{"id":4648,"date":"2012-11-13T22:03:02","date_gmt":"2012-11-14T03:03:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=4648"},"modified":"2012-11-13T22:11:36","modified_gmt":"2012-11-14T03:11:36","slug":"guest-blogger-tough-love-for-jmu-football-from-a-former-player","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=4648","title":{"rendered":"Guest Blogger: Tough Love for JMU Football From A Former Player"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Loyal reader, frequent commenter, and member of the 2004 JMU National Championship team 2004Duke won last week’s prediction contest. He’s coming strong with some tough love for the 2012 JMU football team. Take it away 2004Duke.<\/em><\/div>\n
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Debrief<\/strong>
\nDisclaimers:<\/strong>
\n1.<\/strong> \u00a0Prepare for some cutting torpedoes of truth. \u00a0If you can\u2019t handle it, stop reading now.<\/em>
\n 2.<\/strong> I feel as a former player, I have the right to criticize any student athlete that deserves it because they don\u2019t do anything I didn\u2019t have to do.<\/em>
\n 3.<\/strong> Reading JMUSB followers\u2019 comments on all-things JMU is one of the highlights of my day.<\/em>
\n 4.<\/strong>I\u2019m actually glad I have to come here to get my JMU news rather than ESPN because the quality of the information and the dialogue is awesome– \u00a0good job guys.<\/em>As we pick up the pieces from last weekend\u2019s unmitigated disaster, there are three items that really stand out:<\/div>\n
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1.<\/strong> \u201cI\u2019m glad to see everyone get all \u201crah-rah\u201d about the game, but we need to remember that Maine sucked. Bad.\u201d, \u201cOur offense (will run) east\/west, lays an egg, and we throw beer cans at the radio.\u201d, \u201cand it will be interesting to see if MM\/JD do anything at all to throw them off\u2026..I\u2019m going to go with NOPE.\u201d. \u00a0\u00a0Told you, told you and told you. \u00a0Just have to blow my own horn for a second. \u00a0It was the gambling lock-of-the-week.<\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> Just to take one last parting shot at the dead horse before I\/we (hopefully) leave it behind forever- Justin Thorpe is not a good Quarterback. \u00a0He would be one of the best at Norfolk State or Wofford or Bridgewater or Northwestern State, but NOT at James Madison. \u00a0Nothing personal against the kid– The coaches put him in a position to fail. \u00a0He does not appear to have the aptitude to play QB in the modern era of the forward pass and complex defensive coverages, nor has he (apparently) convinced the coaches that he has enough of an understanding of the offense to call audibles (which really sucks since all you have to remember at JMU is zone read right and zone read left). \u00a0I am a huge champion of \u201csticking with your guy\u201d, and after establishing a tradition of throwing various players under the bus, it is frustrating that the one time they stick with a guy, it is a QB who can\u2019t hit the side of my house and will have a PhD in rec management when he finally uses up his decade of NCAA eligibility. \u00a0I also think DQS is not anywhere near as good as the coaches seem to think he is.<\/p>\n

3.<\/strong> That leads us to coaching. First, let me say that I will not hang this on Jeff Durden. \u00a0If you look at his playbook (the one that existed when he first came to JMU), it looks nothing like the trash on the field right now. Additionally, his offense at VMI included a wide-open balanced attack with a vertical passing game (Vertical passing game- noun. A strategy in American Football involving utilizing the forward pass to stretch the defense out across a large area and create space for the offense to exploit). \u00a0This run, run, run and then change it up with another run is 100% pure Mickeyball. \u00a0No matter who the OC is, it isn\u2019t going to change. \u00a0Two other post-2008 coaching changes of note: \u00a0George Barlow left as the Defensive Coordinator, and Jim Durning left as the Strength and Conditioning Coach. \u00a0While I think we all agree that MM\u2019s hardheadedness is the most obvious problem, I think the most overlooked hole in our coaching is actually the loss of Jim Durning. \u00a0In the course of a year, players spend about 12 hours a week with the S&C coach. \u00a0My opinion is that the S&C coach is where the team\u2019s attitude is developed, specifically at 0600 hours on a Monday morning in the summer, or at 0500 in the snow in February. \u00a0I wrote a post last year about the team being soft, and I stand by it. \u00a0JD wouldn\u2019t put up with that crap. \u00a0They appear as a bunch of hollywood premadonnas who want to be on TV in their big nice stadium, get interviewed by the press, and walk around campus with their official JMU football team sweatpants, but they don\u2019t seem to appreciate that the only reason they have any of that stuff is because the guys who came before them DIDN\u2019T have any of that stuff and worked their asses off to build it. \u00a0The first day of full-pad practice used to end in a bench-clearing brawl between the offense and the defense every single year. That\u2019s the attitude that built that house.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead to ODU<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here is my free game plan for the coaches since they seem to need help:<\/p>\n

