Poor Second Half Dooms the Dukes Against ODU
Well, it’s over everyone. The JMU Dukes came out swinging and actually built up a lead against the ODU Monarchs, but failed to do much of anything after halftime. Maybe it was a game JMU wasn’t meant to win. Or maybe they were. In any case, they didn’t. ODU defeated the Dukes 38-28 in Bridgeforth Stadium last night. First things first, we’ve got to thank the Dukes’ seniors who left it all on the field yesterday (and everyday of their JMU careers). As fans, we’re all frustrated, disappointed, pissed off, etc that JMU failed to make the playoffs for the 3rd time in 4 years. I’m sure it’s a whole lot easier on us than it is the graduating seniors though. And one more thing before we get into the game. Give it up for ODU. I don’t like them any more than any of you do (trust me), but they’ve got a hell of an offense and had a heck of 2 year run in the CAA. I’m sad to see them go. And that’s all I want to say about that.
The Morning After
I circled this game on the calendar as soon as the scheduled was released. A few months ago, I would have told you it was one my most anticipated JMU football games ever. The last few weeks though, I’d be lying if I told you that I wasn’t dreading it. So when I woke up this morning after a season ending defeat for our Dukes, I was actually sort of relieved. After getting my hopes up after a few early season wins, I sort of resolved to myself that this year’s team was fool’s gold right around mid-October. Not coincidentally, it’s the exact same thing I’ve done the past 3 seasons. I had very little confidence things would magically click and JMU would right the ship with a big win over a very good ODU team. But JMU lost and I was just relieved that I no longer had to dread a demoralizing blowout. And when you think about it, that’s way worse than being pissed off by a loss.
Things We Liked
The crowd was great. There was much trepidation over how many fans would show up and if any students would actually stay over Thanksgiving break. Thankfully, the stands were pretty full and the atmosphere was outstanding. It would have been nice to pack a few more thousand in and have a sell out, but the fans that were in attendance were rocking. And as much as I hate ODU, I must admit that it added some excitement to play a team with a passionate fanbase that traveled to Bridgeforth. It’s a shame they’re CUSA bound, because this really would’ve become an epic rivalry.
The enthusiasm, energy, and effort on the field in the first half was also amazing. JMU came out of the locker room and proceeded to actually put together a long scoring drive. JT’s acrobatic TD was exciting, but the drive was nothing flashy (shocking I know). It was just a case of players exerting their will and outplaying their opponents. And the defense was outstanding. The defensive line, which has struggled to apply pressure all year, was in Tyler Heinicke’s face the whole first half. And everyone else on D was flying to the ball and hitting guys. It was great. It was also short-lived unfortunately.
Things We Didn’t Like
This list could be a whole longer, but we’re going to try to just hit the highlights (err lowlights). I feel like this stuff sort of writes itself by now, but the Dukes got outcoached. Completely. The defense seemed to be effective in the first half purely because of the effort mentioned above. It didn’t seem to be due to any sort of scheme or gameplan and as a result, it was pretty clear to everyone in the stadium that if the intensity dipped (as it was bound to), there was going to be trouble. And that’s not to say that the players weren’t giving it their all. It’s just that they were playing like crazy people in the first half and at a certain point, there wasn’t enough juice in the tank to keep going that hard. It would have been nice, if after that intensity wore off, the coaches actually did something like make an in-game adjustment. And it is not speculation on my part that they didn’t adjust. Mickey said that they didn’t make any adjustments in his post-game presser.
With regard to the offense, I’m simply exasperated. After the Richmond game, I told anyone who listened that JT didn’t deserve to shoulder the blame. And I still believe that. He’s a heck of an athlete, but he can’t throw the ball well enough to play QB for team with championship aspirations. And we all know that as fans and have known that for a few years. So it’s maddening that Mathews continues to try to fit the square peg that is JT, into the round hole that is the JMU offense. He’s a damn 5th year QB. Coaches jobs are about putting their players in position to succeed. If you decide JT is the guy, then change the offense to suit him. Trotting a true freshman as starter for one game and then immediately reneging and going back to a 2 QB system the next week is not changing the offense to suit him. It’s just distracting.
The thing is JMU actually has talented playmakers on offense. They’re might not be any Walter Payton Award types, but there are plenty of guys who can make plays. You probably wouldn’t know that if you watched the Dukes the past 4 or 5 weeks though. At running back alone, the Dukes have a stable of athletes who can make a difference. Yet they’re banished to the sidelines or forced to try to make a difference with only 3-4 touches a game. It’s clear that the coaches don’t trust JT to throw the ball, so for the love of God it would have been nice if they at least attempted to keep defenses guessing by switching up the guys carrying the ball at least. And I don’t think we even want to get into the short yardage from the shotgun situation.
Final Thoughts
Coach Matthews, we’d really like it if you won some more games. If you must lose however, could you at least not make a total ass of yourself in the post game press conference? Starting some silly feud with the press covering the Dukes does not make you look tough or like you’re in control. Questioning if a reporter ever played sports or attempting to insult him by asking him if he played cricket, doesn’t project an air of confidence. Constantly stating that the offense was terrible doesn’t help things. Pointing out that JT struggles throwing the ball and talking about what might have been with Birdsong is pointless. And absolutely refusing to accept any responsibility for the team’s woes is immature.
