Old Dominion hired Penn State offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne as its head coach Monday.
Rahne has been offensive coordinator at Penn State the last two seasons and on coach James Franklin’s staffs with the Nittany Lions and Vanderbilt since 2011.
The 39-year-old former Cornell quarterback never has been a head coach.
ODU is replacing the only head coach its football program has ever had in Bobby Wilder, who resigned after 11 seasons with a 77-56 record. Wilder led the program through its transition from FCS to FBS. The Monarchs went 1-11 this season.
“First, I love Ricky and his family. This is a bittersweet moment for our program,” Penn State coach James Franklin said in a statement released via Twitter. “I am so incredibly proud of Ricky and I am super excited for him, his family and Old Dominion. I am forever indebted to Ricky for his loyalty and drive in helping us succeed at Vanderbilt and Penn State.
“Ricky is a rising star in the industry and is built for this opportunity. He is a smart, open-minded and talented coach. His humble leadership style will resonate well with Old Dominion’s leadership and players. I look forward to following his program at Old Dominion.”
I want to thank @RickyRahne for everything he has done for me these past few years. Not only is he a great coach, but has been a great mentor to myself and my teammates. I will miss ya coach! @ODUFootball is getting a great one! Much love✊ #WeAre pic.twitter.com/1mHvsolGdH
— Sean Clifford (@seancliff14) December 9, 2019
