Senior linebacker for Old Dominion. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 230 lb · Newport News, VA · Woodside
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 9 tackles, 2 TFL, vs Norfolk State
Statement game18 tackles · 0.5 TFL · 0.5 sacksvs East Carolina (FBS) · L 14-20
Top 0.1% tackles game since 2021.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior linebacker for Old Dominion. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
The full story, with sourcesHow he plays
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait.
Tackles for loss: 80th percentile.
The full scouting readKoa Naotala
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Third year in the Old Dominion linebacker corps, same address the whole way. He has been named All-Sun Belt two seasons running, most recently in 2025. The receipt: 9 tackles, 2 TFL against Norfolk State — Week 1, 2026.
17 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
Career arc
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-SUN BELT
All-Sun Belt mention (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Ricky Rahne.
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Old Dominion | 17 | 8 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Old Dominion | 87 | 21 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Old Dominion | 29 | 6 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 133 | 35 | 8.0 | 3.5 | 2 | -- | -- |
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 31-10vs Norfolk State | 9 | 4 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 21-44@ Virginia Tech | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | L 17-20vs East Carolina | 5 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 17 | 8 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 31–10
2 tackles for loss · 9 tackles · 4 solo tackles
Dominant 21-point win at home against Norfolk State.
With Q. Henicle — 137 yds · 2 TD · 1 INT · 68 rush yds (13 car) · 2 TD · I. Brandt — 45 yards per punt · 2 punts · 46 long
Since week 2: +5 tackles.
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Ricky Rahne — 12-16 over that span.
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: tackles for loss (80th percentile). Concern: passes defended (28th percentile).
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Defender profile · Production by role
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
Tackle volume
17tackles this seasonTFL rate
12%2 TFLSack rate
0%0 sacksPD rate
0%0 pass breakups17 tackles · 2 for loss.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home2g | 7.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road1g | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 5.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Ricky Rahne
Pass share
32.7%
54 pass / 111 run
Plays / game
55.0
3 games
Team sack rate
13.4%
67 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-heavy, slow tempo.
Player standing · 2026
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
Player DNA
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Eriq Gilyard’s 2018 season.
Matches Eriq on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Troy Bowles's junior season at Michigan (2026).
Matches Troy on
Differs from Troy on
Player DNA
14 more on the roster · Old Dominion team page