Nick Mayers for what turned out to be a 27-yard scoring pass after Mayers made a couple Keydets miss.

Grabbing the lead proved key, because if ODU had to play from behind in this one, it could've been disastrous. VMI, which came in ranked second in rushing in the Football Championship Subdivision with an average of 262 yards per game, ran for 422 yards. By day's end, their 276.7 rushing average led the country.

The Keydets (2-9) threw some new wrinkles at the Monarchs, who were expecting an already complex scheme of dives, quarterback keepers and option pitches.

When VMI, coming off a 22-17 loss to Army the week before, changed gears and started putting men in motion on the opposite side and running more of a lead option that operates more between the tackles, the Monarchs were set back on their heels.

"I was on the phone with (defensive coordinator) Andy Rondeau more than I'd ever been in a game," said linebacker Michael Colbert. "We were adjusting between every possession."

But while ODU's defense struggled, the offense thrived.

A 4-yard strike from DeMarco to Reid Evans on a quick slant put the Monarchs up 21-14 early in the second quarter.

"VMI's offense put pressure on our offense to score every time," DeMarco said. "I felt every time we went onto the field we needed a score today."

It was an over-exaggeration, but not by much, and was never more obvious than in the third quarter.

When ODU's opening drive of the second half stalled at the VMI 45, the Monarchs weren't satisfied. Wilder called for a fake punt, and up blocker James Edwards, who normally plays tight end, took a direct snap. Edwards rambled around the right side and scored on the surprised Keydets.

Leading 35-21, ODU quickly discovered how precious points were when Zach Collins raced 71 yards on VMI's next play from scrimmage to cut the lead to 35-28.

DeMarco fumbled on a run up the middle on ODU's next possession, giving the ball to the Keydets at the ODU 36. A pass interference call on T.J. Cowart gave VMI first down at the ODU 21. But the Monarchs dug in their heels, and VMI's Jeff Sexton was wide right on a 34-yard field goal try.

ODU then put together what would be the game-winning drive, going 80 yards on 15 plays. DeMarco scored on a 16-yard run around left end, but the play of the day came on third-and-8 from the ODU 32. Flushed from the pocket, DeMarco thought for a moment about scrambling, but instead tight-wired the line of scrimmage and hit the 6-foot-4 Edwards, who leaped above a defender, for an 18-yard pickup and a first down.

"Their quarterback is outstanding," VMI coach Sparky Woods said. "He's tough and he plays to win. It was very impressive to watch him play."

VMI, however, still had one more huge play in its arsenal, and Cam Jones broke off a 69-yard run to the ODU 1.

Kyle Hughes scored on the next play, pulling VMI within a touchdown.

Two false starts doomed VMI's next possession, and it all came down to one final go for the Keydets, who took over at their 34 with 4:49 remaining after a 50-yard punt by Jonathan Plisco.

A 15-yard penalty for a chop block hindered VMI's drive, and with 1:57 left, the Keydets faced first and 22 from the ODU 45. That eventually became fourth and 9 from the ODU 32, and Jones' last-ditch pass intended for T.J. Talley was broken up by Mychael McJunkins, salting the win for the Monarchs.

"Win ugly, that's our motto," said Rondeau, whose defense had to play without regular starting middle linebacker Mateus Porter, out with a broken hand.

"It sure beats losing pretty."

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