Today let’s remember those who we lost. Tomorrow we’ll be back with thoughts and pictures from the game.
It’s finally here! Despite all the hoopla before, and the handwringing after, last week’s game, September 10, 2011 is the date true Dukes fans have had circled on their calendars for years now. Night game, NEW BRIDGEFORTH opens! Seriously, it’s almost too overwhelming to calm down, focus on the game, and write an actual preview. A full two years of daily webcam (ok, multiple times a day) viewing, countless friends and relatives bored to tears hearing my breathlessly repetitive ravings about the new stadium in the Valley, and infinite daydreams about a stadium that could live up to the way we feel about JMU Football and Athletics. The game itself is huge for JMU as this “should” be the one chance to get everything rolling during a tough early schedule, but we’d certainly encourage all Dukes to take a step back and enjoy everything this weekend signifies about the direction and ambition of James Madison University. This ain’t your grandma’s JMU, or even middle-aged alums like our JMU!
More than just an "artist's rendering" this time!
The Opponent
Look, Central Connecticut State University is waaay better than Morehead was last year. They came second in the NEC last year and are expected to compete again this year. They return six starters on each side of the ball, have a good deal of continuity on the coaching staff led by 6th year Head Coach Jeff McInerney, and “had” a strong QB in Gunnar Jespersen (great QB name too). But “had” may make this weekend even tougher as Jespersen broke a bone in his non-throwing hand in last week’s opener and appears to be extremely questionable for this week. This crowd and setting is likely to be an extremely tall order (read “impossible”) for a backup QB. That said, this is a team with 7 straight winning seasons and the atmosphere may be nearly as exciting for them as it is for the Dukes given the rarity of this type of crowd in the NEC (read “never”), so I don’t necessarily expect the Dukes to run away with this early.
JMUSB Beer of the Week 2011 Week #2
Slightly annoying that the solid beer markets around here are already filled with Pumpkin beers. Don’t get me wrong, love a good fall seasonal, but I always hope to get a few “summerish” games to start the season when we’re usually lucky enough to get some great weather games. Of course, we apparently all live in the Pacific Northwest this week, or maybe a rainforest somewhere, but THIS weekend is still a special occasion calling for a very special occasion beer.
Rob and I will be splitting a Dogfish Head Miles Davis Bitches Brew that’s been cellared for this day since we started JMUSportsBlog in December 2009. But we’ve covered Bitches Brew in this space before, so we’ll go with another brew worthy of New Bridgeforth. In this case, Oskar Blue’s “The Gubna” IPA. This is a pricey special in a four-pack of cans from the Dale’s guys, but it is an ubersticky, super tasty IPA that packs a huge punch, as we hope the Dukes will this weekend.
Official Prediction
JMU is bigger, stronger, and faster. If they can put aside the jitters and distractions of the new stadium better than I can, they should be incredibly amped to open the joint in front of an unexpected sellout including the full 8000 student tickets that have been claimed. Seriously, that’s an astronomical 40%+ of the entire student body! It’s also the true start of putting the last two disappointing seasons behind them and getting back to smacking people in the mouth, going for it recklessly on fourth down, running on nearly every play, and all the things we love about JMU football. May be closer than expected at half, but…
Dukes 42, CCSU 17
[polldaddy poll=5479894]After digesting JMU’s season opening loss to UNC for a few days, my opinion still hasn’t changed. I’m disappointed, but am far from discouraged. For me it’s pretty simple, JMU was just outmatched by UNC, a team with NFL caliber talent at several positions. I didn’t see anything on Saturday to make me less confident about the Dukes’ chances heading into FCS play. And while there is nothing encouraging about the loss per se, I did see some things that I found encouraging. The QB play was better than I expected it to be for instance, which was encouraging because it has been my biggest area of concern since last season ended. Not everyone sees things the way I do however and several folks were kind enough to share their differing opinions in the comments over the weekend. So Todd and I thought we’d take a little poll to see if there was any sort of consensus among JMUSB readers. Please take a second and vote to let us know where you stand. And share your opinion in the comments, especially if you disagree with us. That’s what the comments are for, not just for telling us how great the blog is (although those sorts of comments are always welcome).
