Hayden Wolff named Old Dominion’s starting quarterback for season opener vs. Virginia Tech

The hottest question surrounding Old Dominion’s football team burns no more.

Hayden Wolff, the Monarchs’ starting quarterback in the final seven games last season, will keep the gig as they open the season against Virginia Tech next week, coach Ricky Rahne said Monday.

Wolff, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound redshirt sophomore from Venice, Florida, won a three-player battle that also included former starter D.J. Mack and Notre Dame transfer Brendon Clark.

Rahne said he made the call about a week ago.

“I really have loved how he has approach4ed this training camp,” Rahne said of Wolff. “I’ve been happy with all the quarterbacks and what they’ve done and how they’ve gotten better each and every practice.

“(Wolff) has made some major improvements in his game, so that’s going to be a huge factor for us.”

Wolff started his first game last season against Western Kentucky — ODU’s seventh game. The Monarchs lost that game, but won the ensuing five to earn a berth in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. Wolff played in 10 games and completed 159 of 253 passes for 1,933 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The Monarchs started 1-6 before the five-game winning streak. ODU finished 6-7 after losing to Tulsa in the bowl game, just the second in program history.

Wolff, who gained about 20 pounds of muscle in the offseason, is one of 10 starters returning on ODU’s offense. He said he was thrilled when Rahne told him he had won the job.

“It felt awesome,” Wolff said. “All the hard work that I’ve put in, that we’ve put in as a team, it felt like some stuff was starting to pay off. I’ve always believed in myself and the work that I put in. I couldn’t be more thankful and appreciative of this opportunity.”

Wolff started three games during the 2019 season as a freshman. ODU did not play in 2020 because of the pandemic.

This is a developing story.