Monarchs topple Rhode Island, get first CAA road win

True freshman quarterback Taylor Heinicke threw for three touchdowns and ran for another Saturday afternoon to lead Old Dominion to its first-ever road victory in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Playing as a ranked team for the first time in their three-year history, the Monarchs outslugged Rhode Island 31-23, icing it when Eriq Lewis picked off a hurried pass by Rams quarterback Steve Probst with 1:17 remaining.

ODU, which came in No. 21 in the Football Championship Subdivision, left Meade Stadium with a 5-1 record and a 2-1 mark in the CAA.

Heinicke was pressed into duty last week, burning what was expected to be a redshirt season, after senior quarterback Thomas DeMarco went down with a high ankle sprain last week in a 48-33 victory over Massachusetts.

DeMarco was limited to holding on kicks Saturday.

Heinicke was 26 for 32 passing for 205 yards. But most importantly, he didn't turn the ball over. Nor did his teammates.

"He brings a veteran presence," said junior receiver Nick Mayers, who had a game-high eight catches, including a 9-yarder that went for the go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter. "I know he's only a freshman, but he doesn't play like one."

After some early hiccups - Heinicke was sacked twice in the first quarter - the 18-year-old caught fire.

ODU trailed 14-7 late in the first half when the Monarchs went to a two-minute drill. It seemed to be to Heinicke's liking as he completed 8 of 9 passes, the last a 7-yarder for a touchdown to another freshman, Larry Pinkard.

"We started taking what they were giving us," Heinicke said. "We hit a hitch route and a ball route. Then we hit some digs and curls, and after that they didn't know what we were going to do."

Tied 14-14 at the half, ODU tried to get a jump on the Rams (1-4, 0-2 CAA) with an onsides kick to start the second half, but it backfired when Jarod Brown kicked it eight yards instead of the required 10. With a short field, the Rams quickly marched 38 yards, scoring on a 4-yard wildcat run by Anthony Baskerville. Placekicker Louis Feinstein, however, missed the extra point.

ODU took a 21-20 lead when Heinicke again found Pinkard on a quick slant from the slot on the Monarchs' first possession of the second half.

"In the slot, I'm getting mismatches with linebackers or safeties," Pinkard said. "And safeties just can't cover like cornerbacks can."

Rhode Island answered with a 38-yard field goal, but its luck turned on the drive when Probst went down with a sprained ankle, stalling the drive and forcing the field goal.

Heinicke then led the Monarchs on their third consecutive scoring possession, hitting Mayers in the left flat on third-and-goal from the 9 for a 28-23 lead.

Probst came back into the game with his ankle heavily bandaged, but Monarchs linebackers Craig Wilkins and John Darr came up with huge stops and the Rams had to punt. The teams exchanged two more punts before ODU's Brown missed to the right on a 42-yard field goal attempt with 8:48 left.

The game's next play was monumental.

Rhode Island ran a double-reverse flea flicker and Probst threw a bomb to Travis Hurd, who dropped it.

"In all my years of football, I'd never seen a play like that," Wilkins said. "I was amazed."

The Monarchs sacked Probst on back-to-back plays and the Rams had to punt again. This time, ODU's Brown nailed a 22-yarder with 2:13 remaining.

Eight points down and with no timeouts, Probst completed two quick passes to get the Rams to the ODU 32. The Monarchs blitzed middle linebacker J.J. Williams on the next play, hurrying Probst's pass that was intended for Brandon Johnson-Farrell.

It sailed high and into the hands of Lewis. It was Probst's second interception of the day.

"Heinicke's 34 for 43 for five touchdowns and no picks," ODU coach Bobby Wilder said of his quarterback's stat line after two games.

"I have no regrets about burning his redshirt year. Our seniors want to win now. It's not about the future. We're 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the league. The time is now."

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