This and that from the the signing day notebook

   Here are a couple of nuggets pulled from the river that is National Signing Day.

   * Wes Moulton is ODU's sixth first-team All-Tidewater selection to sign with the Monarchs in three seasons. Oddly, that hasn't been such a good thing so far. The first two, running backs Hykeem Brodie of Western Branch and J.J. Simmons from Lake Taylor flopped and left the program within a year. Then there was Green Run receiver Tavon Gatlin, who signed but didn't make the grade and is now at a Division II school in West Virginia.

   Lineman James Rainey from Ocean Lakes decided he just wasn't interested in playing football anymore after only a semester in the program.

   The only one to make it to the field did so in grand fashion. Marquel Thomas from Bayside scored the first touchdown for the Monarchs last fall. But two weeks later he was on the sidelines with a microfracture in his knee.

   Still, seems with Thomas the luck seemed to turn a bit. Maybe Moulton, a lineman from Ocean Lakes, and a healthy Thomas can get it fully turned around.

   * Coach Bobby Wilder said that of the 18 high schoolers who signed with ODU on Wednesday, eight attended some type of camp at ODU last summer.

   * Wilder said the recruiting for this spring isn't over, but he's taking a short break from it. ODU can sign six more under NCAA rules, which limit a team to bringing in 30 recruits a season on some type of grant.

   * The 19 signed Wednesday (there was a junior college player, receiver Prentice Gill, as well) bring the number of players under ODU's umbrella now to 98 ... and that's eight more than the team can bring in during August.

   There's a complex formula that incorporates Title IX equality issues that affects how many players ODU can bring in for preseason workouts beginning the second week of August. Once school begins, the roster can expand. What it means is that there's now competition among the existing players on the roster, and primarily the walk-ons, as to who will be invited to camp and who will be told to show up when school starts.

   * Wilder said that this summer's ODU camp scene will use Foreman Field to a degree. "Two years ago, we were having to hold our camps on the fields behind Larchmont Elementary School," Wilder said. "Now we have the Powhatan Sports Complex and Foreman Field."

   * ODU now has 25 schools from the immediate region represented on its roster and a higher percentage of in-state players than "Virginia or Virginia Tech," according to Wilder.

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Eriq Lewis is a Monarch

   The morning of National Signing Day can throw curve balls as a reporter. After months of digging a phone calls to see which player is going where, you think you've got a rock-solid list. And I thought going into this morning I had a rock-solid list of players who would sign with ODU.

   Then I got an email from a fan who had heard that Eriq Lewis, a strong safety from Coolidge High in Washington, D.C, was wavering, than he might end up at UMass.

   So I called Lewis, who told me that was news to him.

   "I heard some of that too and I don't know where that rumor started," Lewis said, as cool as the other side of the pillow. "I just turned in my paperwork to ODU. That's where I'm going."

   So while I had him on the phone, I asked if he was ok with the idea of redshirting and saving his four years of eligibility for the Colonial Athletic Association.

   "If that's what coach (Bobby) Wilder wants, then I gues that's what it will be," Lewis said. "But I'm going down there looking to play this fall. I'm just competitive by nature."

   That rumor, it turns out, was just that. Lewis even told me he already has his roommate picked out. It'll be wide receiver Larry Pinkard, who is from Washington, D.C., as well and played at Ballou High.

   "We go way back," Lewis said.

   That sounds like as done a deal as they get.

   More coming from National Signing Day this evening.

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Hampton on Oct. 30

   Let's get something straight here: ODU football doesn't need games against teams like Georgetown anymore.

   While Georgetown was a convenient opponent for the upstart Monarchs in their first season of football this past fall, the Hoyas would have been annihilated a second time around. The 31-10 pasting ODU put on Georgetown at Foreman Field this past fall was a gift-wrapped 21-point defeat. That's right, I said defeat: ODU took it easy on the Hoyas.

   A bigger, better, stronger, faster ODU would have buried Georgetown at the 50-yard line this coming fall. Georgetown is not committed to playing competitive football and there's no sugar-coated way to say that. ODU is committed.

   So breaking the contract that had ODU returning the trip this coming fall was a wise thing to do on everyone's part.

   Hench, ODU will visit Hampton. It's a skewed version of Battle of the Bay (oops, I said it). I know, the Battle of the Bay moniker is supposed to ride with Hampton and Norfolk State. And now I've dropped Norfolk State into the equation. Sure, ODU should have scored a game with Norfolk State before a game with Hampton. But don't blame ODU for this one.

   Norfolk State's schedule doesn't have a lot of room on it to squeeze in ODU. There's the weathered meeting every year with Virginia State (Tell me why these two schools still face off annually? Because I don't get it). And there's the game where NSU travels to some I-A and gets hammered for money (Sounds suspiciously like the beginning of the movie Rocky; like NSU , Rocky had some bills to pay along the way). So ODU and NSU is going to take some time to reach (Like, don't expect that game until 2013).

   As for ODU fans who wanted to make a road trip to Georgetown, walk the stairs where they filmed the ultimate climax scene in The Exorcist and watch the Monarchs pummel the Hoyas on a mult-purpose field not built for football, there are better things to do on a Saturday.

   Like go to Hampton for a football game. It's a heckuva lot closer.

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Counting heads

    For those trying to keep track of what ODU is bringing in with this recruiting class, here's a list of players who have either joined the program at the start of classes in January or have committed to signing on Feb. 3:

   Ronnie Cameron, 6-3, 295, Jr., DT (Holy Trinity, Hicksville, N.Y./Hofstra): The fire sale at Hofstra after the program was cancelled turned up this gem. Already enrolled in classes.

   Dominik Davenport, 6-1, 264, R-Fr., DT (Phoebus High, Hampton, Va./West Virginia): A transfer from West Virginia, Davenport didn't fit the mold with the Mountaineers' 3-4 defensive alignment. Hopes are that ODU's 50 defensive set will suit him better. Joined program this month.

   Deron Mayo, 5-11, 214, Sr., DE (Kecoughtan High, Hampton, Va./Hofstra): Older brother Jerod Mayo was NFL defensive rookie of the year for New England Patriots last season. Also a Hofstra fire-sale special. Joined program this month.

   Jagger Blehm, 6-3, 240, DE (Green Run High, Virginia Beach): Popped up on the recruiting radars late after playing at a tiny high school in North Carolina. Move to Virginia Beach as a senior paid off.

   Dominique Guinn-Bailey, 6-4, 225, DE (Churchland High, Portsmouth, Va): He runs a 4.6 in the 40, which is crazy-good speed for his size. And he's got a motor that just keeps chugging.

   Darryl Brown, 6-0, 210, LB (First Colonial High, Virginia Beach, Va.): Monarchs thicken the pot at linebacker with a fast one.

   Kenny McAdow, 5-10, 220, R-Fr.,LB (Broad Run High, Ashburn, Va./Northeastern): Left Northeastern in fall after program was discontinued. Enrolled at ODU this month.

   Paul Morant, 6-0, 180, FS (Phoebus High, Hampton, Va.): Ever heard of the Phoebus Phantoms? They win state titles. Lots of them.

   Aaron Evans, 5-8, 170, DB (Woodside High, Newport News, Va.): Evans was the Peninsula District's first-team QB this season as he rushed, and passed, for over 1,000 yards. And he's going to play cover corner at ODU.

   Eriq Lewis, 6-0, 175, DB (Coolidge High, Washington, D.C.): The Monarchs dipped into the D.C. well two years ago and landed Craig Wilkins, who is now a captain on the team and holds down the strong safety slot. 

   Michael Justice, 6-7, 279, OT (West Springfield High, Fairfax, Va.): Can't coach size. You recruit size.

   Preston Smith, 6-3, 240, TE (Deep Creek High, Chesapeake, Va.): This guy has a fast-racing motor and the chance to perform at multiple positions for the Monarchs. Can play DE or OG as well.

   Dominique Blackman, 6-4, 240, Soph., QB (Carson High, Los Angeles, Calif./Los Angeles Harbor College): He could red-shirt if the Monarchs feel it's in everybody's best interest. But after passing for 3,711 yards and 35 TDs against nine interceptions this past fall, how does a guy like that sit? Look for him to compete with Thomas DeMarco for the quarterback slot. In fact, he already is in conditioning sessions.  

   Rashad Manley, 5-11, 170, QB (Bethel High, Hampton, Va.): Played quarterback for the Bruins for one year and that was enough for ODU to get a feel for how could he might be down the road. 

   Angus Harper, 5-11, 202, Fr., RB (Edison High, Alexandria, Va.): Spurned interest from Pitt and Boston College because the Monarchs told him he could play running back at ODU while others wanted him as a safety. He ran 210 times for 1,396 yards and 19 TDs as a senior. Harper graduated early and has already enrolled at ODU.

   Colby Goodwyn, 5-8, 190, RB (Phoebus High, Hampton, Va.): Ran for 1,869 yards and 31 TDs for unbeaten state champs. Enough said.

   Lyshod Graves, 5-7, 155, WR (Reidsville High, Reidsville, N.C.): Scored 21 times as a senior. Ran back five punts for TDs and three kickoffs for TDs. Lightning quick moves.

   Larry Pinkard, 5-11, 170, WR (Ballou High, Washington, D.C.): Popped up on the mild-interest lists of a lot of schools. ODU goes back to the D.C. well again.

   Prentice Gill, 6-1, 188, Jr., WR (Narbonne High, Los Angeles, Calif./Los Angeles Harbor College): Junior college target of QB Dominique Blackman. 

   Antonio Vaughan, 5-8, 150, WR (Hertford County High, N.C.): With 10 career interceptions and four returned for touchdowns, this is a pick-it-and-run guy who played defensive back in the North Carolina-South Carolina Shrine Game. He'll get a shot at wide receiver first for the Monarchs. 

   Jarod Brown, 5-11, 200, R-Fr., PK (Grafton High, Va./West Virginia): Kicked a 57-yard field goal in high school. Enrolled at ODU this month.

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It's January, so recruiting news is plentiful

   A phone call about one player ended up unearthing news on another: Green Run linebacker Jagger Blehm is considering ODU.

   I'd called Green Run coach Shawn Wilson to see what happened with Tavon Gatlin, the dynamic multin-position player who had signed with ODU last spring only to run into some academic shortcomings with the NCAA. There was belief that Gatlin would be a January addition to ODU's squad. Instead, he enrolled at West Virginia Wesleyan last week.

   On to Blehm.

   The kid is 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, plays linebacker and tight end, and just made an official visit to Massachusetts. James Madison is also actively recruiting him, although the Dukes have yet to offer.

   Blehm is an unusual guy. Typically, a Green Run player of talent gets recruited hard from the junior year on, but Blehm only ended up at Green Run this year. He'd been in Camden County, N.C., prior to that.

   "Jagger's still weighing his options but I'd expect a decision soon," Wilson said.

   * While it looked like ODU might land three players from Maryland state runner-up Wise High, now it appears the Monarchs could get none.

   Wise coach Dalawn Parrish reports that defensive lineman C.J. Owens will not come to ODU. Owens missed an ODU coaching staff-imposed deadline for taking the SAT this past fall and the two Hofstra defensive linemen -- Ronnie Cameron and Deron Mayo -- became available. When Cameron and Mayo committed, Owens and ODU went separate ways.

   Meanwhile, Parrish says that wide receiver Trevon Butler also needs an SAT score that both parties are awaiting and that could also snap the ODU relation.

   All the while, Wise linebacker Anthony McDaniel has committed to James Madison. McDaniel originally committed to Richmond, but pulled that when Richmond coach Mike London left to take the coaching job at Virginia. McDaniel had been considering ODU as well.

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Mr. Smith headed for Norfolk?

   Driving back from Harrisonburg Sunday night, where'd I'd seen Old Dominion's Lady Monarchs play surprisingly well in throttling James Madison 67-58, Deep Creek senior Preston Smith gave me a ring on my cell phone.

   Smith was part of a gaggle of players who on Sunday committed to sign with Old Dominion's football team. I'm not sure what qualifies as a gaggle, but today four qualifies for me.

   Smith is about 6-foot-3 and weighs about 245 pounds and is about to become a Monarch. He says he'll sign scholarship papers on Feb. 3 ... if Virginia Tech doesn't entice him to be a Hokie.

   This is the rub of Division I-AA football, presently known as the Football Championship Subdivision. ODU has beaten out the JMUs and Norfolk States of the world to get Smith to this point: He shook hands with ODU coach Bobby Wilder Sunday, looked Wilder in the eye and said, "Coach, I'm coming here if the Virginia Tech thing doesn't work out."

   And that's a position the Monarchs have to be comfortable with. It parallels what top high school baseball players do. They sign with a college, then await the draft. And if the Houston Astros call their name in the first round, they thank the college for their time and go pro.

   Smith is going to make a visit to Blacksburg the weekend of Jan. 29. He could be a late loss to this recruiting class, but that's the ocean in which Camp Wilder swims these days.

   They aren't so much beating out The Citadel or Valparaiso for players. They are beating out legitimate FCS teams and in some cases Football Bowl Subdivision teams for players.

   But there's a rub to this: Sometimes they lose these players late in the game. Then again, sometimes they get these players late in the game.

   Stephen Lawe, an offensive lineman at Maury in Norfolk (and for those who don't know, ODU's campus is in Maury's school zone), says it's down to Virginia and Old Dominion. Lawe recently eliminated Memphis from the mix.

   Lawe will visit Virginia the weekend of Jan. 29 and make a decision quickly.

   Can't leave the blog this morning without throwing this out there: Mike Justice, a 6-7, 279-pound offensive tackle from West Springfield was in the gaggle that committed Sunday. Lawe is 6-5 and 285. What if in future years the ODU quarterbacks have Lawe and Justice protecting them?

   Here's a list of players who have joined the program since the end of the season:

   Dominique Blackman, 6-4, 240, Soph., QB (Carson High, Los Angeles, Calif./Los Angeles Harbor College): He could red-shirt if the Monarchs feel it's in everybody's best interest. But after passing for 3,711 yards and 35 TDs against nine interceptions this past fall, how does a guy like that sit? Look for him to compete with Thomas DeMarco for the quarterback slot.

   Ronnie Cameron, 6-3, 295, Jr., DT (Holy Trinity, Hicksville, N.Y./Hofstra): The fire sale at Hofstra after the program was cancelled turned up this gem.

   Deron Mayo, 5-11, 214, Sr., DE (Kecoughtan High, Hampton, Va./Hofstra): Older brother Jerod Mayo was NFL defensive rookie of the year for New England Patriots last season. Also a Hofstra fire-sale special.

   Angus Harper, 5-11, 202, Fr., RB (Edison High, Alexandria, Va.): Spurned interest from Pitt and Boston College because the Monarchs told him he could play running back at ODU while others wanted him as a safety. He ran 210 times for 1,396 yards and 19 TDs as a senior. Harper graduated early and has already enrolled at ODU. 

   Dominik Davenport, 6-1, 264, R-Fr., DT (Phoebus High, Hampton, Va./West Virginia): A transfer from West Virginia, Davenport didn't fit the mold with the Mountaineers' 3-4 defensive alignment. Hopes are that ODU's 50 defensive set will suit him better.

   Jarod Brown, 5-11, 200, R-Fr., PK (Grafton High, Va./West Virginia): Kicked a 57-yard field goal in high school. Enrolled at ODU this month.

   Kenny McAdow, 5-10, 220, R-Fr.,LB (Broad Run High, Ashburn, Va./Northeastern): Left Northeastern in fall after program was discontinued. Enrolled at ODU.

   Here's a list of players committed to signing on Feb. 3:      

   Trevon Butler, 6-1, 171, WR (Wise High, Upper Marlboro, Md.): Played on a state championship. Has 4.5 speed, maybe better.

   Charles Owens, 6-1, 310, DT (Wise High, Upper Marlboro, Md.): ODU received commitments from Butler and his teammate Owens before the Wise Pumas turned into such a hot commodity. Wise went 12-2.

