Update> Wilder has resigned.
Original article>
Heading into this season, Old Dominion was opening a beautiful new reconstructed stadium seating over 22,000 that cost about $67.5 million. However, a 1-10 season left a lot of empty seats, and now Bobby Wilder is widely expected to be out as the leader of the Monarch program. Wilder poured his soul into building this program, so the decision can not be an easy one for University leadership.
Wilder, who prior to taking over the ODU program was an assistant at Maine from 1990-06, left to help start the Monarch program in 2007. The first two years was full of recruiting and getting the infrastructure for a successful college football program in place, and they took the field for the first time in 2009.
That first season, they burst onto the scene as an FCS independent with a 9-2 record, followed by an 8-3 mark in 2010.
The 2011 season marked the first season in the CAA, and Wilder led the team to double-digit wins, postseason appearances, and top 10 rankings for two straight years. In 2014 they transitioned to the FBS level as a member of Conference USA, and went 6-6 and then 5-7 before a breakout 10-3 campaign and win in the Bahamas bowl in 2016.
Wins have become increasingly tough to come by the last few seasons for Wilder and the team though, as the team finished 5-7 in 2017, 4-8 in 2018, and the slip to 1-10 this fall.
Overall, Wilder is 77-55 since helping start the program back in 2009, which is pretty remarkable, all things considered.
Word in the profession is the resources are there to win and the fans are craving (and willing to invest in) a winning program.
Looking forward, sources tell FootballScoop Oklahoma assistant head coach Shane Beamer is expected to be a candidate for the job should it open. Beamer played at Virginia Tech. He then went on to coach at Mississippi State three seasons before going to South Carolina where he coach on the defensive side of the ball four seasons. He returned to Virginia Tech for the 2011 season where he made the move to the offensive side of the ball. After four seasons at VT, he would go on coach with Kirby Smart at Georgia two seasons. This is his second season at Oklahoma, serving as assistant head coach / tight ends for Lincoln Riley's squad.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest in coaching change information.