Dec 19 / Rob

Everett Withers Reportedly Is Going to Be the New JMU Head Coach

According to reports by FootballScoop.com, Everett Withers will be the new head coach of the JMU Dukes. Withers has been the co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach to Urban Meyers at Ohio State for the past two years. Prior to joining the Buckeye staff, Withers was the interim head coach for North Carolina in the wake of Butch Davis’ dismissal. He also spent time as the defensive coordinator for the Tarheels and was on the coaching staff for the University of Minnesota, Tennessee Titans, and University of Texas. There has been no confirmation from Withers, any of his people, JMU, or Ohio State at this time.

Reports indicate that Weathers and JMU are currently finalizing contract negotiations and we can all expect a press conference and official announcement tomorrow. We’ll be back with plenty of thoughts on the potential hiring once the ink is dry. Provided JMU doesn’t get Mummed again of course.

19 Comments

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  1. 2004 Duke / Dec 19 2013

    Thank God Michigan State isn’t on our schedule.

  2. Angel Morgan / Dec 19 2013

    I was really hoping for an offensive-minded coach. Now hope they keep the current guy.

  3. M@ / Dec 19 2013

    I was really hoping for an offensive-minded coach. Now hope they keep the current guy.

  4. Matt / Dec 19 2013

    We’re all part of Wither’s Army.
    We are out to win the league.
    And we’ll really fuck ’em up!
    when we win another cup.
    ’cause the Dukes are the greatest football team!

  5. '04 Duke / Dec 19 2013

    He had some good defenses during his time at UNC. He is also a high level recruiter. Hopefully he can surround himself with a good staff, including an OC that has the forward pass in his playbook.

    Consider me cautiously optimistic.

  6. Uncle Ron / Dec 19 2013

    If this actually happens, I’m very impressed with the secrecy. Didn’t hear his name at all in the rumor mill. Seems like a promising situation – some NFL experience and a whole bunch of big program FBS experience. Will be really interesting to see what kind of staff he puts together.

  7. intheknow / Dec 19 2013

    Mumme was never coming to JMU. Was thinking about it but runs a business in Texas with his wife, and she and family were not going to move. Called Mickey and told him he got an offer from SMU and Mickey told him to take it. True story.

  8. David Jones / Dec 19 2013

    Not an app state guy…. His record at UNC is not that impressive either.

  9. Mike in Ohio / Dec 19 2013

    Here in Columbus Withers has taken alot of heat this season for Ohio State’s porous pass defense as he is the co- coordinator of the defense and is the main coach of te defensive backs. Rumor had it that he and Luke Fickel, the other coordinator were going to be let go. Otherwise I would not see why he would take a real dive in salary to go to JMU unless he just wanted to be a head coach again or wanted to return to the southern part of te country. If this is true it would be surprising hire in my opinion.

  10. Cory / Dec 19 2013

    Gotta agree with 2004 Duke and M@. OSU was known for their offense until they ran into Mark Dantonio. IF Withers gets it he better hire an offensive juggernaut to lead the O.

  11. 2004 Duke / Dec 20 2013

    Yeah….. really not very excited about this. My gut reaction was “NOOOOOO”, but then I tried to be opne minded. After letting it simmer, here’s what I’m thinking:

    1. What the hell is a “co-coordinator”? He wasn’t good enough to run it by himself?
    2. He coached at Urban Meyer Ohio State…..not Jim Tressel Ohio State.
    3. He went to Crappy Appy. I just can’t get over that.
    4. UNC could have kept him, but didn’t. Gotta wonder why. To be fair, they probably wanted a clean break from everything -butch davis.
    5. He doesn’t have any Virginia connections. We generally recruit from Virginia north up the mid-atlantic, and his background is from NOT those places. Granted…our pipeline could always change.
    6. Not really excited about the possibility of keeping the JMU tradition of not defending the pass alive.
    7. As mentioned by others, he better bring in a decent OC.
    8. His only record as a head coach was just average. Granted….there was a lot of crap going on in that program at the time, but still…. average.

    I’m kind of lukewarm about this. Not really jumping out of my chair, but not rolling my eyes either. I’m going to go ahead and say this right now- If this guy is 7-5 or worse, I’m going to wish we had kept Mickey. I hope Jeff Borne and the new coach are very clear on that.

  12. 2004 Duke / Dec 20 2013

    Here is an interesting conversation:

    In college football, which type of coaches are more successful as head coaches– former OC’s, or former DC’s?

  13. Shady_P / Dec 20 2013

    I think this is a really good hire. It gives JMU a clean break from the Mickey regime, which I think more than anything the football program needed a breathe of fresh air.

    I think with his experience in big FBS programs and NFL he will be able to bring in an excellent coaching staff. He is known to be an excellent recruiter, which in college cannot be understated.

    With this new coaching staff, I think this hire will excite the current players and recruits which is very important. I like the idea that by bringing in someone from the outside, no player’s position is safe. Should lead to open competition for starting positions and playing time.

  14. Ken / Dec 20 2013

    has two years in columbus and some time in minnesota — big 1G country allowed him to develop connections in the upper mid-west?

    MACtion, Baby!!

  15. Jay Deck / Dec 20 2013

    I am not worried that he isn’t OC he can hire one. I agree more with Shady P. This signals a clean and clear cut. Let’s give this guy the opportunity to recruit his staff and get some players. We need help on defense. We could do a lot worse.

  16. Cory / Dec 20 2013

    I don’t know that recruiting at JMU has been the issue though. Top 10 classes year in and year out recently. It seems the product on the field is the problem and I just don’t know that Withers can fix that. This hiring feels very Alex
    Woods-ish to me. If he is the coach I’ll still give him the benefit of the doubt but if history tells us anything (Scherer after Purzycki, Woods after Scherer and Mickey after Woods), JMU should make the playoffs in the new coaches first year.

  17. M@ / Dec 20 2013

    I don’t think the offense was the problem for the dukes this year (and I do hope we keep the same OC if at all possible). Our problem was a porous pass defense (IMO). And I am not that impressed with his record at pass defense.

  18. GForce / Dec 20 2013

    Are you all high? Did you see the other names that were thrown around? This guy isn’t just coming from fbs but ELITE fbs program. If you haven’t noticed our pass defense hasn’t been stellar. Can any of you even name our DB coach? I can’t. To say this isn’t a step up from the names that were part of the rumor mill is ludicrous. Like it or not we are an fcs school which is light years from elite fbs football. This is like the New York Yankees pitching coach coming to coach our baseball team and you have a problem with him not being from va? I only know what I have read about the guy but I am for once impressed with the process, keeping it under wraps and getting it done in a timely manner. A plus for JB who hasn’t had many pluses lately.

    I am 100% behind the guy – go dukes!

  19. Cory / Dec 20 2013

    Tony Lezotte. Played at JMU. That was easy. Either way I’ll be surprised if he sticks around more than 4 years (fired or leaving for an “ELITE” program).

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