Old Dominion’s Taylor Heinicke, a sohomore quarterback from metro Atlanta, set an NCAA record Saturday when he passes for a Division I-record 730 yards in the Monarchs come-from-behind 64-61 victory over New Hampshire.
Heinicke, who attended Collins Hill High, just north of Atlanta, should be resting his arm today. He threw the ball 79 times, completing 55. He also ran 61 yards on 11 carries.
“I’m at a loss for words,” ODU coach Bobby Wilder said. “What he did, I don’t want to say he’s capable of doing this every game, but he’s capable of doing it again. I don’t think this was a one-game wonder by Taylor Heinicke. I think he’s very capable of this again.”
Clearly, he’s not a “one-game” wonder. In four games this season, Heinickle has completed 137 of 203 passes for 1,921 yards and 20 touchdowns in four games. He’s averaging 480.5 passing yards per game.
“I have a hard time fathoming what he’s doing on the football field,” Wilder said.
For his part, Wilder is ultra-humble and does not seek media attention.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “The receiver corps we have, the great lineman, the great receivers, the great offensive scheme, the great coaches. I give everything to them.”
The record books will show that he set school marks for completions (55), attempts (79), and passing yards (730) as New Hampshire (2-2), an FCS school, dominated the Colonial Athletic Association’s top-ranked defense throughout the first three quarters, taking a 54-38 lead into the fourth.
But Heinicke led his team back in dramatic fashion. Nick Mayers (12 receptions, 271 yards) caught two touchdowns for Old Dominion and Angus Harper scored on a 2-yard run, capping a 23-0 scoring run for the Monarchs.
Former Houston quarterback David Klingler held the previous D-I record, throwing for 716 yards against Arizona State on Dec. 2, 1990.
The former FCS record was held by Weber State’s Jamie Martin, who threw for 624 yards against Idaho State in 1991.
Division I includes both FBS and FCS schools.