Plenty of folks want you fired. You’ll notice we’ve never advocated for that. However, we would like you to lead by example, acknowledge that everyone in the program (starting with YOU) has to improve, and then proceed to make some changes for the better. It’s perfectly reasonable for folks to question why a team with so many advantages at its disposal, has missed out on the playoffs 3 of the last 4 years. Talking down to reporters and acting like an arrogant fool, doesn’t make those questions go away. It just increases the likelihood that many fans won’t cut you any slack if you are ever are forced to answer them.
Photo courtesy of epicsnapshots.com
I agree with MM- the offense is terrible and Thorpe can’t throw. Someone needs to ask him why the coaching staff produces dud offenses every year, and why MM recruits and starts QBs that cannot throw?
Yeah, and this might be the subject for a post of its own, but how the hell can they even open up a QB competition when you need to have completely different offensive systems for the guys competing? They’ve got running QBs who are suited for an option attack and other QBs (Birdsong, Fisher) who can sling it around. Seems stupid to try to create some middle-ground offense just to compare the two.
I’ll advocate for it – I think 8 years is long enough to get a free ride on a national title. Through the embarrassments in press and losses, it’s time to mosey back to the lone star state with that misplaced enormous ego. It seems we’re on a trajectory back to a time when the stadium once again stays half full while the lots never empty with Dukes deciding to socialize rather than support the program. And if you ask anyone why, well, maybe they’ve seen the run up the middle get stuffed just one too many times. Unless, of course, it’s fourth and inches, where that would be most sensible, but opt for the shotgun with a roll to the short side. But who knows, maybe I’m just another person who hasn’t played enough football to criticize the blatantly abysmal coaching staff. I’m just another guy paying the bill. And I’m pretty pissed.
2005Duke, it’s becoming harder and harder to defend the guy. Todd and I are both keeping a mind and trying to analyze the situation. We just decided that we’d let things simmer for a while before we weigh in with our opinion on whether Mickey should stay or go.
Rob, Fair enough, and clearly I’m still emotional. But it’s not just the ODU loss – So many issues over just these last 4 years, and this season especially, have really hang a lantern on the problems in the coaching department. I’ll look forward to reading your thoughts down the line. And thanks for the postings.
Thanks for reading 2005Duke. We share your frustrations and have a ton of questions about the coaching situation as well. Not sure what the answer is, but it’s clear some things need to change. Whether that’s assistants, system/philosophy, or Mickey himself is unclear to us at this time.
We may have lost this one, but this was still an epic Saturday in the Burg…good friends, fun tailgating, a high pressure game against an in state rival with playoff hopes on the line. Unfortunately for ODU, that’s something they won’t be able to experience in C-USA.
I was horribly disappointed at the end of last night’s game, but I was proud of the showing by our students, our fans, and our team. For those that watched, a nationwide TV audience had the opportunity to see it too.
I stayed overnight and had some great moments walking around campus this morning. Still proud to be a Duke!
Class of 1986
Played for Alex Wood after Rip used us as a stepping stone. Mickey is probably the best JMU will get. Remember that we are currently a mid-tier FCS team so anyone we’ll get will be trying to make a name for themselves rather than commit to us for the long run. On that note it is worth noting that 4 teams (auto and non-auto bids) were ranked lower than us and Richmond in the final polls. With 24 spots next year I’m thinking the CAA should get 2 auto bids.
I think it would be a mistake to fire MM (for many of the reasons Cory mentioned), but I will admit I think having JT listed as a QB next season will lower my expectations drastically. He is a wonderful athlete, but he isn’t a QB.
I would actually love to see JMU instituted a Wishbone offense (or whatever the Georgia Tech offense is called) centering on the triple option if JT is the QB. *That* is the system he is most suited to and it would give our RB stable a chance to play more.
The best anyone can hope for is that MM has only 1 year left on his contract and it will not be renewed. That’s if the adminstration has any backbone to do so.
Well stated all the way through. I disagree with 2004Duke, this loss was very similar to the UR loss (almost identical actually.) Defense lost both games plain and simple. The offense scored 28 points this saturday and 29 against Richmond that is enough to win. I played on a team with a terrible Defense, it is demoralizing. If the defense is not overhauled, expect more of the same next year and beyond.
I won’t advocate firing MM, but to think that JMU cannot attract a High-Quality coach is ridiculous. There are plenty of very good coaches that would love an opportunity like the one that we offer. I agree something has to change for us to return to “Top 5” FCS status which is where we belong.
It is well documented on this site that JT is a bad QB and I agree with that assessment 110%. Where I disagree, however, is with those who go on to say that he is “a great athlete”! Believe me that I try to see it but just don’t. To me, he looks a bit lazy, afraid to take a hit, an incapable of consistently making good decisions. In my mind a “great athlete” would not have run out of bounds on the 15 yard line on Saturday night when he had a very good running lane to take it all the way to the house! What do you call that? Lazy, scared to take a hit, or poor decision making? Possessing all of these characteristics also go into making an “athlete” a “great athlete”.
MM’s love affair with JT has to end! There are some that say MM needs to go and other’s (most if not all) that say JT needs to go but I think we can all agree that the MM/JT combo has run it’s course.
Here is a list of coaches after Challace McMillan helped start the program.
Joe Purzycki = Delaware State head coach (21-21-1 overall record), Rip Scherer = OC for the (7-4, 8-4, 7-5) Arizona Wildcats, Alex Woods = OC/QB coach for the (2-9, 3-8), Mickey Matthews = DC for (5-6, 10-2, 9-3) Georgia.
