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The schnitzel of a lifetime on his plate, his wife and two friends at the restaurant table, Ricky Rahne was approaching halftime of his European vacation. Then his phone buzzed.

March 12 was the date. Bruce Stewart, an Old Dominion senior associate athletic director, was the caller. Rahne, the Monarchs’ new football coach, knew something was amiss.

Sure enough, Stewart informed him that the COVID-19 pandemic was shuttering the sports world. Moreover, ODU was extending spring break and telling students not to return to campus.

Back at his hotel in Triberg, Germany, after dinner, Rahne stayed up past 2 a.m. That’s when texts began streaming in. Get home soon, they said, before U.S. airports close.

Rahne woke his wife, Jennifer. Then, as she navigated the Autobahn to Frankfurt, he booked flights.

Vacation was over. The chores for this rookie head coach and reeling program were escalating by the moment.

No spring practices to install his concepts on offense, defense and special teams. No more in-person meetings, until further notice, for the Football Bowl Subdivision’s youngest staff and players they’ve yet to evaluate on the field.