Sep 21 / Todd

2018-19 JMUSB Game Preview #4: William & Mary at JMU

And just like that, CAA play is here. After an odd start to the season from a scheduling and weather perspective, the real campaign finally gets under way this week as JMU welcomes one of their few remaining rivals to town.

The Basics

Matchup: William & Mary Tribe (1-1, 0-0 CAA) at #2 JMU (2-1, 0-0 CAA)

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium, Rocktown

Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 74 degrees,  20% chance of rain, humid.

Coverage: NBC Sports Washington (DTV Ch. 642) and MadiZone HD.

FEPO: JMU -29.5, O/U 47.5

How William & Mary Can Win?

Take advantage of a potentially overconfident Dukes team and cash in every single opportunity and break they get. The Tribe may need to win the turnover battle to win, but they definitely need to cash in every chance they get to score. If they don’t control the clock, the ball, and the tempo, eventually JMU’s talent will likely overwhelm them, but the longer they can stay ahead, the tighter a young Dukes team may get. No turnovers, no settling for Field Goals. Or you can read this more in-depth, and certainly more optimistic look, from our friends over at the William & Mary Sports Blog– and go easy, we love these guys and there were plenty of years we had to talk ourselves into picks like this. Plus they have such a darned good-looking site.

How JMU Can Win

Play within themselves, shut down the run, and limit mistakes. JMU is more talented this year. By a lot. They’re faster, stronger, and most of all deeper. And the margin in those categories is close to as wide as its been in JMU’s favor at any point in this longstanding series with our friends down the road. But JMU cannot get full of themselves thinking this is a walk in the park. This rivalry has seen everything and the Griffins have enough skill position players to make plays if the Dukes take them for granted. Maybe most importantly, JMU cannot get overhyped looking for highlight-reel plays in what I’m sure the kids will feel is their first competitive game in three weeks. Take what’s available, don’t make mistakes trying to do too much, and let the “slow blowout” come if that’s what’s needed. Also, Throw. The. Ball. To. Riley!

Saying Good Bye to a Legend

This week will be the last JMU/W&M game for 39-year Tribe Head Coach Jimmye Laycock. 39 years. Wow. To say he’s seen a lot, or to say he’s had a huge impact on the Tribe and Williamsburg communities, would be to grossly understate the career of this CAA legend. When he retires at season’s end, it’s safe to say that the light will be extinguished on the last candle burning for the old-school, Virginia-centric CAA we all knew and loved. Congrats Coach Laycock! Now explain the silent “e.”

Beer of the Week (Today’s pathetic humblebrag)

Been saving this one since an incredible summer trip to the islands. When you’re fortunate enough to travel down in the little latitudes, you really can’t complain about anything. Basically, if you ever get to take a trip like that, you must remember you’re on island time, relax, and check your privilege when it comes to the type of nitpicking blogs like this are normally designed for middle-aged guys to do. But honestly, like everything else down there, the beer scene has basically been stuck in a post-colonial malaise forever. For a few decades, “local” has meant Presidente (solid), Red Stripe (less solid), Carib (not good), and Corona (worse). And of course Heinekens follow the sailing crowd everywhere on the globe more obnoxiously than intentionally distressed clothing. But we’re really glad to report that St. Croix now has its very own brewery, and it’s not the crap local brewery that’s popped up so many places just to pop the cruise-line sheep (we’re looking at you VI Brewing on St. Thomas).

But Leatherback Brewing Co.’s Reef Life IPA is legit (even their Mango IPA is really good and I’m usually anti-fruit). And it was great to see how proud everyone in the service industry was to have a really solid local product on hand, even if most places couldn’t have it on the “front taps” surely thanks to corporate deals signed in different eras.

Official JMUSB Prediction

Dukes 45, Tribe 10

3 Comments

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  1. M@ / Sep 21 2018

    FYI: There’s no link to the W&M blog.

  2. Jeff Smith / Sep 21 2018

    Dukes 45
    Tribe 13
    Thanks for the great memories Jimmy L. Great coach and a class act.

  3. T2008 / Sep 21 2018

    Something interesting about W&M that I noticed looking at their TD’s this season. They have scored 4 TD’s and 3 of them came off, or were setup by, big plays of 59+ yards. Not sure if this is something to be concerned with as we may learn how well we handle the big play, or something to take confidence in since those plays are often flukes and not sustainable to win an actual game with. Either way I thought it interesting to note. Watch the big play.

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