JMU opened the 2011 football season with a 42-10 loss to UNC. In his first start, QB Bryn Renner, came out of the gates slinging the ball and helped the Tarheels jump out to an early lead they’d never surrender. The Dukes had a chance to pull within 14 points near the end of the half, but Justin Thorpe and Daniel Brown couldn’t connect on a fade route in the endzone and the Dukes had to settle for a missed FG. The truth was that the game was never really close though. It was UNC all the way.
Surprisingly enough, neither Todd nor I were at all discouraged by the Dukes’ performance. We actually liked some things we saw and are confident JMU can build on this performance. There are also obviously some things that need to be improved upon.
There Are Different Divisions for a Reason
There is a difference between FCS football and FBS football. The gap is closing and there can always be upsets, but generally speaking BCS teams should easily defeat FCS teams. Those extra scholarships, an extra 10-20 lbs per player on the lines, and tenths of second difference in 40 times all add up to a tremendous advantage. The Dukes win over VA Tech was amazing. It was also an anomaly. This isn’t a knock on any of the Dukes. They are tremendous athletes, but it’s a tall order to ask them to outplay a team like UNC for 60 minutes. UNC’s lines were too big and too strong for the Dukes and that was pretty much it. Not much you can do if you’re getting pushed 4 or 5 feet off the line every single snap.
Some Positives From Yesterday
Because of those differences mentioned above, it’s sort of foolish in my opinion to focus solely on the final score when analyzing a loss like yesterday’s. The Dukes got beat badly. The outcome was never in doubt. They did some things that should encourage fans about their chances at the FCS level. And the most encouraging thing I saw was the play of Justin Thorpe. Everyone has been worried all offseason about the Dukes’ QB play. Actually, everyone has been worried about it since Rodney Landers graduated. Well, Thorpe threw the ball very well yesterday. He was under relentless pressure all day from a line of NFL prospects, and he still went 11-15 for 1 TD and no picks. And his TD pass to Daniel Brown was the nicest toss I’ve seen from a Dukes’ QB in years. Brown’s play was a positive sign, as was Brian Barlow’s on offense. It’s tough to assess the D, but I think they’ll be fine at the FCS level. And it was nice to see redshirt freshman Dean Marlowe get a pick.
Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down
An upset would have been great, but as we learned last year it wouldn’t have meant the Dukes were playoff bound. Similarly, yesterday’s loss doesn’t mean the Dukes are done. JMU lost 45-10 to West Virginia in 2004 and went on to win the National Championship. In 2008 JMU lost to Duke 31 -7 and the great Rodney Landers went 4-11 with a pick. That team went on to win the CAA. These games are basically exhibitions. Wins like last year’s over VA Tech will be remembered forever and rightly so, because they just so damn rare. Focus on the positives. Thorpe appears to be a more confident and accurate passer. Barlow and Brown look like legit receiving threats. The Dukes put together a 10 minute drive and moved the ball at times. Those are good things. If something happened, like a much heralded transfer QB going 5-22 for only 35 yards (we’re talking about you W&M), then I might be worried. Even then it would be tough to read too much into a single loss. Yesterday’s result doesn’t have me concerned at all though. No injuries and the check cleared. Let’s move along everyone.
30 hours to go! Or at least there will be by the time most of you read this. And this first preview of the year is a doozy. An extravaganza of info, angst, and impatience. But thanks to a generous assist from Tarheel Fan Blog, we are happy to lead off with an inside look at UNC in the form of a Q&A exchange we did this week. For all you Heels fans (actual alums, not the Richmond Wal-Mart variety), our alumni friends pointed us in their direction and we highly recommend TFB as a rationale and humorous voice in the crowded world of Carolina blogs. If you just can’t wait for the prediction, you’ll have to skip to the end. Also back by popular demand, the JMUSB Beer of the Week. Lastly, thanks to Noop on the CAA Zone for all the photo creativity!
Interview Exchange w/ Tarheel Fan Blog
1) Anyone in Chapel Hill taking this game seriously? I would hope so for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, JMU beat Virginia Tech a year ago. This is another, in a long line of FCS schools beating up on good FBS division opponents. In fact UNC had its own scare with William & Mary last year so taking this game lightly is akin to not keeping track of where your NFL caliber defensive linemen might be going
Tarheel?
in the offseason. The other reason is UNC can ill afford a bad loss upfront. With an interim head coach in place, the program sits teetering on the edge. A loss to open the season could doom the whole enterprise in short order.