Looks like until Mickey we weren’t exactly getting the cream of the crop. Still a mid-tier FCS team with one playoff appearance and one win since 2008’s season. Its either Mickey or a fresh start with another nobody.
Agree with you Deacon. He does look a little timid and lazy. I will say that on the play where he ran out of bounds (M@ and I were sitting right in front of that play) you could tell he didn’t expect to get the block and was possibly angry with himself for ducking out so early.
Cory, JMU is not a mid-tier FCS PROGRAM. I agree that we are a mid-tier TEAM right now. And that is the biggest problem I have with this entire mess. But evaluating a program is different than evaluating a team. The program refers to the team’s potential year in and year out (i.e. – resources). Our program has the potential to be a monster at the FCS level.
Facilities, check. Recruiting base, check. Beatiful campus, check. Academic prestige, check. Administrative support, check. Fan support, check.
This program has the potential to be one of the best in the country. But right now the team is sinking. That falls squarely on the shoulders of the CEO, MM. I don’t think the school invested this much money into the football team for it to be a mid-tier team.
And to add insult to injury MM shows his true colors at his post-game press conference. Anyone that’s ever been around the football program already knows he’s a jerk. But it’s one thing to be a jerk to your players behind closed doors. It’s another thing to be an embarrassment to your university in front of the media. GTFO.
I’m sure everyone recalls the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. Changes must be made. If MM stays, it’s time to bring in a new OC. The offense did score 28 points, but the D turned ODU over and gave us the ball in the red zone for one of those scores. I’d also suggest everyone take a look at ODU’s defensive stats this year and see how many points they typically give up. I can’t think of a single game this year that the offense bailed out a poor defensive effort.
As for those thinking we stick with MM because we can’t get a high profile candidate that will stick with the program for 10 years….you are simply willing to accept mediocrity.
I think we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the impact that ODU now playing football has had on our recruiting and the make up of our JMU team. ODU’s 2012 roster lists 38 players from the 757 area…a decent % of which probably would have been playing for the Dukes if ODU had not started football. One cannot dismiss the degree to which this has diluted our ability to pull in some of that talent. Unfortunately, this is now the reality we face going forward. There are ways to offset it, but it requires a little more hitting the pavement, finding some diamonds in the rough, and getting lucky on some recruiting picks we make.
I was going to get into a long description of JMU’s performance over the years, the teams they’ve played and so forth but it simply drains my energy. MM is not going to change, so to expect the quality of the team to change is illogical. That is not on the players, that’s on the coach.
Do I think he should be fired? Maybe, but that’s not JMU’s style. But I know scores of alumni who will go insane if his contract is renewed again.
For now I will do the only thing I really can do to show my true displeasure in this Pre-1913 style football coach. I will give up my season tickets (and my parking pass) until JMU makes the change.
Steve J. – But what does that tell you that a virtually new football program is able to come onto the scene from no where, out recruit JMU and then move on to an FBS conference while during the same period, JMU has actually regressed.
@96 Duke. I hear you. JMU either needs to make some significant changes or I need to become less emotionally (and financially) involved as it is just not healthy. I would even accept a change that yields some (not too many) continued ass-kickings as long as they occur in a different way. Watching the failures play out in exactly the same way every time with the exact same discussions to follow is like death by 1000 paper cuts. If we are going to lose at least let it be in a different way because we tried something different!
@Steve J – You’re right that ODU has more than likely taken some kids that were headed to JMU. But it’s not like we are starved for talent. We had the #1 ranked recruiting class last year.
Anyone that has played under MM knows that the OC has nothing to do with this. MM is notorious for micro-managing the staff. The dirty little secret is this- The year we won it all (2004) was the year Clayton was in a car accident, and MM spent most of his time dealing with family issues rather than coaching. That was the ONE YEAR that Jeff Durden was allowed to call plays unmolested.
That being said, I don’t think we should fire Mickey. As much as he drives me nuts, and I honestly think I could out coach him with any random team on 5 mins notice, statistically we are much more likely to replace him with a worse coach. Even if we do hire an awesome coach, he will bolt as soon as he can (such as the CAA’s own Chip Kelly). He is annoying, unbasedly cocky, and has no concept of offense, but he isn’t horrible. That being said, I do have to wonder what someone like Jack Cosgrove or Rob Ambrose would do at JMU.
Cosgrove (Maine) takes teams with absolutely zero talent to winning records and often playoff appearances most years (last they they went 9-4 and lost in the quarterfinals). What would he do with a team with tons of talent, like JMU? MM, on the other hand, takes teams with tons of talent to essentially the same record/performance most years.
Rob Ambrose took a team that has been the conference doormat for years, to a title and competitive status. They had even less talent than Maine, historically. What could he have done with a team of multiple #1 recruiting classes, like JMU? MM took a national championship team with multiple top recruiting classes to mediocrity.
I’m not saying we should try to get either of these coaches. Cosgrove has been at Maine since the stone age, and isn’t going anywhere. Ambrose is going to bolt to FBS as soon as the offer arises. It is a notable comparison, though, because these guys are MM’s peers and should set the bar for him.
Lets look at the others:
Rhodie: Sucks and should move to D-III.
Delaware: A carbon copy of JMU. Huge talent, but has ended up with average records the last few years. The difference is when they do make the playoffs, they go to the National Championship game. They made the big game 2 times in the last 6 years.
