Football Adds 12th Game, Will Host Charlotte in September

TONS of actual news today, and it’s even “fairly decent” news!  (My opinion is nothing can truly be considered unconditionally good news till we hear JMU’s future conference plans one way or another, but this really was a good day).

Today was Media Day for CAA Football at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore and so we were already looking forward to having something besides ping pong to write about in late July and reporting on the preseason selections for All-CAA and the predicted order of finish from the media, but we never dreamed the day would turn into such an explosion of news.

Fan Confidence personified

First from Baltimore, we learned that JMU Senior LB Stephon Robertson was selected as the preseason Defensive POY in the CAA.  Not surprising, but obviously great news.  Junior DB Dean Marlowe and PK Cameron Starke were the other Dukes selected to the preseason All-CAA team.  Towson RB Terrence West was chosen as the Offensive POY favorite, which also explains why Dae’Quan Scott wasn’t selected if you were wondering. Overall, the Dukes were picked to finish fifth this year, though they did strangely receive more first-place votes than anyone other than the preseason favorite Villanova.  We actually like the Dukes being picked here better than all the hype last year and hopefully playing with a chip on their shoulder and an OC with actual freedom to call a game not from the 1950’s.

But during Media Day, even better news broke courtesy of the Daily News-Record’s intrepid @MatthewStoss.  Long story short: ODU and new program and fellow CUSA member Charlotte had planned a home and home series over the next two seasons beginning this year in Norfolk.  A little while ago, ODU pulled out of the 2014 return trip to Charlotte.  Then this morning Charlotte returned the favor and pulled out of this year’s game.  ODU was pissed, but it worked out for JMU as Charlotte simply traded the entire series.  They’ll be in Harrisonburg this September on what had been one of JMU’s two open dates and the Dukes will head to Charlotte in 2014.  Very pleasant little series any way you look at it.  Side note, this is a rare year where an extra weekend happens between Labor Day and Thanksgiving so FCS had long ago announced teams were allowed to schedule 12 games instead of the usual 11.  Most teams did so quickly, looking to add a payday game against a bigger school or a resume-padding game for playoff contenders.  I know it’s hard to believe, but JMU simply stood pat, presumably monitoring the situation and hoping for a deux et machina to magically transport them back to 2004.  So to say this news was welcome is an understatement but let’s not go falling all over ourselves with praise as who knows why it took until late July.  Also, the truth is the Niners seemed most interested in avoiding the thrashing they believed they were bound to get from ODU and clearly thought a visit to the ‘Burg was less risky to their morale.  Charlotte is fielding its first team this year and JMU should roll but it’s a much more appealing matchup (now and in the future?) than games like CCSU or STFU.  And the best part? The game is a free addition to the season ticket program and another warm-weather September day in the ‘Burg!

Smoke?? Pipedream??

Finally we’d be remiss if we didn’t also cite a couple of NEW items from DNR Sports Editor Chris Simmons’ piece today (though admittedly Simmons is not known for the fact-checking or reliable sourcing we’re used to from Stoss and Selig).  Simmons reported two items we haven’t heard before.  First, that CUSA officials recently made a visit to JMU.  Second, that at least the draft of the Carr consulting study on a possible FBS move have been reported to the Board of Visitors.  We still can’t make the leap that this actually means anything, but when you add it to the Andy Katz piece and CAA Commish Tom Yeager’s deseparte rant at Media Day (what he actually said was “a shot across the bow” of an unnamed member) about the dangers of FBS, it’s not hard to imagine there’s news leaking out, possibly intentionally.  For my fellow lunatics, I’ll probably expand on this in full conspiracy-theory style next week, but the CUSA visit, if accurate, is at least something.

Oh yeah, four other items we love from a good sports news day: DC United may finally have a stadium deal, the US Men’s National Team appears to have been replaced by a cold-blooded German Terminator that scores when it feels like it, JMU Field Hockey plays an actual game in only four weeks (we hope to have our annual preview with Coach Lucas soon), and the workers in the Convo have torn up the old floor (can’t wait to see the new one – wonder if it will say “CAA?”)