NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion University football featured seven players on the Athlon Sports preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team. Zack Kuntz and Ali Jennings III were named to the first team, while Blake Watson, Nick Saldiveri, R’Tarriun Johnson and LaMareon James received second team honors, and Marcus Haynes was named to the fourth team.
Kuntz led ODU last season and finished second in the country in receptions by a tight end with 73. He tied Jennings for the team lead with five touchdown catches and was second on the team with 692 receiving yards. He earned Conference USA first-team honors last season.
Jennings led ODU with 1,066 receiving yards on 62 grabs for five touchdown passes. His 252 receiving yards in the regular season finale were the most by a Monarch since Nick Mayers had 271 receiving yards against New Hampshire in 2012. Jennings earned C-USA honorable mention in 2021.
Watson became the first ODU running back since Ray Lawry in 2016 to rush for over 1,000 yards. Watson set a school record with 215 carries for 1,112 yards and eight touchdowns. He earned C-USA honorable mention last season.
Saldiveri started all 13 games at right tackle and earned C-USA honorable mention. He became the first ODU offensive lineman to score a touchdown when he recovered a fumble in the end zone in the win over Charlotte.
Johnson is ODU’s leading returning tackler as he finished second on the squad last year with 91 stops. He also tied for the team lead with a pair of interceptions and recorded six pass breakups. Johnson was named C-USA honorable mention in 2021.
James finished ninth in the country last season with a 29.4 kick return average. He returned a pair of kicks for touchdowns, one against Louisiana Tech and the other in the Myrtle Beach Bowl against Tulsa. The kickoff return for a touchdown against Tulsa was the first time in program history ODU opened a game with a kick return for a touchdown.
Haynes led ODU with 5.5 sacks last season and finished second on the squad with six tackles for loss. He totaled 27 tackles and two pass breakups. One of his sacks went for a safety in the win over Florida Atlantic.
ODU opens the 2022 campaign on Friday, Sept. 2 against Virginia Tech at Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium. Season tickets for the 2022 football season can still be purchased by going to YNotTix.com or calling 757-683-3360.
Football Places Seven on Athlon Sports Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference
