No longer a Hokies nemesis
Ex-ODU star joins Virginia Tech, the school he always wanted to play for
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ali Jennings started his media session Thursday at ACC Football Kickoff with an apology.
“First off, I want to say I’m sorry to my coach and my teammates now about that last year,” Jennings said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Jennings didn’t do anything wrong last year. Rather, as an Old Dominion wide receiver, he helped the Monarchs upset Virginia Tech in the first game of the 2022 season.
In ODU’s 20-17 win last year, Jennings led the Monarchs in receiving with five catches for 122 yards.
Looking back on the game, the Richmond native believed he played with an extra chip on his shoulder.
“The previous staff didn’t offer me,” Jennings said, referring to Virginia Tech. “I grew up in Virginia, I always wanted to come to Virginia Tech, and me not getting an offer kind of felt like a slap in my face. So I always told my family if I ever got to play them, they would have a problem on their hands.”
Even though his 2022 season got cut short due to injury, Jennings finished as Old Dominion’s leading receiver with 959 yards and nine touchdowns. Those numbers were good enough for third and first in the Sun Belt, respectively, and helped him earn a first-team All-Sun Belt nod.
Jennings said that after he transferred to Virginia Tech during the offseason, his new teammates gave him a hard time for playing a key role in the upset.
“They were like, ‘Man, you didn’t have to do us like that. You didn’t have to go that crazy on us,’” Jennings said. “I was just trying to do my job. My team asked me to go make some plays and that’s what I tried to do. (I was like,) It just so happened to be against y’all, but I’m here to make plays for y’all now.”
Since his visit to Blacksburg during winter break, Jennings said he’s been accepted with open arms by the program and has found its environment to be “addictive.”
“When you walk in the facility and everybody is greeting you and you see how high-energy everyone is and how much everyone enjoys being around each other, it just hooked me,” Jennings said.