Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 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 | |
| Total | 12 | 7 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#10
Koa Naotala
Senior linebacker for Old Dominion. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 230 lb · Newport News, VA · Woodside
CFB Index 72 · #108 of 571 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Old Dominion for 2026
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
12
tackles · 2026
2 TFL
2 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
4 linebacker for Old Dominion. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
His career, year by yearKoa 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.
12 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
202412 games
- All-Sun Beltsecond
2025
- All-Sun Belt
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Old Dominion
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-SUN BELT
All-Sun Belt mention (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2024
Old Dominion
2026
Old Dominion
Played his entire career under Ricky Rahne.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Ricky Rahne — 12-15 over that span.
2023Old Dominion6-7HC: Ricky Rahne · Run-leaning
2024Old Dominion5-7HC: Ricky Rahne · Run-leaning
2026Old Dominion1-1HC: Ricky Rahne · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: tackles for loss (85th percentile). Strength: qb hurries (83rd percentile).
Box-score production (6)
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.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 6.0 TKL/g, 1.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
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 | 12 | 7 | 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 | 128 | 34 | 8.0 | 3.5 | 2 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 31–10
9 TOT · 4 SOLO · 2 TFL
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
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Old Dominion
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Old Dominion
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: -7 net (15 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Old Dominion · Last season: 10-3 · Talent rank #122 · 2026 recruiting class #96
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Jonathan Jones’s 2021 season.
70%match
All-MAC
Matches Jonathan on
Weight
Solo tackle rate
TFL rate
Differs from Jonathan on
Class year (lower)
PD rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Tariq Speights's sophomore season at Eastern Michigan (2021).
71%match
Matches Tariq on
TFL rate
Height
Sack rate
Differs from Tariq on
Class year (lower)
Hurry rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Koa Naotala
The linebacker corps · Old Dominion
- #4Jeremy Mack Jr.75 tackles · 2025
- #38Seth Naotala64 tackles · 2025
- #18Jackson Forrest52 tackles · 2025
- #13Jed Olotu-Judah14 tackles · 2025
- #10Koa Naotala2 games · 2026
14 more on the roster · Old Dominion team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology