{"id":7056,"date":"2014-09-28T21:16:03","date_gmt":"2014-09-29T01:16:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=7056"},"modified":"2014-09-28T21:20:38","modified_gmt":"2014-09-29T01:20:38","slug":"the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-from-jmu-vs-delaware","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=7056","title":{"rendered":"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly From JMU vs. Delaware"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Vad<\/a>The Dukes dropped a heartbreaker to the Delaware Blue Hens yesterday, falling 30-23 in overtime. It’s been over 24 hours and I’m still at a loss for words. Or at least I’m at a loss for words or thoughts that make any sense at all. Maybe I’m still in shock. The fact is that JMU lost to what appears to be a middle of the CAA pack Delaware team at home. Vad Lee and the Dukes showed some real toughness to rally twice to tie late in the fourth quarter to force overtime. They had to rally because they basically sleepwalked through the first three and half quarters. And then\u00a0they had to rally again, because after they tied it at 16-16, the defense surrendered an 86 yard TD pass three plays later. This 86 yard TD pass is not be confused with the 75 yard TD pass Delaware had on the game’s first play from scrimmage. Did I mention that I might still be in shock?<\/p>\n

On paper, this was a game that JMU should have clearly won. Save a couple boneheaded penalties, dumb mistakes, missed extra points, dropped TD passes, completely blown defensive assignments and missed tackles on long TDs, backward punts, and questionable playcalling, they probably would have won. Or maybe I just typed a list of things losing teams do over the course of a football game. Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly from JMU’s loss.<\/p>\n

The Good<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vad Lee is not the problem folks. Like any JMU quarterback since 2008, he’s not living up to (unfair) comparisons to Rodney Landers, but he’s playing well. Yesterday, he certainly played well enough to win.\u00a0He was composed and effective during the Dukes’ two late drives to tie. He’s improved each week and has command of the offense. If not for a dropped TD pass from the usually sure handed Daniel Brown and a litany of mistakes by the defense and special teams, we’d probably be talking about how Lee rallied the team to a win on a day they didn’t have their A-game.<\/p>\n

Gage Steele’s interception was an absolutely spectacular play when JMU needed one urgently. If JMU would have somehow rallied to win, that would have gone done with Cortez Thompson’s return as one of the standout plays of the JMU and UD rivalry.<\/p>\n

Sage Harold’s QB pressure was a welcome development. The Dukes have struggled to get to the quarterback while adjusting to the new defensive scheme. Harold came off the edge to get 2 sacks yesterday though. Hopefully it’s a sign of things to come.<\/p>\n

Honorable mention: Finally seeing Dean Marlowe play deep safety instead of spending the majority of his time in nickel coverage, and the 43 yard field goal that looked ugly as hell, but went through the uprights to tie it at 16 all.<\/p>\n

The Bad<\/strong><\/p>\n

Daniel “Touchdown” Brown dropping an easy one. Look, it happens. And Brown has given way more than he’s gotten over the years. But the Dukes needed that one yesterday and he dropped it. Aside from the drop, he had a solid game and continues to improve his chemistry with Vad Lee.\u00a0He’ll bounce back. He’s too good not too.<\/p>\n

The coaching wasn’t too hot either. We’re only 5 games into the new era, but the entire coaching staff needs to improve for JMU to compete. Keep in mind, we’re not questioning the Withers hire or calling for anyone to be fired. The coaching staff is inexperienced and it’s showed this season. It was particularly evident yesterday. The team lacks discipline and the defense continues to have major breakdowns. Part of that is obviously on the players on the field, but it’s the coaches job to prepare them and teach the fundamentals. Withers and the staff have got to do both better. Also, there is nothing that screams “hack blogger” more than some loser keyboard jockey questioning the play calling. Which reminds me, the play calling in OT was suspect. Finally, would it be so bad to line up under center on 4th and short?<\/p>\n

The Ugly<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Not Very Special Teams were particularly not very special yesterday. Credit to Arnonne for putting a rough game behind him and nailing a pressure filled 43 yard kick in the clutch. He also had a blocked field goal and a mixed extra point though. That all adds up to ugly. Perhaps worse was the punt game, with the obvious example being a -14 yard punt. A -14 yard punt. \u00a0And then there was the kick-off game that was crippled by not one, but two offsides penalties. Nowhere to go but up.<\/p>\n

The 75 yard TD and the 86 yard TD were both epic\u00a0failures. The cover guys got beat, but then everyone just sort of flailed away while chasing the receiver down the field. Ugly. Really ugly. Like “makes me want to smash my television in a million pieces” ugly.<\/p>\n

Inches. While it’s not really any particular players fault, it was just ugly to lose a game literally by inches on the final play. Freshman Taylor Woods looked like he was going to get in around the edge, but Delaware stopped him inches short of the end zone. Maybe that deserves its own category of painful. And the fact that the CAA has replay, but doesn’t have a camera positioned at the goal line sort of negates the purpose of replay reviews. So the CAA replay system gets thrown in the ugly category as well.<\/p>\n

Moving On<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was a brutal loss, but JMU can get back on track next week at Albany. Vad Lee is playing well and one of these days the offense will come out of the gates firing. The defense opened with an awful play, actually played pretty well for a stretch, and then appeared to run out of gas or fall asleep at the wheel when needed most. Despite all that, they probably took a step forward yesterday. Plenty to improve upon sure and the Dukes have dug themselves quite a hole. But all hope is not lost. The toughest part of the schedule is behind them. Eliminate the dumb mistakes, and they can win out. The inverse is also true of course, but let’s focus on the positive. There’s a whole lot of football left to play.<\/p>\n