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For much of ODU's 2015 campaign, things came in pairs. Unfortunately for the Monarchs, they lost their final two contests (Southern Miss and FAU), finishing 5-7 overall, missing bowl eligibility by a mere one win. A trip to a bowl game is not all Wilder lost after the final loss, as 10 seniors departed the program after graduation. Of those 10, five were starters and seven worked on defense.
Of the loses to Wilder's defensive unit include the team's No. 3 and No. 4 leading tacklers in Fellonte Misher and Martez Simpson. Misher also recorded four of the team's eight interceptions from his strong safety position opening up a huge hole in secondary. ODU's defense struggled mightily to get off the field on third down last season, allowing opponents to convert 47 percent of the time, leading to nearly 36 points allowed each game.
Also lost is a pair of Monarchs offensive linemen, Connor Mewbourne (LT) and Tyler Burns (RG) leaving plenty of work to do with recruitment. Here's a look at Wilder's list of recruits that currently rank 7th best in Conference USA while sneaking inside the nation's Top 100 at No. 97.
We will post a full list of recruits once the official list is announced. If you hear any news or a recruit off the radar that could make a splash at the last second, send me a message or post a comment below.