2) We’ve heard UNC’s O-Line is incredibly strong, and conversely, that the defensive backfield’s going through a bit of a transition period. Not sure if that’s accurate, so what would you say are the Heel’s big strengths and weaknesses? (Editorial – we love our guys and are pretty excited to have Justin Thorpe back at QB, but if DB is a weakness, no need to worry about our “aerial” game, you know, since it doesn’t exist)The offensive and defensive lines look to be absolute monsters and by all accounts UNC should win the battle in the trenches on both sides of the ball. The Heels have three offensive linemen who are 6-7 and over 300 lbs. The two interior defensive linemen are both over 300 lbs with an All-ACC performer in Quinton Coples on one end and Donte Paige-Moss(seven sacks in 2010) on the other side. The secondary is weakened, especially for this game with senior Charles Brown serving an NCAA mandated one game suspension. UNC will also be without Jabari Price due to a hand injury. That leaves a secondary that is somewhat cobbled together with inexperienced players both in terms of class and time on the field. Still UNC starts a couple of linebackers in Zach Brown and Kevin Reddick who are very fast and will be called to help some in pass coverage. The bottom line is on paper it looks like passing on UNC is a good idea but given the defensive line protection might be an issue. If you are going to pass the ball, it better happen quickly.
3) What’s been the general fan reaction post-Butch Davis, Marvin Austin, Dick Baddour, etc.? Everything from fire the chancellor to doom and gloom. There are those who are in a wait-and-see mode(like myself) and those who think firing Butch Davis means UNC is prepared to take the path of least resistance
Tarheel.
when it comes to the football program. Generally speaking I think most of us are glad this season will be primarily focused on the field and not in a constant cycle of dealing with NCAA decisions and journalistic bombshells from Charles Robinson. That is until October 28th when UNC has its committee on infraction hearing then we get to live it all over again.
4) Is The U situation a good thing or bad thing from a UNC perspective? In other words, do people think the enormous shadow from Coral Gables will help hide other issues or only make the crackdowns that much tougher? Maybe in terms of perception but UNC’s NCAA issues have really reached a point where what is going to happen will happen. The evidence is in, the allegations are made and all that is left is UNC’s response followed by the COI hearing. I doubt the NCAA is going to act any differently because of Miami’s troubles mainly because I am not sure the NCAA can tell you how it will act from one day to the next.
5) Any great, or unique, traditions for UNC football? Also, can you explain the ram/Tarheel connection? One pregame tradition is the Old Well Walk in which the football team starts at the Old Well on campus and walks to Kenan Stadium joined along the way by fans and supporters. There is also a bell tower right beside Kenan Stadium so on 3rd down when the defense is on the field they ring a bell. Of course the bell is record and played over the loud speakers and not the actual bell in
Ramses, wha' happen?!
the tower but your get the idea. UNC also has a live ram named Rameses on the sidelines which is similar to what other schools do. Speaking of which, the question does arise as to why UNC has a ram when the official mascot is the Tar Heel? It happened in the 1920s when it was decided UNC needed an animal mascot to represent the school. Based on the fact UNC had a fullback, Jack Merritt, they nicknamed “the battering ram” it was decided to use a ram as a mascot(Source: Tar Heel Blue) The name Tar Heel is derived from the nickname for the state which comes from North Carolina’s involvement in the tar and turpentine trade during the colonial years. Later legends and anecdotes have referred to NC soldiers holding positions in battle as though they had tar on their feet.
Like many schools, the alma mater, “Hark the sound of Tar Heel voices” is sung postgame. The song played by the band when UNC takes the field is “Here Comes Carolina”
6) IF schools were to leave the ACC in the next few years, do you think the conference would look to replace them? If so, any ideas on who might be on the radar? I would hope the ACC would look to keep pace with conference realignment. If we are indeed going to see 16 team superconferences, the ACC should do everything in its powers to be one of them. In my mind that would mean poaching a few more teams from the Big East.