New Hampshire: Coach has been there for 14 years. They have very avg. talent, and may get one good player every once-in -a-while (Ricky Santos). Finish 8-3 or better most of the time and are always in the playoffs and the conference title hunt. ZERO national titles. Never even been in the game.
Richmond: Takes zero talent and a high school stadium to 11-2, 6-5 and 8-3 records (with one horrible 3-8 season). Similar to UNH, once in a blue moon they get someone like Tim Hightower to show up on campus. Makes the playoffs. One national title.
Villanova: Jesus was one of Talley’s assistants when he first started at ‘Nova, 2,000 years ago. 0-3, 14-1, 9-5, 2-9 and 7-3 with multiple CAA titles and one national championship. This is with almost zero fan support. I think that Villanova represents what I realistically expect from JMU. With our talent, facilities and fan base, it would be understandable to expect even more than this from JMU.
Bill & Gary: Laycock came over with the Jamestown settlers and started the W&M football program. Not as talented as ‘Nova, but better than the rest. Has gone 7-4, 11-3, 8-4, 5-6 and 2-9 with 2 CAA titles and 3 playoff appearances. I would also note than the 2-9 team was very, very young.
That brings us to….
JMU: The most talented roster in the CAA. Top-5 recruiting classes every single year. Top facilities and a huge fan-base. Has gone 12-2, 6-5, 6-5, 8-5, 7-4 with ONE playoff appearance and one CAA title.
In summary, MM’s peers consistently have more success with less (in some cases MUCH less) talent. That is why I want to puke. Watching a no-talent team go 7-4 would be a good season. Watching the most talented team in the league crap their pants every year just pisses me off.
*Nova went 10-3, not “0-3”
(Technically we had 2 playoff appearances, but I was trying to highlight what we have done since 2008)
96, I’m was just saying that it’s a factor that has contributed to our current state of affairs and it’s a fact of life for us now that we must work around and find a way to overcome. Our stadium facilities blow ODU away, but even that won’t last long as they will soon be upgrading the older parts of their stadium. They already have a waiting list approximately another 13k season tickets but they have nowhere for put them until they expand their stadium. Many of the 757 kids want to stay home to play in front of friends and family. ODU’s sudden and meteoric success has increased that even more now. If we don’t acknowledge the fact that this has impacted us, then I think we are fooling ourselves. I’m not saying we can’t still be great, just that we have to deal with it. ODU going FBS might actually help us a little bit in this one area (if the two schools are recruiting different athletes going forward).
As a 757 resident, I can tell you that JMU gets basically no exposure in the local newspaper or sports talk radio (especially now that Tony Mercurio is off the air) unless it’s the week we are playing ODU. On the other hand, there is a ton of publicity and excitement surrounding the ODU program. It makes a difference!
Some act like we averaged only a loss or two per season before these recent campaigns. In fact, since the inception of our program we’ve had:
0 loss seasons….1 (1975)
1 loss seasons…..none
2 loss seasons…..3 (1978, 2004, 2008)
3 loss seasons…..4 (1982, 1987, 1994, 2006)
The other 33 seasons, we have had at least 4 losses or more (same as this year or worse). Our program’s lifetime winning % coming into this year was .564 (256-192-4).
If this stuff was so easy…then teams like USC, Arkansas, VA Tech wouldn’t be having such a rough go of it this year. Heck, look how long it has taken Notre Dame to get back to being relevant. They had quite a turnstile of coaches going there to no avail until hiring Kelly which is now paying off for them.
It’s admirable that we have such great passion and high expectations for our program….but….I sometimes worry that we will devour ourselves with it. I wonder if a potential recruit might read some of our comments and be influenced/discouraged on whether to come play for JMU. If MM needs to go, then so be it. Given how slow the admin has been to make a change in men’s basketball, I don’t hold out a lot of hope for an immediate change. One thing for sure, it would probably give an immediate injection of excitement and anticipation to our fan base, but the point is that change does not guarantee success. Heck, we could be just one good QB away from winning our next national championship!
@2004, I always enjoy reading your posts…it’s always interesting to get an inside the locker room perspective of a former player.
I think what pissed me off more than the actual play this season….is how MM acts at the post-game press conferences.
– He consistently goes after the DNR reporters for what, doing their job and asking the questions that he should be expecting.
– Stating time and time again that the offense was just horrible, well duh, we all know that by now.
– Complaining about lack of pressure from the d-line week in and week out. Here’s a news flash then freaking blitz. Sure you may give a big play from time to time but the QB will not have time to eat a sandwich back there.
JMU consistently makes other teams QBs all look like all-stars.
MM is just an ASS plain and simple and that shit might play if you are Nick Saban or Steve Spurrier and you got the record/results to back it up……but MM has nothing to hang his hat on but a championship from 8-9 years ago. It is complete BULLSHIT that JMU cannot even make the playoffs but once in the last 4-5 years. Based on what the athletic department has stated in the past that is NOT what they expect out of the football program. I recall them saying making the playoffs 3 out of 4 years with a deep push into the playoffs in one of those years is what they expect out of the football program. And with JMU’s talent level and facilities that is not too much to ask.
I was at JMU during the Rip and Alex Wood era’s. Rip was money and his teams were always exciting to watch play win or lose. Alex Wood was just awful, perhaps one of the worst head coaches ever on any level of football. One of the biggest problems with JMU right now and why folks leave (I think) is the team is NOT fun to watch play…..watching them on offense is like watching paint dry and seeing the same thing over and over…..and the soft, bend don’t break style of defense is like chinese water torture.
