Heinicke to return to finish his degree
NORFOLK — Once campus reopens and classes restart, Old Dominion students might find they’re sitting in class next to a legend.
Former ODU quarterback
Taylor Heinicke, the most decorated player in the Monarchs’ short football history, plans to return to campus this fall to finish his degree.
“It’s kinda been a shadow over me, or a weight on my shoulders, over the last 4-5 years,” Heinicke said in a telephone interview this week from his home in Georgia. “I always wanted to finish at ODU. I think that’s a big thing. ODU gave me the opportunity to come there and play football for four years. ODU always treated me great, and I just want to finish there on campus and do it the right way.”
Heinicke, 27, has switched majors — from engineering to mathematics — since his playing days, and after completing some online courses needs about six classes to finish.
Heinicke became ODU’s starting quarterback under coach Bobby Wilder in 2011 and finished his four-year career with 14,959 passing yards and 132 touchdown passes. He was an AllAmerican and the Walter Payton Award winner as a sophomore in 2012.
Heinicke was undrafted after leaving ODU, and had short stints and limited success with four NFL teams: Minnesota, New England, Houston and Carolina. He was on the St. Louis BattleHawks’ roster in the XFL this season before the league folded. Heinicke is still working out and staying in shape “in case something crazy happens and I get a call.”
“If something happens this year in the NFL and a coach I’ve been with feels like they want to bring me in, I want to be ready,” Heinicke said. “I’m staying in shape and staying football-ready if it comes, or I’ll be ready to move on with my life.”
Heinicke hasn’t ruled out getting into coaching, and he’s had several conversations with new ODU coach Ricky Rahne about the possibility of joining the staff as a volunteer assistant.
“Talking to him, I like the energy he brings,” Heinicke said.
Coaching is “something I would love to do, help out this year, get a glimpse of what it’s like,” Heinicke added. “Maybe even throw out a play here or there.”