Three Old Dominion Offensive Players to Watch Against Virginia Tech

These three are the ones to keep an eye on when Old Dominion takes the field on offense.

Dec 17, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Old Dominion Monarchs quarterback Quinn Henicle (10) runs into the end-zone for a touchdown against the South Florida Bulls in the fourth quarterduring the Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Old Dominion's quarterback is at Wisconsin. Its leading running back is at Tulsa. The Monarchs' top five receiving yard leaders are at a different school or have graduated. Not to mention all five offensive linemen who started last season are gone. The team that walked into Lane Stadium last September and won by 19 barely exists anymore. Here's who does.

Quinn Henicle, Quarterback

This name might sound familiar to Hokie fans because Henicle has already played Virginia Tech back in 2024. Henicle took over two possessions into Old Dominion's 2024 meeting with Tech and played the rest of the game as a true freshman. On his fourth snap, he faked a handoff and ran 65 yards untouched for the first touchdown of his career.

In the 2024 regular-season finale at Arkansas State, he ran 19 times for 206 yards, including a 92-yard touchdown that remains the longest run in program history, and won Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week. In December's Cure Bowl against South Florida, he carried 24 times for 107 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Last week against Norfolk State, he went 9-for-12 for 143 yards and two touchdowns, while throwing an interception, and led the Monarchs with 68 rushing yards and two more scores on 13 carries.

If it isn't clear by now, Henicle is most dangerous with his feet. Looking at his career passing stats, he has completed 40 passes on 77 attempts (51.9%), thrown four touchdowns and has been picked off twice. If Brent Pry's front can win first down and put Henicle in third-and-long, this gets uncomfortable for the Monarchs in a hurry.

Devin Roche, Running Back

Roche is 5-foot-7 and 172 pounds, in his fourth year, and he's the rare Monarch who has spent his whole career in Norfolk. He was a preseason first-team All-Sun Belt pick.

Roche ran for 630 yards and four touchdowns in 2025 with three 100-yard games in his final four, including 100 in the Cure Bowl. His career high came against Troy in November, when he went for 145 yards on 16 carries with a 67-yard run and a 49-yard punt return.

He was able to find the endzone last year against Virginia Tech, too. Roche carried four times for 25 yards and scored from 15 yards out.

In the opener against Norfolk State, Roche rushed for 45 yards on 13 carries. He returned four punts for 33 yards, and a 26-yard return flipped the field ahead of Old Dominion's second touchdown.

JJ Harrell, Wide Receiver

Harrell is a 6-foot, 205-pound redshirt sophomore out of North Panola in Sardis, Mississippi, a three-star junior college prospect who signed with Old Dominion out of Holmes Community College, where he caught 14 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns last fall. His three catches for 51 yards led the Monarchs in the opener.

Only four Monarachs caught a pass last Saturday. Harrells' longest play came on the opening drive where Henicle found him for a 38-yard completion.

The room around him is thin on FBS production. Fifth-year tight end Leon Haughton Jr. has nine career catches for 125 yards. Fifth-year receiver TJ Johnson has six for 93, two of his three career touchdowns came on Saturday. Mercer transfer Kendall Harris started and didn't catch a pass. Across two seasons, Harris has 72 catches for 833 yards.