The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
Alex Bell, one of the top recruits of last year's class, is transferring out of Old Dominion's football program having never played a down.
The 6-foot-6, 265-pounder is transferring to Division II West Chester (Pa.) University. Bell, who was expected to play somewhere on the offensive line, will switch to tight end at West Chester, a position he sporadically played in high school.
"It's nothing against ODU," said Bell, who is from Milford High in Delaware. "I just felt I'd be happier somewhere else."
Bell is 1 of 4 players to leave the program since spring drills concluded. Linebackers A.T. Aoelua and Mychael McJunkins recently were ruled academically ineligible and have left the program.
McJunkins led the Monarchs in tackles last season with 85; Aoelua was third with 50.
Meanwhile, defensive lineman Jeff Crawford has left the team to wrestle at Division II King College.
The losses of Aoelua and McJunkins leave the Monarchs with four returning linebackers. And that's if Mateus Porter returns healthy after sustaining a hip injury in the spring game.
That doesn't mean ODU will be undermanned at the position: Counting Porter, 11 linebackers are expected in camp when preseason workouts begin in a little over three weeks. Sophomore Craig Wilkins switched positions from strong safety to linebacker in the spring. Junior transfer J.J. Williams is coming off a redshirt season and toe surgery and redshirt freshman John Darr is coming off knee surgery.
"All of this presents a lot of opportunity at linebacker," defensive coordinator Andy Rondeau said. "We are considering moving Michael Williams from defensive end to linebacker to help us there. We will be very fluid at the linebacker spots until we see where we're going."
Note: Ricky Nichols, who left the ODU in January, has transferred to James Madison. Nichols, the first player to commit to ODU's new FCS program three years ago, must sit out a year at JMU and will have two remaining years of eligibility, beginning with the 2011 season.
Rich Radford, (757) 446-2463, rich.radford@pilotonline.com
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Football Family...your right...Here is some support
Go ODU!
I'm guessing that most of
I'm guessing that most of the comments that have been posted are based on conjecture. Unless you are the player or a family member you really don't know the reason for the decision to leave the program. Don't blame it on the coaches, the program or whatever. Why can't it just be accepted that a player decided to move on and that it doesn't alway mean it's due to a negative reason. Let's just wish them luck and hope that they are happy with their decision. How about showing our support to the ODU coaches instead of tearing them down; they are a hard working, dedicated group of fine men who deserve our support.
Seriously?
http://www.norfolk.com/2010/03/why-nichols-left-program What more do you need? There is no guessing or conjecture it is in the public record for anyone to read. Ricky Nichols was dismissed from the team by the head coach Bobby Wilder for missing study hall plain and simple. He made a promise and broke and Bobby does not stand for that no matter how trivial it might seem. A simple copy and paste you could have saved yourself from looking like a fool. I do wish him luck, luck that he is not on the field vs. the Monarchs in 2011 because he will get burned.
Players want to play. I wish
Players want to play. I wish Nichols luck as I do all 757 guys no matter where they play.
Txfer to JMU??
Ouch!
Every one wants to
play and there's only so many spots to start. School work is another matter. The players have tutors and extensive counselling on their college courses. If they can't make it with all that, it's sad!
Hopefully, they will try to come back and try again.
Age old dilemma
Other than the academic ineligibility, it's always the same decision for college athletes. Do they want to be a 2nd or 3rd stringer on an up and coming program, or a starter on a lesser program? Taken to a higher level, would you rather be a bench-warmer on a championship team, or a regular starter on a team that doesn't even qualify for a bowl game. It's a matter of personal preference.
are you kidding me?
Academically inelegible? What are these two knuckleheads thinking? Scholarships, and a key to a bright future thanks an education and they goon it up. Boy are they gonna hate themselves in a few years becuase of the woulda-coulda-shoulda affect.
Aside form that, what a great opportunity for others to step up and prove they're better than what the recruiters thought they were. I look forward to more ODU success.
Something's not right.........
You're seeing a mass exodus of players out of the program. Ricky transferred to JMU! I think the luster is wearing off on the new program and these kids see that the program and or coaches aren't what they thought they were.
No quite
http://www.norfolk.com/2010/03/why-nichols-left-program
Get your facts right. Don't make it seem like Ricky left voluntarily. Ricky is nothing more than a practice player, chances are good he won't see the field at JMU and if he does even better. Being the first recruit meant little or nothing about how good he could become and how hard he was willing to work within the system. He is expendable just as every player in college football is expendable. If Coach thought we had to have Ricky Nichols to win games then Ricky Nichols would be on the team still.