@Deacon you hit the nail on the head with JT – he appears lazy or just does not care. He must lack to aptitude to do anything other than take the snap and fall up into the line. I still want to understand how you allow JT to be a captain this season (which indicates you are a leader and reliable) after he got popped on a failed drug test last season. That to me shows horrible judgement by JT, but way worse by the JMU coaching staff. Does JT have pictures of MM in ladies panties???? That is the only plausable way I can explain MM’s infatuation with JT.
It’s not the players…..JMU has walk-on’s who turned down full rides to other FCS programs to have the opportunity to play for the Dukes.
All points everyone states are in line with reality. The question is how you go on from it. Make the comparison to the NFL – What good is it to win the off-season (with a great recruiting class)?
Either the pundits are wrong and the recruiting class wasn’t as good as advertised (in which case that’s a failure on recruiting) OR the coaches aren’t putting that talent in the right position to win.
Both options still point back to MM. Guess I should get back to work.
I don’t understand how Coach can go into press conferences week after week and say “The offense played horrible” and “we didn’t get any pass rush”. After a few weeks (or a whole season in our case) doesn’t it beg the question:
“Well, you are the head coach…. what are you going to do about it?”
So I figured out the absolute best way to finally crush ODU:
Maryland is leaving the ACC. JMU needs to join. Seriously.
If we are going to be 6-5 or 7-4 every year, we may as well do it in the ACC and go to a bowl game somewhere.
ACC? Oboy. Look, I spent 10 years living in Fort Collins, CO where I watched Colorado State, an FBS school of similar size and other characteristics, go 3-8 every year in front of 4000 fans a game. No thanks.
With regards to The Mick: look, this team has underachieved every year since Rodney Landers graduated. The defense just looks awful; ODU scored at will. The offense is stilted and unimaginative. Our talent pool has regressed. Our competitors have made great strides and surpassed us. Are you telling me that we can’t find someone to come in and turn things around when schools all around us have done it? Think Villanova, Richmond and Towson don’t have big schools against which to recruit? I think MM’s time has passed. Any examination of performance against expectations over the last five years is evidence demanding a verdict.
@2004Duke – I thought the same thing when I heard about MD this morning. I somehow don’t think we’d be looking at winning records at the end of the season if JMU were to move up to the ACC and FBS.
It would be a great way to stick it to ODU though!!!!
Funny, when we received Van Pelt’s tweet about MD leaving the ACC during the ODU game, we were fantasizing about us replacing them in the ACC. Could you imagine how jealous ODU would be of us then? We have a better stadium than they do and now would be going FBS in a BCS conference…….besides, the ACC now needs a school that will keep them in the DC TV market, right?…..let’s hope the governor is on the phone right now!…LOL.
We may not have winning records anytime soon in the ACC or other similar conferences, but the sad thing is – I know a lot of people that would prefer to drive down to JMU to watch a game against those types of schools than against our current list of opponents. The games I couldn’t attend this year I tried to give away my tickets (including the cherished P-Lot parking pass) and had no takers. I know JMU alumni that own season tickets to FBS schools (that don’t necessarily win) but not JMU. Not that JMU is further, but they’d prefer to watch those games.
I’ve always been reluctant for JMU to make the jump to FBS if the fit wasn’t absolutely perfect. My logic was that it was better to compete for an FCS Championship than some lower tiered bowl. Well JMU hasn’t really been competing for championships and I’m now a little more in favor of making the jump. I don’t think the ACC will come calling, but if a spot in some other conference opens up this might be time to jump.
Mickey cannot coach X’s & O’s, never has, never will.
Vs. ODU Offense rarely runs to the wide side of the field, but when does so is miraculously successful? Defense rushes 3 the whole second half & zone gets picked apart like a video game, but when we rush 5 ODU is forced to make quick decisions & we have potential to make a play.
Hire some young(like 30) & smart OC from somewhere who wants to work to replace Mickey & is not afraid to coach some X’s & O’s, I don’t care if he’s ever been a head coach or not.
Young, smart, & innovative, BEATS old, grumpy, & predictable.
I can’t help but fantasize on this conference alignment thing. The speculation is that the ACC may be courting more Big East teams to join the ACC. It may just be fantasy but eventually these conferences are going to run out of schools to invite. If the Big East remains a viable conference, how would you feel if we could slide in there?
FBS? Come on. Average football results and a horific basketball program. No major conference, not even the Big East will come calling.
I say we hire Lance Leipold, Head Coach of DIII, Wisonsin – Whitewater:
In six years of directing Warhawk football Lance Leipold has compiled a 97-6 mark. The wins include five consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships, five trips to the NCAA III playoffs — all of them ending in the Division III championship game, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. Four national title trophies, including the last three in a row, have come back on the plane from Salem. That run of success has reached record proportions, with UW-W ending 2011 on a forty-five game win streak, the longest active streak at any level of college football, and the fifth longest in NCAA football history, in any Division.
1. 4th and inches..kick the FG. Needed two scores anyway. No brainer.
2. But if no on the FG, put your 225lb QB under center and sneak it behind your “will play on Sundays” RG.
3. If you MUST to a shotgun sweep on 4th and inches, then for the sake of Dion Foxx, run it to the WIDE SIDE.
4. Fire Mickey
5. Bring back Lefty
I am just glad to remember how classy JMU fans are compared to the ODU fans who started with obnoxious comments in the elevator of the hotel we stayed in before the game. But i am still depressed that JT has a sixth year….
Love the last post…..Willie Davis was ‘THE MAN’ playing for Lefty.
There is a FBS conference waiting for us, the MAC. obviously I don’t have confirmed information but the MAC has made statements about how well JMU would fit in. But our AD has apparently declined. The conference realignment domino will have ACC raid the Big East (again) who will then raid Conference USA (ECU) leaving an open spot for a travel partner and a rival for ODU. . .
Coach Latrell Scott, coach Chris Beatty or coach chip west
I really, really want to add some salt to your wounds (I remember some of the “classy” JMU posts when we restarted our football program), but I wont do that to you guys. You seem to be doing that to yourselves.
Great game …thought you had us in the 1H. Enjoyed tailgating with our ODU and JMU friends. Hope you make the jump to the FBS-level and we get to play you again ….could turn into a Redskins-Cowboys type rivalry. Of course, we are the Cowboys.
Glad you enjoyed the JMU gameday experience ODU83. I very much hope JMU and ODU get the chance to build this rivalry one day soon. Good luck in CUSA and thanks for stopping by our blog.
For those who don’t think MM should fired I have to ask:
Is what we’ve been getting good enough?
For year now, YEARS, we’ve been held captive by MMs short-comings. We’re not going to find better? Please. The product on the field simply hasn’t been good enough and that really isn’t acceptable. Perhaps the replacement would be worse but mediocrity just isn’t good enough and that’s what we’re going to get from MM. I’m baffled how anyone could think trying to improve the football product by replacing a HC that is holding the program back is OK.
Can anyone state an actual reason to keep MM? I mean other than the fear that it could worse. First loser (like we’ve been now for a while) is still losing. We cannot perpetuate that anymore.
I would rather drive 3 hours to Harrisonburg to see us go 6-6 against VT, UVA and Boston College than go 6-5 against Richmond, W&M and New Hampshire.
For the longest time, I have been a cheerleader for the “stay in FCS and compete for national titles” crowd. The fact is this: We aren’t competing for national titles. We may as well take the exposure and TV money by moving up. The ACC would be sick, and as there are 4 teams in NC and 2 in VA, plus a vacant DC market. It would also give us a reason to overhaul our hoops program since they are determined to keep wasting hard earned football revenue on that bunch of clowns. It is a fair point to argue that they wouldn’t want us because our basketball program is a joke and our football team is average, but it’s all about money. They need to fill th egap in the mid-Atlantic market.
(Going to the MAC or Slumbelt is moving down, not up.)
One more thought- How pissed would you all be if ODU came out tomorrow and said they are retracting their C-USA bid to join the ACC?
Lets be honest, the ACC would have to basically implode before considering JMU or ODU. There are plenty of options at the BCS level (UCONN, Louisville, Cincinnati, etc.) before it has reach down to non-BCS FBS level, much less the FCS. And it still has the mid-Atlantic region covered, plenty of Chokies and Wahoos running around up here. But one can dream.
But back to the more important issue, I was on the fence about firing MM until this past weekend. It is clear that 6-5 and 7-4 seasons is the ceiling for us while MM is in charge. He just doesn’t seem to get that he needs to design the system around the personnel he has and not vice versa. And his man crush on JT has literally killed four seasons (and counting) and ruined one QB career (Dudzik) and driven at least two (Kosh and Edwards) and counting to leave the program as I highly doubt all four ( Thourogood, Birdsong, Fisher and Reynolds) will come back. I say plan on at least two transferring. MM has had a nice run but its time for a change.
Went to my first JMU game (have ODU season tickets) and was very, very impressed with the JMU fans, stadium, band, football team and overall atmosphere! Was a guest of a JMU season ticket holder and you all have a lot going with Bridgeport Stadium!
Would love to see JMU join ODU in C-USA! This is a great rivalry that needs to continue.
Still remember the JMU-ODU basketball games that were so entertaining and the last minute 3-pointer that pulled out a win for the conference tourney!
For the record, I was not serious about joining the acc. I was just trying to make light of the OSU situation.
*ODU (they are so Bush league that autocorrect doesn’t even recognize them.)
10 dukes garnered all-CAA honors. Some were on offense.
The all-caa team has lost all credibility.
We knew you were kidding re:ACC. I’m seriously curious if this will trigger a series of moves that creates a spot in some FBS conference for the Dukes.
If JMU is not going to be a perennial force in the CAA & FCS which I firmly believe they should be as they have most of the necessary ingredients (talent, facilities, financial support, fan base, coaches (maybe not) and it frustrates the crap out of me that they are not a force, then I think I would just as soon take my ass-kickings at the BCS level.
I know everyone is frustrated right now, but you can’t convince me that Bridgeforth would be anywhere near capacity to watch a 4-7 FBS Dukes squad. I can tell you that I would not be making the 4 hour drive to home games like I did this year if that were the case. Once the impact of the new stadium wears off, I think it would only be half full if we were FBS but not winning.
Can’t really understand how you can fire a guy that has won over 100 games, expanded the stadium, energized the fan base and has resurrected the program from the Alex Wood debacle. I think, as a former coach, that next year you install Birdsong or Thourogoode, or Fisher as the QB, make JT a running back ( if he returns ) and run a pro set offense. Then you get someone other than Durden to call plays, which means bring in another OC.
