North Carolina Central head coach Trei Oliver remains focused on growth, discipline and preparation following a difficult 54–6 road loss to FBS opponent Old Dominion.
The lopsided score doesn’t tell the full story of the matchup, said Oliver, who saw positive moments early in the contest.
“I thought we got off to a decent start,” Oliver said during Monday’s MEAC coaches’ call. “Defensively, we held them on two consecutive drives, and offensively, we moved the ball. But we struggled to finish drives and put the ball in the end zone.”
The Eagles trailed just 16–3 at halftime, but a combination of explosive plays, penalties and turnovers in the second half allowed the Monarchs to pull away.
“We were aggressive early — going for it on fourth and one, fourth and two — but didn’t convert,” Oliver said. “You can’t make mistakes like that when you play up. We talked about it all week.”
The loss wasn’t just on the scoreboard. Oliver noted the team sustained injuries, including two players who are expected to miss the rest of the season. But the message is clear — next man up.
As North Carolina Central prepares to host Fayetteville State, a traditionally strong Division II program, Oliver stressed the importance of refocusing.
“This is a very dangerous Fayetteville State team,” Oliver said. “But it’s not about who we’re playing — it’s about us. It’s about North Carolina Central.”
Quarterback play and offensive consistency remain points of emphasis.
“We’ve been adequate, but not consistent,” Oliver said. “We need to be more efficient. That starts with the quarterback, but also protection, routes, drops — it all matters.”
Fayetteville State is led by quarterback Demari Daniels, a player Oliver said was on Central’s radar during recruiting. Daniels brings size, athleticism and a strong arm to the Broncos offense.
“He’s tough to bring down,” Oliver said. “They’ve got a strong supporting cast with their tight ends and receivers. We’ll have to stay disciplined defensively.”
When asked about playing both FBS and Division II opponents as part of their schedule, Oliver emphasized the strategic approach behind it.
“I do the scheduling myself,” he said. “We play one FBS game each year — it’s a challenge and it helps financially. We usually play one Division II team and then schedule a very tough FCS non-conference schedule. That balance gives us a chance to grow.”
Despite the blowout, Oliver believes games like last weekend’s offer valuable lessons and evaluation opportunities.
“Those games show you the temperature of your team,” he said. “When you’re down, you find out who keeps fighting. We’ll watch that film hard and learn.”
Oliver also acknowledged the changing landscape of college football and the transfer portal. While he traditionally hasn’t relied heavily on transfers, he said it’s becoming necessary to look at all options, including standout players from Division II programs.
“We’re going to try to win a football game,” Oliver said. “But we’ll be evaluating talent along the way. It all rolls downhill.”
This story was drafted using an AI tool based on the transcript of the MEAC weekly coaches’ conference and was then reviewed and edited by a journalist before publishing.
