JMU Suffers Devastating Loss to UNH
After JMU’s 28-10 loss to UNH, the Dukes’ playoff dreams are hanging by a thread. I’m obliged to point out that the Dukes can still win their final 2 games and get a bid. Personally, I don’t find that to be a tremendously exciting proposition though, and I doubt many of you do either. Plus, I’m not sure they’d have the resume to get a bid even if they got to 7 wins. Regardless, it’s the situation they are in. And now some brief thoughts on yesterday’s loss.
Football Games are 60 Minutes
The JMU defense was lights out for much of the second half. They were dialed in and put the clamps on the Wildcats high powered attack. Unfortunately, that same defense came out of the gates slow and let UNH build up a lead they never surrendered. Yes, UNH benefited from some great field position, but the defense was still atrocious in most of the first half. It’s tough to make the playoffs when you let your opposition race out to 25 points before the game was 20 minutes old.
Unlike the defense, JMU’s offense showed a lot of life early in the game. Dae’Quan Scott had a huge run in the Dukes first drive and UNH didn’t appear to have any answer for him. JMU came away with 10 points after it’s first 2 possessions. Then, the magic seemed to disappear. Even with the benefit of amazing field position consistently in the second half, JMU couldn’t punch it in the endzone.
The Not Very Special Teams
To win football games, teams need to win at all 3 phases of the game, offense, defense, and special team. Or something like that. I’m not exactly sure what the cliche is, but the Dukes’ special teams were anything but. They were terrible. This entire short and high kick-off strategy needs to stop. It does not work. And if it’s not a strategy, then JMU needs a new kicker. And nobody returning kicks is going to be confused for Scott McGee or Cortez Thompson anytime soon.
There Are Two Sides to Every Story…At Least
Obviously, there are different ways we could look at this game. Or any game for that matter. UNH did march all over JMU’s defense early, but you could point to the great starting field position they had. Or you could talk about how well the D played for most of the second half. Or about how much they miss Nick Evans. You could blame this loss on the offense’s inability to punch it in after the break. With short field after short field, JMU couldn’t cross the goal line. But you could easily chalk that up to the depleted offensive line or Thorpe’s suspension. Or you point out that JMU scored early, but UNH was just spotted too big a lead. And some other folks will lay the loss on Mickey and the staff. Rolling Jace (a righty) to the left 3 plays in a row before the half was odd. And turning down a penalty that would have given the Dukes 3rd and 6 from inside the ten for 4th and 1, was dicey. But maybe Mickey knew something we don’t. The point is there are a million ways to look at this. Right now, none of that matters. The Dukes are not short on excuses (legitimate or otherwise). They are short are wins. That’s really all that matters.
What It Means
I don’t know. I wish I did, but I don’t. JMU came really close to beating Maine and ODU. Had those games turned out differently, the Dukes would be battling for the CAA crown these next 2 weeks. They didn’t beat them though. They lost. And while we can argue all day about how things would have turned out differently if they were at full strength, they weren’t. It is what it is. JMU is a pretty decent team in the middle of the CAA pack. We can bitch about how disappointing that is, or we can hope they get hot, sneak into the playoffs, and turn in a Cinderalla run for the ages.
Amazing how quickly a season can go down the tubes. Shouldn’t be that amazing since I root for the Redskins also. After wins at Liberty, at W&M, and against UR; I had high hopes. Well, maybe it can turn around as quickly as it went down.
6-5 …. 3 years straight. Called it.
Everyone points to all these good stats, like “we’re 4th against the pass” and “we have the #1 defense in the CAA”…. but you know what? The only stat that counts is the one that starts with “W”. The bottom line is that the current team doesn’t have any playmakers. There isn’t a stat for completing a game winning TD-pass @ Villanova or returning a kick for a game winning TD @ Richmond. What is the statistic for “don’t run a crossing route b/c JMU’s SS will take your head off”?
Wanted: Ballers. Please submit applications to the Plecker Athletic Center, c/o Mickey Matthews.
Check your email. You should have something from us about winning last week’s prediction contest.
And I agree about the pointless stats. This team hasn’t gotten it done against the better CAA teams. It doesn’t matter that they were only a few plays away. Close doesn’t equal wins.
