{"id":10983,"date":"2019-06-17T21:17:08","date_gmt":"2019-06-18T01:17:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=10983"},"modified":"2019-06-17T21:17:13","modified_gmt":"2019-06-18T01:17:13","slug":"needs-is-not-the-right-word-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=10983","title":{"rendered":"Needs Is Not the Right Word Here"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Wants and needs. They’re different things. Of course that doesn’t stop people from using “needs” to describe things that are nothing more than wants. We want football season to arrive, we don’t literally need it to. So we stumbled upon this throwaway list of 10 best nonconference games in FCS<\/a> pushed out for no other reason than to create “content” in the offseason, said “JMU needs to improve its nonconference scheduling,” it hit a nerve. Well, that might be overstating it. It really did nothing more than give us an opportunity to respond and thus create some throwaway offseason content of our own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First of all, the mere fact that JMU’s game against Chattanooga is considered by the author to be one of the top 10 nonconference games, kind of damages the entire argument that the schedule must improve. But that’s not really what got to me. It’s the “needs” thing. Football fans might want to see JMU play more good nonconference games. But it’s a stretch to say the Dukes need to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

JMU wants to win championships. To do that, JMU needs to make the playoffs. And they certainly want to earn a seed, but technically they don’t need one. So the powers that be build a schedule that best gives them a chance to make the playoffs, and the hopefully earn a seed, and prepare the Dukes for the type of competition they’ll face in the postseason. Given how competitive the CAA is most years, teams don’t have a big margin for error in conference play. Any team that heads into conference play with 2 or 3 nonconference losses, will have a tough road to a bid. And because the CAA is one of the top FCS leagues, with multiple playoff teams most years, conference play usually gets teams ready for December football. Which leads many teams to conclude that it’s smart to schedule a few easy tune-ups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JMU is one of those schools. Most years, you can count on two things when you go to Bridgeforth in September. One, it will be hot, and two, you’re gonna see JMU light up the scoreboard. JMU usually plays a “stretch” road game against an FBS school, and then schedules teams from surrounding FCS conferences. And those teams can rarely keep up. It’s not as exciting as seeing an FCS power team come to town, and it’s clearly a risk averse approach, but it’s hard to argue with the results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it works. JMU has made the playoffs the past 5 seasons. They won the title for the 2016 season and made it all the way back to the championship the following year. Last year, the Dukes crashed out in the second round, but if anyone can connect the disaster that was that game to the nonconference schedule, they’re seeing things we’re not. The Dukes are a perennial playoff team and always in the mix for the CAA title. The scheduling philosophy is working. It’s not hurting the Dukes and doesn’t “need” to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now given all that, we agree that as fans, it would be very fun to have more 2008 JMU vs. App State type match-ups. But that’s a want, not a need. And those aren’t easy to pull off. Coaches and ADs all say they’ll take on any team, anywhere. Top teams are not lining up to come play in Bridgeforth. And JMU doesn’t need strength of schedule building nonconference games, so there’s no pressure to take tough roadies. We’ve all heard the rumors about NDSU wanting to put together a game against JMU…in the Fargodome. Jeff Bourne was right to turn that down. Home and home or hang up the phone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We get it. The multiple early season games against teams with no chance are not exciting. It would be fun to have some more competitive games. But the goal is to get to the playoffs and make a run. Yeah, picking the “needs” word to death is a bit pedantic, but it’s true. JMU doesn’t need to change a thing with its scheduling. We want the Dukes to make it back to the playoffs. And they need to play better then they did last year, once they get there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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