7) Do you think most UNC alums are content to be a monster powerhouse in a basketball-first league or is there really an ambition to be a two-sport power like Texas, Ohio St., or Florida? This is a hot button issue. There are a good number of UNC fans who are “basketball only” folks. They really do want UNC to simply be decent as long as they are clean. I don’t think this group is a majority but their voices do carry some weight in certain circles. Most of us want to see both sports excel at the highest level. It should be noted that even in the case of Texas, Ohio St. or Florida, only Florida has won a national title in the past three decades and that has the markings of having been lightning in a bottle. That is not to say the Gators or OSU or Texas aren’t good basketball programs, they are. However they still don’t produce the consistent level of accomplishment seen at UNC or Duke or Kentucky. That being said, I would be very happy to see UNC produced the rough equivalent of what these schools do in basketball on the football field which is 8-10 wins per season and at least compete for the ACC title.
8) Lastly, when the hell is the ACC going to get rid of the low-rent Raycom/Jefferson Pilot nonsense?! Heck, we’re in the FCS, have only four or five regionally televised games a year with barebones production value, and even we laugh at the anachronistic Hogewood/Hildreth/Walker telecasts. Well it changing but I am not sure they will rid themselves of Raycom completely. It will be re-branded this season as the ACC Network but will be the same show. In the case of the UNC-JMU game it will actually be shown on Fox Sports South which is referred to as the Regional Sports Network. Overall I think the ACC will get more games on TV this season as a result of the new ESPN deal, even if it means shunting them to local Raycom broadcasts or RSN. Still, the production values could be better and for the love of the Old Well could someone please stopped these people from picking such bad songs for the intro music?
JMUSB Beer of the Week: Budweiser. The King. Preferably on tap or in a tall can. Why would we abandon our snobbery for a true working man’s beer you ask. Let’s just say it’s our way of encouraging you all to get off your couch despite the fact this game is on regular cable in most JMU alumni markets and hustle yourself down to your local viewing party (Bailey’s in Ballston for me) to be ready for the unexpected! (Edit: Sorry, a night to think about what to quaff during the game tomorrow and even I can’t pull off Buttweiser anymore. So in a nod to the end of summer, I’m trotting out a beer from my absolute favorite brewery, Full Sail in Hood River, Oregon. Find a 22 of their Elevation IPA or better yet, find three, and settle in for the upset of the day!
Official JMUSB Preview and Prediction for Game 1
SETTLE THE FUCK DOWN PEOPLE! Just because we upset Tech and UNC has had what can mildly be termed a “rocky” offseason does NOT make us any kind of favorite or make this game any kind of expected win. Seriously, both of UNC’s lines are experienced and outweigh their JMU counterparts by 80 lbs per man. They have three tailbacks that might be the best player on our team, and you know, 20 more scholarships than we do (of course, that difference would be greater if the Tarheels were flying to Miami to crash Nevin Shapiro’s parties and such). We also have a QB with incredible potential, but who hasn’t played a meaningful down as QB1 in 20 months. Lastly, we’ve got a coach who treats FBS games as if JMU is an old, crusty hooker. We take the money, but don’t work too hard or get invested emotionally.
A competitive showing late into the 2nd half would be outstanding and I fully expect it. The Dukes defense is just too damn good to give up too much unless UNC is playing with a short field all day (which is key #1 to this game). I also think the Dukes will find a way to move the ball, but the million dollar question is can they put actual points on the board?! And make no mistake, JMU’s priority list takes the following order: 1) stay healthy, 2) cash that check, 3) make progress in all phases while testing yourself against serious competition, and 4) win.
All that being said, our official prediction is JMU 26, UNC 24
The Dukes hang in there all day with great bend but don’t break effort from the defense and electrifying play from a hungry Thorpe. Look for a huge play from Jakarie Jackson to put JMU back in the national headlines! Why not?!
The JMU Dukes’ 2011 football season officially gets rolling in just a few days with the opener at UNC. After two relatively disappointing seasons, Mickey and the boys will be looking to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Last year we described the team as “transitioning” instead of “rebuilding”. That turned out to be true if only if you believe going from a relatively disappointing 6-5 team to a completely disappointing 6-5 team was a transition. Most would say it was more a mediocre plateau. A brief, 2 year mediocre plateau we hope.