Explain to me how we can’t lay a majority share of this onto Mickey and the coaching staff’s shoulders? Three years in a row we can only beat teams that we should beat. Three years in a row we’ve run basically the same offense. (in fact, I don’t see too much of a difference from the Landers offense either) Three years in a row that offense has been awful. Mickey can’t adapt and is full of nothing but excuses. Injuries are an annoyance, but by no means can he simply just say “we’re beat up” and not take on any responsibility. Everybody has injuries, the difference is that other teams adapt to them and Mickey doesn’t. (How’s ODU’s season going with their backup QB?) He’s running the Thorpe, which is really just the Landers, offense with Edwards. No wonder the poor kid is struggling. (Side note: I honestly believe Matthews used Durden as a scapegoat, because the offense “officially” under him is no different.)
I understand we’re two/three plays away from this being a different story. However, I fail to see why we keep shielding Mickey Matthews. Isn’t the coach and his staff supposed to help make that little difference? (penalties, blown time outs, bizarre kickoff “strategy”, bizarre play calling)
Bottom line, Mickey can’t adapt anymore. This won’t change until he changes, or well…you get the picture. I’m not downplaying or forgetting all he has done for us. I respect that and am thankful for where JMU football is now. However, as is often the case in sports for whatever reason, it just isn’t working anymore.
@Kyler Ames- Mike Barber says one reason is that JMU isn’t getting the players it needs. http://thatbarberscut.blogspot.com/2011/11/analysis-jmu-lacks-clutch-players.html
Barber also says that to make the playoffs, JMu needs to win out and have 2 of 3 happen:
Furman lose 2, Northern Iowa beat Illinois State, or Tx State beat Central Arkansas
I’m certainly not saying this loss can’t be blamed on coaching. The point of my post was to say that there are a million ways to look at things, but no matter how you do JMU still lost. All of this other hand wring and excuse making is pointless. Results are results.
Personally, I think Mickey got out-coached in the past 2 losses. I’m still not ready to say JMU should fire him. For on thing, the season isn’t over yet. And I’m always hesitant to call for a coaching change anyway. The devil you know is sometimes better than the devil you don’t. We’ve seen the best Mickey can do and it’s pretty damn good. Maybe he just needs to be forced to either let Durden do his job, or bring in someone else who can do it better. It seems pretty obvious to me that Mickey’s hands were all over the offense even before he took away Durden’s play-calling ability.
@Rob:
Good point about the “devil you know is sometimes better than the devil you don’t.” No guarantee a coaching change fixes our problems. It is just frustrating to watch the past two years happen yet again this year with little to no change. Maybe our expectations are still too high after 2004 and 2008, but I just feel this team has too much talent to put up results like this.
Just wanted to get in on the conversation. You all do a great job here and it seems a great community for JMU sports related discussion! Thanks for hearing me out and responding!
@KingCranium and Rob:
What do you two think about the recent drop-off in recruiting from the 757 area? It seems to me that Richmond and ODU have been edging us out in that region the past few years. A lot of dynamic talent comes out of that region it seems. Thanks for the pointer to Barber’s newest piece. Missed his tweet advertising it!
It is certainly a tough situation and it doesn’t look too bright for JMU. I think they could definitely pull it off, but who knows if they actually will.
Another 1-AA win would look good right about now, wouldn’t it? Hope Bourne hasn’t spent all our UNC money on hookers and blow, because that’s all we’re going to have to show for the season. With eight wins we would have been a lock. With seven wins plus a built-in loss to UNC, we’re on the bubble at best. So at this point the extra loss is potenitally going to cost us a playoff spot, in the unlikely event we win out.
I have been one of the few saying we’ve got to let MM run the course at least until we make the jump. But at this point, we’re just mired in mediocrity and I don’t see us going anywhere. I agree with the chorus that it’s time to make a change. Get a name coach if we can. I heard the Fridge is looking for work, and a few MD transfers would look good on our roster about now. (Where have I heard that before?)
Thanks for the kind words about the blog Kyle. As far as your question goes, ODU starting a program means there is one more school for JMU to compete with for 757 recruits. The past few years JMU has done a better job in other areas and expanded its recruiting base. Whether that was pro-active as an attempt to lessen ODU’s impact or because ODU forced their hand, is unknown. As far as I know, JMU hasn’t lost any head to head recruiting battles with ODU. In fact JMU beat them out for a couple of next year’s big recruits (I think ODU offered Dylan Stallings for one). Hampton Roads is definitely a talent rich region, but I think its importance might be overblown a bit anyway.
I attended the game in Durham, New Hampshire, last Saturday. I am a New Hampshire resident and long time UNH fan.
I find “JMU suffers devastating loss to UNH” accurate and fair. No crying in spilt milk.
It really was amazing to see JMU run the ball at will in the first period then get shut down the duration. Same for UNH’s Offense except they got points up before they got smothered.
What a splendid weather day it was. I can’t tell you how many simply awful Saturday afternoons I have spent in that Stadium in November but last Saturday is a day that may dupe you all into hoping for late in the season games in Northern New England.
Best of luck the rest of the way and see you next year.
He plagiarized my above comment!
Bet you wish we had Thorpe now. I stick by my comments at that time. Some of you obviously feel that sending a message is more important than playing football in Dec. If this was a 1-A program it would be a 1 maybe 2 game suspension max. Bourne and Co. have pissed away another season. Glad I cancelled my season tickets last year. What a freaking waste.
Love that people want to fire a coach who hasn’t had a full season with the same QB in 4 years. Granted part of that is they scheme they run.
On to basketball…
Well, technically we do have Thorpe now. His suspension is over. And I stick by my comments from back when he was suspended. JMU did the right thing. Sticking by the rules and maintaining the integrity of the program is more important than playing in December.
As far as the Mickey “hasn’t had a full season with the same QB in 4 years” comment, I’m not sure what you’re point is. If he doesn’t like the QBs on the roster, it’s his fault. Recruit better ones. And he had his clear #1 last year, he just benched him down the stretch. Remember that Dudzik was declared the starter before JT got hurt.
True on the Duzick point last year. There are probably 10 schools in the country that could lose their starter and then have someone off the bench equal talent come on the field and perform at the level needed to beat high-quality opponent’s day 1. Your response to get players he likes is a bit absurd. Backups don’t get the reps in practice etc.. so coming up to speed take a few games. In 1-AA you don’t have a few games to get it straight; play-off chances are done with 2-3 loses.
I don’t disagree with the suspension. I think I indicated the length of the suspension is what I feel was way too severe (reference my “if this was a 1-A program”) .
I guess I am more LSU and you are more Kentucky… Note that Kentucky’s policy is “among the nation’s strictest”
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/715993-sec-football-grading-the-failed-drug-polices-of-each-sec-school#/articles/715993-sec-football-grading-the-failed-drug-polices-of-each-sec-school/page/9
It’s not absurd. He clearly hasn’t been happy with the QBs on the roster the past few years. That’s nobody’s fault but his own. He couldn’t make his mind up between Dudzik & Thorpe 2 years ago, then tried to play the excuse game when Dudzik got hurt as if he lost his “starting QB”. If Dudzik was such a big loss, then why hadn’t he earned the starting slot? He was still splitting time with Thorpe when he got hurt. So that’s 1 year when the injury excuse is crap.
Last year he had his starter all season and he ended up 6-5. That’s 2 out of 3 years where the excuse is crap. If you want to chalk this year up to the loss of JT, then have at it. He hadn’t exactly won over the fanbase with his play prior to his suspension though.
Mickey went out and recruited Cosh to come in and compete for the QB spot, again indicating that he didn’t think he had a clear cut #1 on the roster. It’s on him if the position is lacking.
And for whatever its worth, I’ve been pleased with Edwards play. It definitely isn’t his fault that this team might miss out on the playoffs again.
I’ve been pleased with Edwards also. He’s only a Freshman.
Even this year going into the season he couldn’t make up his mind. We’ve still seen the Wildcat formation far too often this year. When will that awful football trend die?
I want to see Cosh get a chance. What’s the deal there? Any inside scoop you’ve managed to dig up as to why he’s gotten the cold shoulder? Even with the injuries I feel we have one of the better and bigger offensive lines in the FCS. Combine that with a NFL sized TE with hands (Barlow), a quick WR in Long, and both power and speed RB’s (Anderson and Scott) it seems like we’re set up for anything but a run option offense. Cosh was recruited to Kansas State as a pocket QB. Sounds like exactly what we need at the moment! If we could get pressure off the run game imagine how much it’d thrive! I’m not so sure reverting back to the heavy option offense under Thorpe does that for us. Thoughts?