{"id":3195,"date":"2011-11-09T12:15:00","date_gmt":"2011-11-09T17:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=3195"},"modified":"2011-11-09T06:50:36","modified_gmt":"2011-11-09T11:50:36","slug":"guest-blogger-the-doctor-is-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=3195","title":{"rendered":"Guest Blogger: The Doctor Is In"},"content":{"rendered":"
Reader 2004 Duke won last week’s prediction contest. Here his insider’s take on how this year’s Dukes team stacks up against the 2004 National Championship team he played on. Take it away 2004 Duke.<\/em><\/div>\n
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The Doctor Is In: The Cure<\/strong><\/div>\n
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As an officer in the armed forces, I am constantly responsible for maintaining what we refer to as \u201csituational awareness\u201d.\u00a0 This is the idea that to effectively maintain unit readiness and effectively respond to threats, you must always be aware of the situation around you.\u00a0 Sometimes, you can be so caught up in the details that is behooves you to take a step back and figure out how you got into the current situation and whether you are headed in the right direction.\u00a0 Let\u2019s check that compass and wind it back to our most successful season (2004) and see how we got here\u2026<\/p>\n

\u00a0Offense 2004<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 2004 team was built around the offensive line.\u00a0 The line consisted of three (yes, three, the youngest of which signed with the Buffalo Bills) HUGE tackles, and three interior linemen that would rather punch you in the face than block you (see: Burns, George: Kidney Punch).\u00a0 Additionally, the \u201c6th man\u201d was 6\u20195\u201d, 285 with about 2% body fat and literally bent and broke equipment in the weight room.\u00a0\u00a0 The backfield consisted of a balanced RB (signed w\/ New York Jets), a power runner, and a 3rd RB who came out of nowhere and made big plays when he was needed (Furman, 4th and Goal).\u00a0\u00a0 Additionally, the offense was operated by a transfer QB who had the ability to read coverages, throw the deep ball, run the option and (gasp) read the defense and call his own audibles.\u00a0 The WR\u2019s stepped up and made big time plays when it counted (Maine, Furman).\u00a0 We ran variations of the following formations:\u00a0 I-Formation, Shotgun and One-Back (2-tight).\u00a0 Every 4 downs, it was a lock that we were going to run either the power or the zone run (successfully) at least once.\u00a0 3rd and short was a guaranteed 1st down because smash mouth football was our bread and butter.\u00a0 It was a JMU football tradition for the offense and defense to get in a sideline-clearing brawl on the first day of full-pad practice.<\/p>\n

Offense 2011<\/strong>
\nIn my opinion, the 2011 team is built around one or two players.\u00a0 It appears to me that the entire offense is (was) built around Dae\u2019Quan Scott and\/or Justin Thorpe.\u00a0 If we look back, this approach all began during the Rodney Landers era.\u00a0 The idea is that you get a stud athlete that is far better than the competition and let him go make plays.\u00a0 Obviously, this worked (sort of) during the Landers Era. This tactic is common with teams like the Indianapolis Colts (Peyton Manning), Michigan Wolverines (Denard Robinson), and various pop-warner teams.\u00a0 The problem with this tactic, as we found out in 2008 against Montana (and the colts found out this year), is that if (when) that player is injured, your offense tanks.\u00a0 The other glaring problem is that the defense only has to shut down one guy to effectively kill the offense.\u00a0 There is no \u201cI\u201d in TEAM, as they say.
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\nThe second issue (aside from the hideous all-white road uniforms) is that this offensive setup is completely void of any legitimate passing attack.\u00a0 Not only does this make the possibility of recovering from a deficit almost impossible, but it puts ridiculous pressure on the defense.\u00a0 If you can\u2019t score in a hurry, or manage the clock when you are short on time (via passing), the defense is forced to play lights-out and keep it close every single week with no room for error.\u00a0 Additionally, when the opponent has no respect for the passing game (and they shouldn\u2019t this season), they can load up the box with 8 or even 9 guys.\u00a0 At that point it is simple math.\u00a0 You have 5 linemen and one or two other players to block 8 or 9 guys.\u00a0 Ain\u2019t happening.<\/p>\n

The last major difference between the 2004 team and the recent teams is simple: Attitude.\u00a0 There is a complete lack of playmakers.\u00a0 To quote Coach Matthews: \u201cPlayers make plays\u201d.\u00a0 3rd and short is an attitude play.\u00a0 It is the essence of football.\u00a0 You line up across from the other guy and say \u201cI\u2019m better than you and here I come.\u201d\u00a0 I haven\u2019t seen that at all in recent years.\u00a0 Our offense relies on gimmicks (Wildcat) and trickery\/misdirection rather than having an identity.\u00a0 We go out, roll the dice, and hope something works.\u00a0 That is a far cry from saying \u201cWe are the JMU Dukes, and we will run the _____ and we will score points.\u00a0 Try to stop us\u201d.\u00a0 This lack of attitude is evident in the receivers dropping balls, the coaches calling random plays, and even in the defense.\u00a0 Nobody is scared of the JMU defense anymore. The defense plays ok, but I can count on one hand the number of times they really brought the wood on someone.\u00a0 Is the hit stick broken, guys?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve also noticed that a QB sack consists of wrapping the QB up and sort of holding him until the whistle blows.\u00a0 Our defense used to knock QB\u2019s out of games\u2026.regularly.<\/p>\n

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Wanted: Playmakers<\/p><\/div>\n

Prescription<\/strong>
\nI feel like I\u2019m giving someone a cancer diagnosis, but I\u2019m afraid the JMU program has gotten too Hollywood.\u00a0 We built the best facilities in the country, filled them up, and became a national powerhouse.\u00a0 That doesn\u2019t mean its ok to take off your hard hat and put down your lunch pail.\u00a0 To quote Coach Matthews (again): \u201cYou think you\u2019ve arrived??\u00a0 I want competitors.\u00a0 It\u2019s easy to break up a pass.\u00a0 A competitor goes for the interception.\u201d\u00a0 The 2004 team had none of these luxuries, but had a giant chip on our shoulders. Every Saturday afternoon, we were straight up pissed off.\u00a0 Part of it was not being taken seriously as a program, and part of it was the constant full pad practices and screaming of the coaches.\u00a0 It might have also been the 5am \u201cfun runs\u201d during the off-season (uphill both ways in 20 feet of snow).\u00a0 I don\u2019t know.\u00a0 What I do know is that preseason polls, cutesy plays, nice uniforms and a ridiculous stadium don\u2019t win championships.\u00a0 Playmakers with attitude do.<\/p>\n

Pack your lunch pails and grab you hard hats, boys.\u00a0 It\u2019s time to roll up your sleeves and get dirty.<\/p>\n

Note: Consequently, the 2004 JMU Dukes will be in attendance this weekend against Rhode Island as part of the new BFS inaugural season festivities.\u00a0 I encourage everyone to offer them free food and adult beverages.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n