The Screamingly Obvious and Lazy Analysis
Much of this season’s success depends on the offense stepping up its game. How’s that for in-depth analysis? There is really no better way to say it unfortunately. The 2010 Dukes offense struggled mightily, averaging only 17.7 points per game. And they couldn’t sustain drives either. JMU had one of the best defenses in the country last year, surrendering only 193 first downs all year. The JMU offense only managed 166 first downs. Not good. With the defense expected to be even better this year, most folks seem to think that even an average offense should get the Dukes to the playoffs. It’s tough to disagree.
Some of the Weirdest Pressure Imaginable
While fans had high expectations for Billy Cosh and Jace Edwards, by all accounts Justin Thorpe clearly outperformed each of them in the preseason and won the QB job going away. Combined with the fact that he was the CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2009, it would lead you to believe that fans are expecting big things from Justin. You’d be wrong though. There is a ton of pressure on him no doubt. The pressure seems to be more of the “cross your fingers and hope he’s better than average” variety than the “have a record setting season” variety. Decide for yourself whether that’s more of a slight to Thorpe or to last year’s QB Drew Dudzik.
What We’re Excited About
We are really, really excited about this defense. Todd and I are not at all objective when it comes to DJ Bryant. We love the guy’s game. But how can you not? He’s an absolute beast and should help anchor an impressive defensive line. He’ll have Stephon Robertson and Pat Williams, two tackling machines, behind him at linebacker and studs such as Vidal Nelson and Jakarie Jackson in the secondary. The D is going to be legit. And there is a lot to be excited about offensively as well. Count me as one of the vocal minority who actually thinks Thorpe is going to be very good (I said the same thing about Dudzik though) and I love the fact that Dae’Quan Scott got moved to tailback. He almost singlehandedly beat William & Mary last year as a wildcat QB. And with a more experience O-line, I think the offense will surprise some folks. And the stadium. We’re definitely excited about that.
What We’re Worried About
Mostly it’s the schedule. Todd summed it up perfectly today when he stated it like this. First, the UNC game is terrifying. In the midst of a scandalous year and with JMU’s decreased chances of surprising anyone after the VT game, the gigantic Tarheels may be out for blood. Even more concerning are the unbelievably outrageous expectations some JMU fans have for this matchup after the VT game. Look people, we’ll be rooting like hell for another upset, but mainly we just want them to stay injury-free and be ready for the season. Last year was wonderful, but playoffs are what’s going to start paying off a return on New Bridgeforth. After UNC it’s no picnic. The home opener should be a win, but going to Liberty in week 3 is no picnic and the Dukes play at William & Mary in week 4. And those are just the first four games. The Dukes have to face perennial contenders New Hampshire and ‘Nova after that. And they close at UMass. Maybe the Minutemen will be ready to pack it in since they’re ineligible for the playoffs since announcing they’re departure for the MAC. Maybe they’ll be looking to leave the CAA on a high note though and send the seniors off with a bang.
One Big Glass of Purple Kool Aid Please
Yes, our slight paranoia might be evident after the previous paragraph. We’re absolutely drinking the Kool Aid for this team though. The CAA is still the premier conference in the land, but it’s a down year overall for the league. The Dukes defense was outstanding last year. If they force a few more turnovers this year, they could be legendary (Ed note – in this case legendary means something Todd and I will enthusiastically ramble about 4 beers into any conversation for the rest of our lives). And this offense is going to surprise some people. Thorpe has always had the raw talent. Folks just questioned his study habits and leadership. Well, reports are he logged crazy hours studying film after he got hurt last year and his teammates just elected him as one of the captains. Seems like he addressed both criticisms. I’m sold. The Dukes are playoff bound.
We did it. We survived another summer folks. Todd and I tip our caps to those of you who actually stuck it out and checked in regularly during the blogging deadzone. And we welcome all folks back who are returning now that football is set to kick-off this week. We’ll preview the Dukes season this week and get things going with our first JMUSB game preview of the season on Friday. The students are back on campus, classes are set to begin and for the first time ever my oldest son is nearer in age to the freshman class than I am. Now here are some links to catch you up on JMU sports before I let that last statement sink in and enter full scale depression.