Some of the calls Durden has made this year have been atroucious, others just dumb.
Tom, I don’t think you have been listening to the complaints, MM micro manages the OC and DC so he bears responsibility, also he has not wanted to commit to either of the other QB’s. If he had why not start them this past fall and install that new offense you mention. In College football it is what have you done for me lately, 1 appearance in the last four year in the FCS championships is not enough when you factor in the talent that has been through that program. Time for change, it will not happen this coming year because the AD will not buy out his contract, just look at basketball. With his contract up in 2013 that will be the time to move on.
People, stop comparing JMU to what it was in the past. In the past we didn’t have the some of the best facilities around, and we didn’t pour money into athletics(30+ million last year, wonder what this year will be). If we were still at that place, then Mickey winning 7 games a season would probably be more than acceptable. The fact is, we are now at the top of FCS in every important category for a football program except wins. Mickey controls the offense, not Durden. Getting a new OC only puts lipstick on a pig.
Re: JMU can’t bring in a top tier head coach if we got rid of MM. I don’t think that should even be an issue. So what? We hate them, but look at ODU. Bobby Wilder wasn’t exactly a huge name. Whether we want to admit to it or not, they are in a pretty good place right now. I don’t think we have to hire a huge name to replace MM. What we need is a young guy with fresh ideas. Or even just someone who has an ability to adapt to the current landscape, young and fresh isn’t even required (MM peers in the CAA can all do that)
Do you think we’re sitting here having this conversation if Wilder was our HC? ODU’s defense is only swiss cheese because Wilder went all out on building an offense. He knew that to compete quickly as a new program he had to develop a point scoring machine. He did, and while I think the defensive shortcomings will cost them in their playoff run, they are competitive. Hell, they beat us twice. If somebody like Wilder was at JMU, a program that has years of reputation and recruiting pipelines, this is a totally different conversation.
Bottom line is that we not only can do better, but we SHOULD be doing better. Our resources are so much greater than our fellow CAA folk and our talent pool is immense. It doesn’t take a coaching genius to win here, just someone who knows how to gameplan and adapt. MM and his staff have proven on NUMEROUS occasions they can’t do that. I don’t know how anyone could argue otherwise. It’s not like even when we had great years (2004 and 2008) that we really dominated like we should. 2008 was probably about 30 seconds away from being a losing season. Even in 2004 we squeaked by, when we were by far a much more talented roster than many of the teams we played.
I’m sick and tired of watching this team be outcoached by EVERYBODY we play. The players deserve better, the fans deserve better, and the school deserves better.
Tom,
Those are all nice notions…that require MM to make the decision. He has shown without any reasonable doubt that such decisions won’t happen. It’s not like we’re talking about a 2 year down-turn. We haven’t been competing at the level that we should be for years now. And MM has gotten belligerent about it. It has reached beyond the point of stubbornness into the land of actual belligerence.
It’s time for some to face facts…this team on both sides of the ball reflects what MM wants…not Durden and not Gillenwater. MM is the one who has consistently botched the QB situation here since ’08. MM is the one who insists we run a conservative offense that doesn’t maximize our use of talent. MM is the one who leads the team onto the field unprepared to compete. The mediocrity we currently exhibit is because of MM…there’s no other rational way to see it.
Too much money has been invested and too much importance has been placed on this program to not be legit contenders on a consistent basis. That’s essentially a fact.
I agree that it all starts at the top and I’m not a MM appologist but If MM is making all of the calls that are holding back the Off and Def, then why would the OC and DC stick around and have their names dragged through the mud year after year when MM is preventing them from doing something different. If their hands are/have truly been tied, then I think they would have gotten fed up and hit the bricks by now. IMO they are the three stooges.
Just addressing the FBS fantasy. There’s an interesting article today with Lou Saban stating a growing feeling that FBS will eventually/soon be six conferences with 16 teams each, others need not apply. The MAC/WAC/CUSA? They will ALWAYS be Tier 2, and logic says that they may be dropped to FCS anyway. FBS is increasingly going to be about a SMALLER club of major players, and there will increasingly be no room for less-lucrative programs than the schools in power conferences. In that scenario, JMU has nothing to offer a meaningful conference. Why move to C-USA, go 3-8 every year, and never have a shot a playing a meaningful game?
A possible long term scenario probably has football looking a lot like CBB where there are a couple power conferences then everyone else is a “mid-major”. In this scenario for the “mid-majors” to play meaningful games there will need to be a more expansive playoff system that gives them auto-bids. Without this the second-tier programs essentially become as pointless as the FCS schools do in terms of the national picture. I have a hard time seeing the system in general letting all these programs essentially die on the vine. I don’t find it likely that it will end up with 64 football programs that matter and everyone else can go screw off. That would effectively kill CFB in this country over the long-haul. I think.
I’m not sure where this perception of MM being the tactical manager of all things offense and defense comes from. I’ve observed practices and found him to be much more of a CEO type. I do think he is the decision maker on who plays QB, calls timeouts and decides if we go for it on 4th down but short of that, I don’ think he is the driving force behind game plans and halftime adjustments.
I believe he is simply become the face of the program.
I agree, nothing will even be considered until his current contract expires. Hard to believe it, but we likely will enter 2013 with the coaching staff intact and JT back for year 6.
