Penn State Offensive Coordinator Ricky Rahne is slated to become ODU’s Head Coach

Old Dominion is slated to name Ricky Rahne as the second head coach in the program’s 11-year history.

The news was first reported by Zach Barnett of FootballScoop.com.

The 39-year-old Rahne has spent the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Penn State, where he led the Nittany Lions to the 45th ranked total offense in 2018 and 67th this past season.

Rahne, who also served as Penn State’s quarterbacks’ coach, first order of business will undoubtedly be the development of the Monarchs’ signal-callers, specifically true freshman Hayden Wolff.

Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

ODU finished 128th out of 130 FBS teams in total offense per game in 2019 (273.8), with the team having eight games this season that saw them finish with under 200 yards passing, en route to a 111th place finish in passing offense (176.4).

The Monarchs’ only saw five passing touchdowns from their signal-callers - a mark that was dead last in among FBS teams.

Wolff started three of the final four games this year, leading Old Dominion their two highest passing outputs of the year (321 yards vs MTSU, 289 yards vs UTSA) before missing the final game of the regular season with an injury.

Under Rahne’s tutelage, Trace McSorley was an All-Big Ten Second-Team performer in 2018 and this year sophomore Sean Clifford has thrown for 2,521 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Prior to being named the OC at Penn State before the start of last season, Rahne was the Nittany Lions’ tight ends coach from 2016-2017, quarterbacks coach exclusively in 2014-2015, that saw him coach Christian Hackenburg and QB coach at Vanderbilt under current Penn State head coach James Franklin from 2011-2013.

Rahne will take over for the departed Bobby Wilder, who resigned following Old Dominion’s 1-11 record this season after 11 years as Monarchs’ head coach.