Matt Brady inked a 6’11” 260 lb transfer from VA Tech, Gene Swindle. He’ll be attempting a comeback from injury and is eligible to play this season.
Tough start for the Dukes’ field hockey team, who dropped the opener 5-1 to Rutgers.
The women’s soccer team has already picked up 2 wins in this young season. They pounded Pitt 6-0 and edged out Stony Brook in the final round of the Marriot Invitational.
Former Duke Mike Caussin is playing well in the preseason and looking to earn a roster spot on the Bills with another former Duke, Arthur Moats. Check out this great photo of Caussin knocking over the Jags’ Derek Cox.
Brian Barlow is following in Caussin’s footsteps as a tight end and is primed to have a breakout year for the Dukes.
Dave Fairbank provides a terrific overview of the newly expanded Bridgeforth Stadium, including some good details on the increased season ticket revenue.
And finally, check out these five questions with Mickey Matthews, who offers his thoughts on the CAA-SEC comparison and drops this classic Mickey instigating/motivating quote, “If we had a top quarterback coming back, we’d be picked to win it all.” I love it.
Photo courtesy of jmusports.com
The JMU Duke Club kicked off an ambitious membership campaign in 2011 called Duke Dog Pride. Our friends down in the ‘burg just informed us that they’ve added over 1,000 new members so far this year. That’s quite an accomplishment considering that the previous high for new members in a calendar year was 769. The goal is to recruit 2,011 new members in 2011 though, so before you read any further, go sign up for the Duke Club if you’re not a member already. We’ll wait. Now that you’ve joined, check out the campaign stats below.
New Members – 1,014
Funds Generated from New Memberships – $297,925
New Donors Without Football Season Tickets (showing it’s not just a Bridgeforth bump)- 443
New Donors From Outside Virginia and DC – 214
So here’s the deal. I’m making it my personal goal to find someone in North Dakota to join the Duke Club. Seriously. And since I don’t know anyone in North Dakota, and I have no plans to visit there anytime in the next few years (read: ever), I’m going to need some help. Lots of help. Contact your North Dakotan friends on Facebook, email them, Tweet them, or send them a telegraph (I assume they still rely on that technology in the Dakotas). And since I’m not rich, I’ll just offer up my 2 tickets to the JMU vs Maine game on October, 8 to the first person that can successfully recruit a new Duke Club member from the great state of North Dakota. Just email the membership details to jmusportsblog@gmail.com and let me know where to send the tickets. And if you live someplace too far away to use the tickets, like say, North Dakota, we’ll send you a t-shirt, let you write a guest post about why North Dakota is better than South Dakota, or come up with something to make it worth your while. In the meantime, just join the Duke Club people.
Mickey Matthews ended all speculation and named Justin Thorpe the starting QB today. Yes, you read that right. JMU actually has a clear number 1 QB a full 12 days before the season starts. This past few years, I’d gotten used to not knowing who JMU’s true starting QB was 12 quarters into the season. Regardless of which QB you might have been hoping would win the job, this news has got to be greeted with great joy. Or at least relief that someone won separated himself from the competition and won the job.
Thorpe outplayed the other contenders, Jace Edwards and Billy Cosh, and clinched the job after Saturday’s scrimmage. Fan opinion has always been pretty divided on Justin and I doubt this is going to change anything. It’s sort of a glass half-full versus glass half-empty thing. You can look at Justin and either see a QB who struggled throwing the ball as a redshirt freshman, or you can see a QB who closed that season with 4 wins and won the CAA Rookie of the Year. I’m going with the latter.
There is no denying that Thorpe looked lost at times 2 years ago. It’s not being an apologist to point out that he was a redshirt freshman however. Or to point out the fact that he had the misfortune to be labeled the next Rodney Landers when fans’ memories of Landers’ heroics were still fresh. He got better as the season went on and helped a JMU team that clearly could have thrown in the towel, close the season with 4 straight wins. Including wins on the road against both UMass and Delaware, two teams that the Dukes just don’t beat away from Bridgeforth. Had Thorpe not gotten hurt in the season opener last year, he might have taken the job from Dudzik anyway and been the clear starter heading into this season anyway.