I will not boycott the program if the same coaching staff returns. I still like JMU and JMU football to too much not to renew. BUT it would be nice to know if JT will be the QB prior to season ticket renewal because if he is that could be a deal breaker because I don’t think I could watch his putrid, lazy-ass performance for another year.
@Deacon….I second that opinion in relation to JT and to go one step further the Bro-mance between MM and JT is really the #1 coaching fault I cannot get past. JT is horrible and I think has actually regressed during his time at JMU and MM continues to not only tout his play/athleticism but trot him out at QB1. Once you get past high school football, you are typically going to be no better than your QB1. I will call my shot now…..even if JT does not return – cannot make a decision on a starting QB and we will go into next season without a true QB1 but splitting time at QB. I am 95% sure MM will go this route…..he is an idiot incapable of making a decision and moving forward. Barring a total regime makeover, the #1 improvement for JMU will be the subtraction of JT from the roster. This type of lazy, me first guy can ruin the entire team. He must go!!!
JMU should probably turn Fisher into a TE/dual threat type – he needs to be on the field.
Birdsong should be QB1 with either Thoroughgood or Reynolds as QB2 and the loser moved to RB/WR.
The last few years have been frustrating, for sure. In analyzing MM, don’t forget that we were #1 in 2008 with a Landers injury sinking us in the playoffs. And I’m sure no one has forgotten the VT win. It isn’t like it has been nothing but frustration since 2004.
Also remember that a large part of college coaching lies in recruiting players. MM has done a commendable job stocking the program with 757 being diluted by so many other programs.
The common theme above is that JT is not a quality starter. I think you saw MM acknowledging that last year when he brought in so many QBs.
@83 Duke- as one who watched every practice for 4 years from the inside of my helmet, I can assure you that MM is absolutely the manager of all things offense and defense, including gameplans. The other coaches are allowed the courtesy of making “suggestions”. I have no problem with him taking the ultimate responsibility for the program like that, but that means he has to own it when we crap the bed. It is cowardly to run the show and then throw your players and assistants under the bus in post-game pressers. Actually, as a head coach, it is cowardly to thow anyone else under the bus EVER, even if you don’t micromanage everything. You are the head guy, and ultimately the buck stops with you.
@Kyle- “Even in 2004 we squeaked by, when we were by far a much more talented roster than many of the teams we played.” This is absolutely not true. Honestly, we had far less talent than most teams we played. We were picked to finish at the bottom of the conference that year (thank god for Rhode Island). UMass, Delaware, W&M, Villanova and Richmond were better than us. Maine and Hofstra were about on our level (with the exception of a certain Hofstra WR- Marques Colston). The only reason we won the national championship that year is because we went into every game with a huge chip on our shoulders, pissed off and looking for a fistfight. We had good leaders who made key plays at critical times (“The punt return”- Delaware, “The Drive”- Furman, etc). We also got lucky…a lot (‘Nova, Delaware, Maine, Lehigh, Furman). That is why I am so pissed off at our football program right now. They are none of the things above, but have 100 times more talent… and don’t perform. lol… I just thought about this– what if the 2004 team played the 2012 team? In a NCAA 2012 XBox simulation, the 2012 team would beat the 2004 team 9 out of 10 times. If we actually played this hypothetical game on the field, I bet the 2004 team would blow them out, because we have/had/probably-still-have bigger balls and are/were just more cut-throat competitive. There– I finally said it.
I’m not trying to be that old guy who thinks I walked 20 miles to school everyday through 10 feet of snow and uphill both ways….. but nobody on the 2004 team ever haphazardly walked out of bounds during a game with nobody between him and the endzone because he is so afraid of getting hit. Just saying…..
I do think it needs to be said…as lackluster as JT usually is he was damn near heroic in the first half against ODU. I am no JT apologist but there’s no way to lay any blame on him for that game. Hell he was the only one on offense making anything happen.
That said, he clearly isn’t the answer if we want to be a top-tier team. But that’s not his fault either anymore. Everyone on planet earth can see what he is…it’s the “staff’s” fault for keeping him out there.
I watched the game back last night and JT was not heroic in the first half. ODU’s defense was horrible (missed assignments, poor talking). He didn’t do anything special. He ran the football several times when had had a better option.
His second half was probably one if his worst halfs of the season. He had two horrible over throws to wide open players for guaranteed TDs. He made 5 or 6 really bad decisions on the option. To his credit Wilders adjustments and blitzes made it difficult for him in the 2nd half but that is what separates him from being a good QB to just average athletic QB. His decision making under pressure and in big games are poor.
I hate to knock a kid as much but WE ALL see this week in and week out. He doesn’t have the smarts (as it seems) to be a good QB. If he stays we need to switch him to RB where he could be really dangerous (mix in a trick play or two with is arm).
All of this rant still comes down to Mickey Matthews. It’s time to get rid of him. Period. After letting my emotions cool down from my trip to Harrisonburg, I’m still solid on my stance about MM needing to kick rocks.
Rob, I’m ready for you and Todd’s thoughts?
Well, it didn’t take long for ODU to lose it’s closest “rival” in C-USA before they even got started in the conference. ECU (football only) and Tulane pack up and head to the Big East starting around 2014. Ironically, ECU is interested in joining the CAA for all sports other than football.
The Virginian Pilot and ODU message boards are heating up. This is getting interesting.
I am glad that JMU did not join C-USA. I just hope that we do not get suckered into the opening that will now exist there.