   Dominique Guinn-Bailey, 6-4, 225, DE (Churchland High, Portsmouth, Va): He runs a 4.6 in the 40, which is crazy-good speed for his size. And he's got a motor that just keeps chugging.

   Paul Morant, 6-0, 180, FS (Phoebus High, Hampton, Va.): Ever heard of the Phoebus Phantoms? They win state titles. Lots of them. 

   Aaron Evans, 5-8, 170, DB (Woodside High, Newport News, Va.): Evans was the Peninsula District's first-team QB this season as he rushed, and passed, for over 1,000 yards. And he's going to play cover corner at ODU.

   Eriq Lewis, 6-0, 175, DB (Coolidge High, Washington, D.C.): The Monarchs dipped into the well two years ago and landed Craig Wilkins, who is now a captain on the team and holds down the strong safety slot.

   Darryl Brown, 6-0, 210, LB (First Colonial High, Virginia Beach, Va.): Monarchs thicken the pot at linebacker with a fast one.

   Colby Goodwyn, 5-8, 190, RB (Phoebus High, Hampton, Va.): Ran for 1,869 yards and 31 TDs for unbeaten state champs. Enough said.

   Michael Justice, 6-7, 279, OT (West Springfield High, Fairfax, Va.): Can't coach size. You recruit size.

   Preston Smith, 6-3, 240, TE (Deep Creek High, Chesapeake, Va.): This guy has a fast-racing motor and the chance to perform at multiple positions for the Monarchs. Can play DE or OG as well.

   Larry Pinkard, 5-11, 170, WR (Ballou High, Washington, D.C.): Popped up on the mild-interest lists of a lot of schools. ODU goes back to the D.C. well again.

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A huge day for the Monarchs

   All-State running back Colby Goodwyn from state champion Phoebus gave his commitment to the Monarchs today. Goodwyn ran for 1,869 yards and 31 touchdowns as the Phantoms went 15-0 to with the Division 5 state title this fall.

   He's not alone in his commitment. Also committing Sunday were 6-foot-8, 300-pound offensive tackle Michael Justice from West Springfield High in northern Virginia and 6-3, 235-pound tight end Preston Smith from Chesapeake's Deep Creek High.

   More on this in Monday's The Virginian-Pilot.

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Two walk-ons now in the fold

   Coach Bobby Wilder confirmed this morning that ODU has added two walk-on transfers who have enrolled in classes: placekicker Jarod Brown and linebacker Kenny McAdow.

   Brown, who is from Grafton High, kicked a 57-yard field goal in high school. He headed for West Virginia and was reported to be a preferred walk-on, but was not on the team. 

   McAdow is a 5-foot-10, 220-pounder who was at Northeastern in the fall, but left when the Huskies canceled their football program. McAdow went to Broad Run High in northern Virginia, which is the same school that ODU lineman Bryan Morrison is from.

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FC's Brown to sign with Monarchs

   First Colonial football coach Jaton Hines called me tonight to say that linebacker Darryl Brown committed to sign with the Monarchs.

   Brown is a 6-foot, 210-pound linebacker with legitimate closing speed.

   More when I get it.

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What's up on the recruiting front

   It's crunch time for recruiting. So what's shaking for the Monarchs? Well, it's hard to pin down everything that's happening on the recruiting front, but here are a few fish in the pond.

   * Mike Justice (6-8, 295, OT) is still out there. The West Springfield High product is going to visit Wofford this weekend, then will take an official visit to ODU next weekend.

   Justice says that Villanova has shown some late interest. As always, late developments can be very interesting.

   * Preston Smith (6-3, 245, DL) from Deep Creek High is getting some interest from various corners.

   Smith is also likely to visit ODU next weekend. Other programs taking a hard look are Norfolk State, James Madison, Virginia Tech, Marshall and Kent State. Smith is taking visits to Marshall the weekend of Jan. 22 and to Virginia Tech on Jan. 28.

   * Jonathan Brooks (6-2, 210, LB) from Miller Grove just outside of Atlanta is also still in the mix. He's had sniffs from Western Kentucky, Toledo, Chattanooga, Elon and Western Carolina. No word on if he'll take an official visit to ODU or not.

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