So I’m fully on board the Justin Thorpe bandwagon at this point. He sounds like he’s matured a bit and studied a lot more film after he got hurt last year. And Dae’Quan Scott moved from wide receiver to assume the starting running back spot which should help make the Dukes a real threat out of the option. Plus the O-line should be better with another year of experience and the addition of Marshall transfer AJ Scott. And tight end Brian Barlow could become Thorpe’s best friend with his hands and big play ability. Dare I say it, but I think I’m actually starting to drink the Kool Aid for the Dukes offense this season.
Well, we saved the worst for last. For the first time, we must include the upjumped jackanapes from ODuh in an actual CAA preview as they join the conference full-time this year after two years literally playing the little sisters of the poor and crowing about almost beating William & Mary. I already hate these guys and the Dukes haven’t played them in 40 years, and I don’t mean “hate” like I feel about Liberty or the aforementioned William & Mary, we’re talking full-on George Mason, CrAppy St. style hate. Needless to say, the addition to the CAA and FCS of the Monarachs is both a blessing and a curse for JMU.
Blessing
ODU has tons of alumni (or at least those who took classes there), a decent television market with no competition from pro teams, a huge enrollment (or at least lots of kids living above their parents garage – very few basements in the tidewater – and taking classes), and big dreams that match the Dukes. Honestly, they’re more similar to JMU in almost every way (I’m not conceding any similarity on the academic front to thes clowns) than any of the other Virginia CAA schools and are likely going to be joined at the hip with JMU’s futures when it comes to FBS possibilities like no other school. W&M is public, but let’s be honest, they do take academics a tad bit more seriously and have a small enrollment and limited athletics budget. UR is private, tiny, and ridiculous. VCU and GMU care about basketball and have excelled in that arena, but are a long way from football as a reality and are sure to encounter resistance from alums and locals in the current economy should they start to make noise of that kind. Like App. St. and to a much lesser extent Delaware, ODU will immediately join JMU as fairly local FCS schools with the enrollment, ambition, and potential for facilities upgrades to make them all appealing to FBS conferences should the right opportunity present itself.
This should also be another great rivalry and brings with it echoes of the old CAA basketball clashes. It’s beyond argument that from JMU’s perspective, an annual matchup with ODU is preferable from a fan interest and ticket sales viewpoint than the now defunct series’ with Northeastern or Hofstra.
Curse
It goes without saying ODuh will be a forced to be reckoned with on the recruiting trail in the talent-rich Tidewater area, especially for the kids from their own backyard who are overpromised by bigger schoools and come crawling back home after a lack of playing time (should prove extra appealing that the academic expectation in Monarchland is likely to make JMU look like MIT). They have a bigger market than JMU and seem to be building solid community support even frm non-alums. They have the type of reckless ambition that brings to mind Miami, SMU, and UNLV (and all the good and the bad that comes with it). Lastly, they’ve made improvements to their facilities, though they’ll be no match for New Bridgeforth, especially whenever the bigger ticket donors figure out end-zone seating isn’t exactly the best reward in the Oyster Bowl.
The Preview
As you can tell, we’re a bit distracted by the bigger picture when it comes to ODuh and can only hope the Dukes take them as seriously as required and calm us all down at least for a year. The Monarchs have been building for five years towards this particular year and they have a TON of players returning (51 lettermen, 19 starters) including their first star player in QB Thomas DeMarco. HC Bobby Wilder came from Maine a few years back to start the program, bringing a few friends from the Black Bears program, so ODU’s staff should be very familiar with the CAA even if the players are not. Plus the players have to know they’ve got a lot to prove this year. They start the season with three jokes and no FBS game so of course their fans will be acting like Skins fans in the preseason by the time they face an actual challenge at Delaware in Week 4. They also get both RhodeI and Towson, so they’ve got winnable CAA games before a serious closing stretch that includes the Dukes (can’t wait for our first trip down there to spoil their party). In general, the schedule is very manageable considering their talent and motivation, but they are the true mystery team in the Conference this year as there is just no way to know how they will stack up week after week in the FCS’ SEC. Even with a possible 5-1 start, nothing will be proven until we see if they have the depth to get to 8 wins and the postseason now that the big boys are here.
