Guest Blogger: The Natives Are Restless

We had a tie in the JMU vs. Delaware prediction contest. Rather than go to the tiebreaker and risk everyone freaking out like last year, we’re just going to let both winners write guest posts. Our first winner was Hambone. He’s a long time season ticket holder who’s a little bit frustrated, but optimistic about the future. Take it away Hambone.

Hello JMU Football Fans,

This is my first opportunity to contribute to the JMU Sports Blog, so I will try to make it not as anger laden as some of the contributions I have read recently.  I am allowed to write as I picked the winner and closest to the score from last week’s game. Sorry it was not JMU.

I can actually say I have been following JMU Football since the very beginning.  I was asked to join the very first team, but declined as I did not want to practice as much as they had planned , plus I think I would have had to buy my own equipment.  I am in the actual picture of the very first kickoff for the very first game which took place on Godwin Field where most of us now have our tailgate parties.  They moved over to Hbg HS later.  I saw them roll out the first AstroTurf field in the old stadium.  We used to sit on the hill by the railroad tracks and watch the game for Homecoming.  Quite a lot has changed.

I have attended or read about every game since then.  I am a long-standing and current Season Ticket holder and am still VERY interested in how the teams do every year. My family, like most of us, loves JMU Football…Loved Rodney Landers, and Scotty McGee.  Loved JMU coming back to beat App St!  We were at the JMU-VaTech game and loved every second of it.  I have also “run with the smoke” out of the Tunnel before the game with the team.

I wish I could say that JMU football has no issues and JMU will beat every team they play this year, but we have already lost two. We almost beat AKRON , but did not and almost lost to St Francis (really?), but did not.  Surprisingly, JMU was still ranked in the top 25.  I saw UD and thought we could win but would not. JMU is not ranked in top 25 any more. I see the same thing for Richmond, W & M, UNH, Villanova,  Stony Brook (close) and definitely Towson. We should beat Albany.  I’m sorry!  That’s it!  It’s a good thing we don’t play Maine or ODU this year, or Gardner-Webb for that matter…

The problem that I see is just when the team gets on a roll (throwing or running) they go back into the huddle, come out, line up and then look to the sidelines… NOT JUST THE QB, BUT THE WHOLE FRICKIN TEAM, MOST OF THE DEFENSE AND ALL OF THE FANS IN THE STANDS have to look over to MM or the OC who ALWAYS call the same wonderful play…then, back up the middle for 1 yard!   That is the great option play MM wants to get in over the play they were going to run?  Really?  Why not get up on the ball right away and run another play before the Defense gets set?  I have spoken to players from other teams who hope MM is calling the plays as it gives the D a chance to catch their breath while MM ponders the ‘up the gut play.”  Mickey, they know it’s coming!!!  Why do they all have to look for you to call the play at the line of scrimmage???

I think that NEXT Year JMU will have a very good team, The Freshman and Birdsong will have more experience, but unfortunately the team will be without DQS and Robertson.  Why is it we don’t even know who the backup QB is this year?  Do we really have one?  What happened to Justin T?  Thought he got a one year extension? (ed. note: he was cut and transferred)

The last 40 years have been great for JMU football, but I have never seen or felt so much animosity towards the coaches.  Why can’t Mickey just call a Time out where the refs actually listen the first time or does he like to go NUTS on the sideline every game?  Hopefully, this team gets certain items straightened out and gets back on the road to the Championship. Or, maybe it is time for a change.