Old Dominion takes heat for playing star QB after he takes helmet-jarring hit

The Old Dominion Monarchs took immoderate vigor connected Wednesday nighttime arsenic they topped the South Florida Bulls to triumph the Cure Bowl and execute 10 wins for the archetypal clip since 2016.

The contented acrophobic redshirt freshman backmost Quinn Henicle. He ran for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns and passed for 127 much successful the 24-10 win. But successful the 3rd quarter, Henicle was deed rather hard by South Florida’s De’Shawn Rucker, which knocked disconnected his helmet arsenic helium deed the ground. Rucker was ejected for targeting.

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Old Dominion backmost Quinn Henicle (10) yells arsenic helium scores a touchdown successful beforehand of South Florida cornerback Jonas Duclona (3) during the Cure Bowl NCAA assemblage shot game, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, successful Orlando, Florida. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

South Florida Bulls cornerback De'Shawn Rucker (22) gets a targeting telephone for this deed connected Old Dominion Monarchs backmost Quinn Henicle (10) negating a turnover during the StaffDNA Cure Bowl betwixt the Old Dominion Monarchs and the USF Bulls connected Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025 astatine Camping World Stadium successful Orlando, Florida. (Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Henicle went down and didn’t determination for respective moments. He was helped backmost up by immoderate aesculapian unit and walked to the sideline.

However, it wasn’t capable to sound Henicle retired of the game. He came backmost successful 2 plays aboriginal and Old Dominion would people connected a tract goal. Old Dominion received immoderate disapproval for allowing Henicle to support playing aft the brutal hit.

Old Dominion caput manager Ricky Rahne said Henicle was checked for a concussion 3 times, according to the school’s website.

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Old Dominion backmost Quinn Henicle, left, and caput manager Ricky Rahne, halfway right, observe aft winning the Cure Bowl NCAA assemblage shot crippled against South Florida, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, successful Orlando, Florida. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

"I didn't deliberation it was that hard of a hit," Henicle added. "It was conscionable football. When you get deed similar that, you get up and you get backmost into the game.

"I wasn't going to let them to instrumentality maine retired of the game."

The Monarchs led 17-10 aft the tract extremity connected the scrutinized drive.

Old Dominion backmost Quinn Henicle (10) reacts aft a archetypal down during the Cure Bowl NCAA assemblage shot crippled against South Florida, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, successful Orlando, Florida (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

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In the 4th quarter, Henicle delivered the knockout stroke with a 51-yard touchdown run.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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