Guest Post: Keep the Faith
Drake managed to win our prediction contest for the second time this year. Here’s his guest post on keeping the faith.
For years I’ve read this amazing blog and guessed countless scores. I laid countless goose eggs until this year and now I’ve won TWO prediction contests in one season. Just like the Dukes, I’m having a great year. Now, you may say, “But JMU has lost 2 in a row, the best player in FCS is down and out, and our defense has more holes than a truck stop bathroom wall.” I tend to keep the faith. College football is full of shockers. I’ve been on both sides. Just look at the last few weeks. How many of us would have turned off the TV before the Michigan muffed punt, the Georgia Tech return, or the Miami lateral disaster? Extra sleep is very much important and it’s in those moments when I throw my hands up and go to bed quickly.
But just think for a second. Our backup QB did something few JMU quarterbacks have done in their first start. Matt Jones did a great piece comparing the first starts of some JMU quarterbacks and Bryan Schor’s play last week certainly ranks at the top, especially when you look at the situation in the season and the talent he played against. Side note: That article also made me realize I forgot most of the mediocre QBs we had in between Landers and Lee.
We tend to overlook that W&M is the top rated CAA defense. The next two games (plus this off week) will allow the team to clean up some of the silly mistakes and special teams. Penalties and sloppy special teams are easy fixes. It’s not about talent, but teaching these kids their assignments and going over the basics. Now, defense is a bigger problem for sure, but I’ve seen horrendous defenses pull it together for a run. I’m a Colts fan and that 2006 Super Bowl team had a laughable defense but pulled it together for 4 games (they got blown out by Jacksonville near the end of the season). We have some talented guys. Ankrah is a young beast waiting to be released!
All I’m saying is pump the breaks on this negativity. You guys are so superstitious over some damn helmets. It’s cool if you don’t like them (for the record, I’m okay with them), but to say they should be banished because we lost while wearing them is just insane. A lot of these top ranked teams have weaknesses. Look no further than Richmond and W&M, both of whom we could have beaten. The Bisons are missing their QB and have looked very mortal this year. Think back to 2004, did any of you think near the end of the season that we would win the National Championship? Have faith people! Withers is a man who inspires. I have no doubt he is like a William Wallace type in the locker room and that every player would fight for him until they can’t go on any further. Always believe and always root.
Great post. Go Dukes!
Agree 100%, excellent post.
Nice! Let’s win out Dukes and see where that takes us!
Great Post! That was needed. We can get this done. GO DUKES!
Great post! the way we have played defense the last couple of weeks is not because of white helmets, but the heads inside of the white helmets. We would have played the same way in purple or gold helmets, so time to grind that superstition into dust and get rid of it. I expect to see a rested, wild eyed bunch of Dukes go after Delaware next week. I would also put on the bulletin board for Villanova what Andy Talley said about us if we lost Vad.
9-2 and playoffs.
If penalties & special teams are easy fixes, then how come the coaches have not fixed them?! I will believe they are easy when I see changes on the field…
Great work on this post. I choose to blame the helmets because I’m irrational like that. Then again, what part of being a fan is rational?
what Kool-Aid are you drinking?
Don’t listen to assholes that can’t figure out how to make a coherent argument. Your post was well written… Nicely done.
Tidewater — I agree look for the Dukes to arrive in Delaware, wild-eyed with a HUGE CHIP on their shoulder. Take care of business at UD…..and then there is nothing I would like nothing better than EW and the DUKES to run it in DEEP and Break one off in that douche Andy Talley. Talley is one of the dirtiest/shadiest coaches in FCS.
A lot of really good teams dropped the ball this weekend. The dream is still alive. It’s college football and like Ellie Goulding once said, anything can happen.