#26

Ja'Varien Salter

Junior running back for Old Dominion. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.

RB · Old Dominion · Jr. · #26

5′9″ · 190 lb · Ocala, FL · Vanguard

Returning to Old Dominion for 2026

Next upSat Sep 19 · 6 pm ETvs East CarolinaS.B. Ballard StadiumOld Dominion by 3

How he plays

Yards / carry: 23rd percentile.

The full scouting read

The numbers

rushing yards · 2026

4.2 per carry

2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 40 rush yds, vs Norfolk State

His career numbers, season by season

The story

3 running back for Old Dominion. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.

His career, year by year

Ja'Varien Salter

RB · Old Dominion · Jr · #26

The receipt: 40 rush yds against Norfolk State — Week 1, 2026.

40 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 9 CARRIES

Low coverage — composed from the verified record.

season totals
game log

2026 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2026Old Dominion1-1HC: Ricky Rahne · Run-heavy, slow tempo

Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort

Box-score percentiles

5 metrics · season cumulative

Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).

Box-score rates (5)

Yards / carry#12 / 15 · 23rd pct

4.2

Long run#14 / 15 · 13th pct

Rush TDs#13 / 15 · 10th pct

Rush yards#16 / 15 · 0th pct

Carries#16 / 15 · 0th pct

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Splits & context

Splits

Per-game splits

Through 2 games: 19.0 YDS/g, 2.4 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Ricky Rahne

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2026

Backup

On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career stats

Season	Team
2026	Old Dominion	9	38	4.2	0	--
Career		9	38	4.2	0	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026

W 31–10

vs Norfolk State

40 rush yds (7 car)

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 AVG · 46 LONG · 2 NO

Signature plays

Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|

The plays that mattered most

fact

Week 1 · Norfolk State · 2&14 · Q2 · EPA +2.99No Huddle-Shotgun #26 J.Salter rush middle for 18 yards gain to the NSU41 (#1 J.Saunders; #10 D.Allen), 1ST DOWN
Week 1 · Norfolk State · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -1.95No Huddle-Shotgun #26 J.Salter rush left for 4 yards loss to the ODU41 (#95 D.Menard; #1 J.Saunders)
Week 1 · Norfolk State · 2&6 · Q4 · EPA +1.36No Huddle-Shotgun #26 J.Salter rush middle for 9 yards gain to the NSU49 (#50 D.Simmons; #20 I.Emery), 1ST DOWN
Week 2 · Virginia Tech · 1&2 · Q3 · EPA -1.23(03:16) No Huddle-Shotgun #26 J.Salter rush middle for 3 yards loss to the Hokies05 (#51 S.Okunlola)
Week 2 · Virginia Tech · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA -0.37(08:53) Shotgun #26 J.Salter rush middle for 1 yard gain to the ODU16 (#45 E.Mensah)
Week 1 · Norfolk State · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA -0.17No Huddle-Shotgun #26 J.Salter rush middle for 4 yards gain to the ODU42 (#96 J.Pegha; #11 C.Turner)
Week 1 · Norfolk State · 2&5 · Q2 · EPA -0.15No Huddle-Shotgun #26 J.Salter rush middle for 3 yards gain to the NSU16 (#13 B.Thompson; #95 D.Menard)
Week 1 · Norfolk State · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +0.08No Huddle-Shotgun #26 J.Salter rush middle for 5 yards gain to the NSU19 (#8 M.Moses; #11 C.Turner)
Week 1 · Norfolk State · 2&8 · Q4 · EPA +0.06No Huddle-Shotgun #26 J.Salter rush middle for 5 yards gain to the ODU28 (#11 C.Turner; #0 B.Blake)

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2026 season · 2 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	CAR	YDS	AVG	LONG	Note
Wk 1	W 31-10vs Norfolk State	7	40	5.7	18	Season-high 40 yds
Wk 2	L 21-44@ Virginia Tech	2	-2	-1.0	1
Total		9	38	2.4	18

The backfield · Old Dominion

#3Devin RocheRB · Jr.634 rushing yards · 2025
#18Ke'Travion HargroveRB · Sr.268 rushing yards · 2025
#5Maurki JamesRB · So.224 rushing yards · 2025
#28Troy MarquezRB · So.8 rushing yards · 2025
#26Ja'Varien SalterRB · Jr.2 games · 2026

3 more on the roster · Old Dominion team page

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology