Old Rivals & Unfamiliar Faces on 2013 JMU Football Schedule
JMU officially announced its football schedule for the 2013 season today. There are 6 home games on the slate and a whopping 2/3 of them might actually be worth attending. We kid, we kid, but there is likely a significant portion of the Dukes’ fanbase that isn’t overly excited about Central Connecticut State and St. Francis once again coming to Bridgeforth Stadium. The schedule also features a seemingly winnable FBS game against the Akron Zips from the MAC. I’m sure there are more than a few Dukes’ fans who are looking forward to that one and ready to use it as some of measuring stick or audition for the MAC.
Personally, while the Dukes win over the Hokies was amazing and the game at FedEx WVU was an absolute blast, I like seeing this sort of FBS game on the schedule. Not only are games against non-BCS conference teams more winnable, the fans’ reaction to and enthusiasm for them might be telling. If (and this is a huge IF) JMU were to ever move up to FBS, it would be to a non-BCS league. So if fans can get excited over games against MAC teams, moving up might make a little more sense to some. If fans essentially dismiss or ignore them, then the powers that be might be less likely to take the leap of faith. Or maybe I’m just trying to read into things too much.
In terms of the CAA slate, it’s nice to see Blue Chickens back after a few years. JMU will play at Delaware to open conference play on September 28. And the Dukes will get both of the new kids on the CAA block at home. Albany will come to Harrisonburg for Family Weekend and JMU’s home finale will be against Stony Brook. And just like they used to, JMU will close the season against the Towson Tigers. Last year, when the schedule was released we said that it set JMU up for run. It did, but the Dukes didn’t deliver. We’re staying away from predictions this time around, but looking forward to the opportunity to spend 6 more Saturdays in the ‘Burg next Fall. And if we finally get to go to a post-Thanksgiving home game that would obviously be great to.
Here’s the full schedule.
August 31 – Central Connecticut State
September 7 – @ Akron
September 14 – St. Francis
September 28 – @ Delaware
October 5 – Albany
October 12 – Richmond
October 26 – @ William & Mary
November 2 – Villanova
November 9 – @ New Hampshire
November 16 – Stony Brook
November 23 – @ Towson
I am trying to contain my doubts about next season, but still excited nonetheless, I hope the coaching changes and Thorpe being gone forever will help make this next year a good one. I have such little of an expectation maybe I will be surprised…Question though, next year calendar allows for 12 games, is any other CAA or FCS team scheduling 12 games?
It’s way too early to make predictions, but I see no reason not to be excited for JMU next season. They’ve got talent on the roster, they just need to make some smart hires with the coaching staff.
I’m not sure about other teams scheduling 12 games. If we hear of any doing it, we’ll let folks know.
Schedule looks pretty tough actually
August 31 – Central Connecticut State WIN
September 7 – @ Akron WIN
September 14 – St. Francis WIN
September 28 – @ Delaware WIN
October 5 – Albany WIN
October 12 – Richmond WIN
October 26 – @ William & Mary WIN
November 2 – Villanova LOSS
November 9 – @ New Hampshire LOSS
November 16 – Stony Brook WIN
November 23 – @ Towson WIN
My expectation is 9-2. If JMU isn’t at least within a score of Akron within the last 2 mins of the game, I’d fire Mickey. If we lose to any of the non-conf and/or new CAA teams, I’d fire Mickey. If we don’t make it past the first round of the playoffs, I’d fire Mickey. I’d have him on a leash so tight he’d be gasping for air.
Lucky for him, I’m not Jeff Bourne. 8-3 or MM gets fired. You heard it here first.
I would like to see JMU add a 12th game and have 7 home games next year…..Liberty, VMI, Coastal Carolina, Hampton, etc…..would all be an additional acceptable home game. Just please make it a team someone has heard of before.
I agree with 2004 Duke – the leash on MM should be very short and tight next fall. I got to think the following is a must.
– Make the playoffs.
– Win at least 2 playoff games
– Play well enough to host playoff games.
Just heard rumor from VT sources that JMU has picked up:
Newsome and O’Cain from VT. I say welcome back Coach Newsome
Those rumors have been floating out there for a while now, but I haven’t heard anything official. VT’s offense was putrid this year and has been under-performing and somewhat outdated for a while, so neither hire would immediately excite me. Read the Tech blogs and people are calling for both of those guys (and OC Brian Stinespring) to be fired ASAP. According to what I’ve read Beamer is pushing them to find other jobs so they can save face and quit before getting canned.
Read the same thing on a few sites. Stoss is reporting its a likely possibility so we’ll see.
I think Stinespring is the main offensive problem at VT. O’Cain is supposedly a pretty good QB coach and his been around a few programs in the ACC with a HC stint at NCState. I think O’Cain if JMU goes that direction is a solid choice who knows what it takes to win.
Mike O’Cain was actually really successful at NCSU. He’d be an excellent pickup for JMU, the best reason being that he is a former BCS level (and successful) coach who has been around a long time, and therefore is less likely to take a bunch of crap off Mickey, such as being micro-managed and/or thrown under the bus. Additionally, when MM inevitably gets fired, he is more than capable of taking over.
Curt Newsome would be a major home run for the program. There is a reason that we started to suck immediately after he left for VT. In addition to bringing the nasty attitude back to the OL, he has the ability to lock down the hampton roads area in recruiting. With the rise (to FBS mediocrity) of ODU, we seem to have just punted on recruiting our former pipeline of Hampton Roads. I seriously think that Curt Newsome has the ability to go toe-to-toe with ODU in the recruiting war, and that is huge.
I agree with 2004 Duke. MM needs to be on a tight leash. Anything less than the playoffs and his ass needs to kick rocks.
One question…do you all think we can bring in a first class OC with a head coach on the hot seat?
Not sure how I feel about O’Cain. Beamer seems to only hire good guys with solid reputations but O’Cain really hasn’t had a lot of success anywhere he has been. He wasn’t the OC for Tech but he called the plays for them this year and I really felt like I was watching MM call plays when watching them. Their offense was awful.
Newsome would be a huge pick up. I played for him in high school and he is hands down the best coach I have played for in any sport. His players love him. He knows the game. He is a motivator. He can recruit his ass off and more importantly he is very well respected in the 757. He was one of the main reasons for the rise of JMU’s football program. The ’04 team was loaded with 757 kids (especially Big Corey Davis on the O line and both Mo and AB in the back field). The roster now may have 3 or 4 kids.
Hopefully…we can snag Newsome ASAP and start hitting the coaching carousel hard after bowl season for a quality, open-minded, progressive, creative, punch MM in the mouth if he wants call plays, type of coach.
For those who thinks joining the MAC would be a downgrade for JMU, how many would not want to trade places with Northern Illinois right now?
In addition, the MAC had the most bowl invites in its history. Akron will be a good test next year for the Dukes.
I don’t like the schedule the first five games I see one decent game Delaware and its away and at Akron(who cares) why not keep Old Dominion if possible or Liberty or UVA just to create some excitement and Albany and Stoney Point…boring and I’m from the north…
My guesses are as follows:
– Akron is a the type of D1-A game we should schedule — a team from the MAC that we can most likely compete with and not an automatic loss.
– I am sure ODU would not be crazy about playing any teams from the CAA — nothing to gain for them and could be an embarrasing loss
– Liberty is a good choice and I think they are back on the schedule in 2014.
– UVA — lets get serious UVA wants nothing to do with playing JMU. That is too close to home for them.
I say we look into getting Rip Scherer back as OC or Head Coach. He was a great coach, never should have left JMU in the first place. His HC just got fired from Colorado so I’m guessing he’ll be looking…would be a great homecoming.
Also, I think Newsome would be a fantastic pickup as well.
I’m excited about the home schedule. Games are spaced out nicely (only one set of back-to-back) and we get to see two strong CAA newcomers. Nothing wrong with a couple of cupcakes early, either.
2004 DUKE:
Richmond a ‘W’. Really?
I was at that game this year. Strauss tore up the Duke D, and now young Rocco is there. Taylor Cooper was smothering. All former D1 players, high Q. We don’t have that mojo.
I don’t think so. A big L.
Seriously guys? I have been to every JMU game (Home game at least)since 1972 and I see JMU at 5-6 Losing to Delaware,Richmond, W and M, Viillanova, NH and Towson. I just don’t see JMU recruiting any significant players with the MM issue hanging out there. I know of good players in the NoVA area who went outside (Albany) to play rather than go to JMU and have to play MM style. ” Down , set,… Look over to MM…mmmm… audible… lose 5 yards… back in the huddle…” The opposing team’s defense even complains that they get bored waiting for MM to make up his mind. God fobid we should call 2 plays in a row and catch the defense not ready and actually throw a pass! enough…