![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/jmusportsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/KUQKKAPRGHLXZSD_20110918025314.jpg\" "\\"Starke\\"")
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Does Justin Thorpe have a chance to be a big time player?\u00a0 <\/strong>Sure looked like it.\u00a0 On two of JMU’s long drives, JT missed wide open receivers for huge plays (likely a TD on the overthrow to Sharp).\u00a0 But you know what?\u00a0 He came right back on both drives and threw darts to convert 3rd downs leading to touchdowns.\u00a0 Also made a few nice plays with his feet and generally led the team with a confident calm in a tense game.\u00a0 (Does need to clean up his option decisions and pitches though)<\/p>\n Will Mickey Matthews ever open the playbook?<\/strong>\u00a0 At least for one night he did.\u00a0 It’s really amazing how much better a QB, and for that matter an entire offense, can look when allowed to throw in non-obvious passing situations.\u00a0 Also took MM till midway through the third quarter to find TE Brian Barlow, whom he calls his best player, but once he did, that opened thing up even further.\u00a0 The opening drive of the second half was an absolute thing of beauty that Dukes fans have been craving since Rodney Landers left the field against Montana to end the ’08 season.<\/p>\n Are we going to get anything more than “god-awful” out of the kicking game?\u00a0 <\/strong>Who knows, but that was a MONEY kick by Cameron Starke to win it and you’d have to think that’s going to be an enormous confidence boost that has the potential to spread throughout the special teams.<\/p>\n Are the Dukes tough enough to navigate the always difficult CAA year better than the last two years?\u00a0 <\/strong>Signs are certainly trending upward.\u00a0 On the road, loud crowd, seriously tough opponent led by an All-American talent\u00a0in top form\u00a0in QB Mike Brown, two weeks of bitching and moaning from a grumpy, impatient fan base, two missing defensive tackles, four leads given up thanks to an uncharacteristically atrocious showing from the defensive backfield, and a batshit crazy refereeing crew handing out personal fouls like condoms at the Bunny Ranch.\u00a0 NONE of it phased the Dukes.\u00a0 They fought through all of it mentally, phyically, and emotionally and came through in a huge way.\u00a0 They also came to hit in a big way.<\/p>\n Things we don’t want to hear: <\/strong>1) Any more about Liberty.\u00a0 Dukes don’t play them next year.\u00a0 They have a great stadium (not Bridgeforth by a country mile though), a building fanbase (albeit sober), and a tough, experienced team.\u00a0 But unless they join the conference or enter into potential playoff scenarios, can we shelve all the obsession with the Flames and move on to the low-rent Monarchs?\u00a0 2) Dukes only won because of LU penalties.\u00a0 Look, this game was exhibit A on the monstrosity that is FCS officiating, but it was horribly inconsistent both ways and the Dukes won.\u00a0 3) Any more jumping off the bandwagon for at least the next two weeks.\u00a0 The Dukes are now right where we all thought, and hoped, they’d be.\u00a0 2-1 headed to top-ranked W&M.\u00a0 Regardless what happens this week, coming back to BFS for Homecoming agains the Ticks will be the real test on how they rest of the season will play out so show some support and don’t panic.\u00a0 And last, but not least, 4) W&M is somehow an easier task because they barely snuck by D2 New Haven on Saturday.\u00a0 CCSU, please reference.\u00a0 Going to be a great week!<\/p>\n