Gameday Open Thread (and that anonymous FCS program)
It’s Homecoming! This afternoon the Dukes will try to bounce back with a win over Villanova after a disappointing loss to William & Mary. Kickoff is set for 2:30. And it’s supposed to be beautiful, so stop reading, get in your car, and meet us at the game. We’re hitting the road momentarily. Consider this your open thread for all pre-game, in-game, and post-game chatter.
One more thing. Yes, we did read the Deadspin post by an anonymous former player from an unnamed school. And yes, it describes a football program that sounds a whole lot like the one we know and love. Two things to take away from this regardless of what school the guy is referring to. First, alleging that someone is a racist is a very serious matter. It’s the sort of thing that could ruin a man’s career and reputation, because it’s deplorable and inexcusable under any circumstances. Period. It’s serious enough that it’s not wise to jump to conclusions and judge someone based solely on anonymous and indirect allegations. And second (and on a much lighter note), stay for all 4 quarters people! And root fer Dukes!
So if indeed this is referring to JMU, there are enough pieces that could narrow down who it might be. If it was around the season with the win over VT, and it involved someone who switched positions, who was a walk-on, then it probably could be narrowed down. I am not a PI so maybe someone else is able to figure out but I would be interested in learning who it might be.
If MM is indeed a racist as this anonymous player is claming, then he needs to be fired immediately – now – ASAP – STAT – yesterday.
BTW – where is JMUSB tailgating again? Is it Convo??
We actually might have a chance since the matchup is our run defense against their rush offense.
I still stand by my ‘Nova pick, though. It is a combination of JMU’s Prevent Offense and the fact that after watching them play a couple times this season, I think Villanova is a lot better than their 4-4 record.
So I’m reading that deadspin article, and I can already say beyond any doubt that this is NOT referring to JMU:
“(coach) who resented the fact that he had to use fast black kids to win conference and national championships.”
Exhibit A: DQS, Justin Thorpe, Rodney Landers. There is obviously no resentment there. If anything, there is resentment that they had to stop recruiting the 757…thanks to ODuhhhh…and start recruiting NOVA, which the staff swore they would never do because “yuppy NOVA kids are soft”.
Exhibit B: “Conference and National Championships” is plural. Obviously it isn’t JMU.
I’m well documented to be the furthest possible thing from a MM apologist, but based on my 4 years in the program, I can promise everyone that this article has absolutely nothing to to with JMU and/or ANYONE on MM’s staff, now or in the past. I can say that with 99.9% certainty.
IMO… it sounds like a former (Cr)App State player. If you were familar with Crappy Appy in the Pre-Armanti Edwards era, everything kind of makes sense.
I don’t think we have the chemistry to hang with Nova. We have the horses, except our suspect OL. We just don’t have the chemistry. One or more players seem to disappear during games, i.e., Daniel Brown last week. And obviously we have a “finishing” problem. Our coaching staff has an inability to go for the juglar. A one-point lead to them is the same as a fifty-point lead. I really want to be wrong. I will be rootin’ fer Dukes big time, but I believe the pussies whip us by ten. So, we get pussy-whipped. That’s not always so bad. Unless, of course, you have an aspiration for post-season play.
We’re in Godwin. Spot 63.
I agree with 2004 Duke, but saying its’ App State didn’t make much sense either. They won the national title the year they beat Michigan — hardly finishing “barely above .500.” Not sure which team this could be.
should be “it’s,” pardon me. (By the way, JMU administration, you see how well App State is doing THIS year when they decided to move up. Oops.) They had better see if a “super-division” is created before making any moves whatsoever. Once the “super-division” situation is settled, then a decision can be made. Until then, it’s roulette — maybe the Russian variety.
sd- I didn’t read it carefully enough. I missed the “barely above .500” part.
Starting the game:
1st down: Motion DQS out of backfield, throw an easy short pass…hits him in the hands. He drops it as he steps out of bounds.
2nd down: Run end-around reverse on only the 2nd play of the game. Back misses block. Play goes for minimal gain.
3rd down (and long) throw long pass incomplete.
PUNT.
Great start coaches. You had all week to script some plays and THAT is the best you could come up with??
I’m always suspect of anonymous articles of any type but when its on deadspin.com its especially dubious. I only played for Mickey for one year but he was fair to everyone without a doubt. On a side note the students are filing in late but they are still filing in..
1. I’m convinced DQS runs with his eyes closed. There have been at least two holes large enough to drive the team bus through that he just totally missed.
2. Birdsong is my hero. I actually think that was an excellent penalty to commit. Watching a QB truck-stick a safety and then tell him about it makes me want to go play again.
3. Abdullah is hands down the best RB on the roster.
Nice drive to go up 14-7. See how much easier it is to run an offense when you have BALANCE?
and in other games, bill/mary is shutting out new hampshire 17-0 in the 4th quarter
tech puked it up against boston college and uva just gave an opening drive td to clemson.
glad the tribe is carrying the state banner high.
Well…here we go.
Nova is forced to punt from their own 10.
Josh Wells get his obligatory weekly penalty to make it 2nd and 30 from the shadow of our own endzone.
Shankapotomus comes in for the punt.
Villanova gets the ball back in JMU territory.
Absolutely horrible football. Horrible.
no coherent end of half drill….at least vu screwed up their own short field possession.
off to western ky university. i had 14-13 mc at the half — winning!
ICED.
Always love it when positivity and optimism wins out.
So does Matthews still need to be fired or is this back to love fest? Everybody seems to be keeping their big mouths shut.
Matthews still needs to be fired.
Steve. Yes. Mickey Matthews still deserves to be fired. Just because we beat Nova today doesn’t mean he has improved as a coach. Have you been watching our program since 2009? We have been on a steady decline. We have had superior talent each year with mediocre results, horrible coaching, inconsistent offense with no identity….do I need to go on. We still have to win out to make the play-offs. You might be speaking a little too soon. I think we’ll be lucky to win 2 of the last 3 games.
Oh yeah. Fire the head coach. That’ll fix all the problems because you know…just EVERY coach is dying to come to games when 1/3 of the fans show up late and then leave at halftime. I still think we’re lucky to have a coach that keeps JMU in the race every year in a packed CAA. That’s not something many other CAA teams can say.
Oh and the whole crowd cheers emphatically when “the wave” is completed around the stadium despite the team begging for quiet but doesn’t make a sound on a great defensive play.
Cory, the crowd was more interested in the wave today because the team hasn’t given us much else to cheer about this year. Our most exciting play this year involved a squirrel.
The Dukes were winning by 10 over the 22nd ranked team in the country in arguably the most important game of the year when the wave started. If they can’t get psyched for that then I’d rather they leave the game anyway.
Cory, the right coach for the job could fix all the problems. Problems that Mickey has created over the last five years. Better coaching, an exciting offense with an identity that puts points on the board and a team that wins will the fill seats. The students are feeling the same frustration as the majority of the fan base, which is why they’re leaving early or like me, not driving 3 hours. It sucks but I really can’t blame them. I’m not driving from the 757 to leave the game frustrated. The last time I did that was last year for the ODU game. I could’ve punched MM in the neck I was so pissed after watching Bobby Wilder out coach Ole Saint Mickey. A new coach, a new offense, and Ws will improve the culture, re-energize the alumni and will get the kids back in the stands. I’m typically not a negative person and I would consider myself a loyal person AND I appropriate and respect what MM has accomplished in the Burg. However, I just haven’t seen the results needed or heard a convincing reason for Mickey Matthews not to be fired.
At the game today, and I am definitely disappointed in the overall showing in the stands, but especially the students section in the endzone. Pretty sad. Now, I am a pre-National Championship alum so maybe I have the view that what has happened with the football program cannot be taken for granted so I do say this with this bias. Maybe we are only 6-3 and we don’t have a great shot of making playoffs or we have a consistent identity each week, but its WAY better than times like during the Alex Wood era. If they only knew how good they have it now….. 6-2, 5-3, 3-5, and 2-6 in Yankee / A-10,
There is definitely a disconnect between those of us that were around before Mickey and those that hopped on board after 2004. Not every year will there be a great team but there will be a great run every few years under Mickey and thats pretty damn nice.
A lot of top 25 teams lost this weekend. JMU plays 2 ranked teams in their last 3 games. Is it unrealistic to think if they win 2/3 of those, they could sneak in the playoffs, especially since the bracket is expanded this year. Sports Network had Villanova in their playoff bracket projection. JMU lost to a Delaware team that has proved to be pretty good and William and Mary who just beat New Hampsha. Yesterday, I had pretty much thrown in the towel for the season, but this morning, I have a little hope.
just some observations from an alum who sat on wooden bleachers in front of an 8-foot chain link fence where the taj-ma-mickey now sits during the first days of Jmu’s 1-aa membership:
only two teams inside the top 15 lost, and both losses were to schools also ranked. since one of those games was UD/Towson, both ahead of the dukes in the conference race, the benefit to Jmu is essentially nil.
only samford’s loss was to a non-playoff competitive team. all the others essentially were among teams who traded places at the top of their conference. again, no real benefit to Jmu. samford only trails SoCon leader chattanooga by 1/2 game and sits at 6-3 — still probably a playoff team.
Jmu still needs to win out and hope w&m spits the bit against ud and towson. this season’s uneven performance does not inpsire the confidence the dukes’ coaching staff can handle the pressure.
the two critical factors to consider — 1) has new hampshire been overrated much of the year and 2) how does towson respond to giving up 15 points in the final 48 seconds to lose a game that they had won.
finally, i still firmly think that coach matthews should not be the coach next year — i change that “should” to “must” if the university president announces a move to 1-a football.
Ken is 100% right.
If JMU wants to go FBS, MM has got to go.
If JMU wants to stay small-potatoes in the CAA with Albany and Stony Brook, MM maybe can stay.