1. Why this game is important:<\/strong> \u00a0In addition to limiting the earnings potential and wrecking the careers of many young men in the Hampton Roads area who until recently would have played for JMU and attained a first-rate education, ODU is getting ready to send the CAA on the walk of shame back to her dorm room. \u00a0They show up, out of nowhere, somehow join the best conference in the country, BEAT everyone, and then take their ball and move on. \u00a0Beating ODU is not good enough. \u00a0We need to beat them senseless in every aspect of the game. \u00a0Anything less than the most epic, dominant beat down the world has ever witnessed will be totally unacceptable. \u00a0They have us in checkmate: \u00a0if we follow them to the FBS, we are just the little brother tagging along. \u00a0If we stay in FCS, we are the red-headed stepchild that never amounted to anything. \u00a0The only way out is to close the book with an absolutely legendary ass-kicking that will be talked about around the Commonwealth for the next 25 years.<\/p>\n

2. How to Win on Offense:<\/strong> Put some Duct Tape on the Ginger Giant\u2019s leg and send him out there. \u00a0Tell the OL that if anyone lays a hand on him, they are all losing their scholarships. \u00a0If you are forced to go with Thorpe, you have less than 4 days to teach him how to pass, or call Georgia Tech and borrow their OC for a week. \u00a0Play all 4 running backs, go with whichever one gets hot during the game. Spread the ball around\u2026 do NOT make it the Thorpe\/DQS show. \u00a0Spread out the formations to spread out the defense. \u00a0If they don\u2019t respect the spread, throw the damn ball. \u00a0\u00a0Do not run any reverses, period. \u00a0Do not run more than 1 running play outside the tackles on a drive. \u00a0Do not run the option more than once each set of downs. \u00a0If JT cannot line up under center, go find someone who knows how to hand a ball off and send them in on anything-and-1 yard. \u00a0Spend this week of practice instigating fights between the offensive line and the defense\u2026they need to toughen up. \u00a0If we can throw for at least 150 yards and rush for 200, we will win. Keep the ODU offense on the sideline, and keep the ODU defense on the field. \u00a0NO TURNOVERS.<\/p>\n

3. How to win on Defense:<\/strong> Sack the QB. \u00a0We need to get to him early and often. \u00a0A couple good shots early on and a forced INT will rattle him. \u00a0Blitz on every single play. \u00a0Send guys from everywhere\u2026 safeties, corners, LB\u2019s\u2026. \u00a0get a rush out of the DL, too. \u00a0Mix up coverages, but stop playing man coverage when they might be looking deep. \u00a0Our DB\u2019s give up the big pass in one-on-one every single time. \u00a0I would also spend time in practice this week working on stripping the ball. \u00a0Be aggressive and play to dominate, not just to win. \u00a0I would rather give up 3 TD and get 4 turnovers than only give up 13 pts and no turnovers. \u00a0Play fast, play nasty, and frustrate them. \u00a0Again\u2026 it is critical to start the game with a bang and set the tone. \u00a0Rock someone on the opening kickoff, get one bell-ringer on the QB on the first possession and make them start with a 3 and out.<\/p>\n

4. How to win on special teams:<\/strong> Nothing to see here. \u00a0We don\u2019t have any Scotty McGee\u2019s this year. \u00a0Just don\u2019t do anything stupid, and don\u2019t mess up. \u00a0Eyes are on the kicker\/punter.<\/p>\n

5. How ODU can win:<\/strong> \u00a0Run no-huddle and throw the ball all over the field. Put your best WR on our worst corner and whenever you see man-to-man, go deep. \u00a0He will catch it 80% of the time. \u00a0On Defense, run lots of Cover-1 and put 8 or even 9 guys in the box. \u00a0Even if you run cover-0, you can safely assume that JMU\u2019s offense will run the \u201cgo straight to the sideline and step out of bounds\u201d play before they would even consider throwing a pass. \u00a0I would also tell my defense to talk a lot of trash to Thorpe, especially after he makes a bad play. \u00a0Getting him frustrated and making him totally shut down would seal the deal.<\/p>\n

Strategic Planning<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just did a little SWOT analysis<\/strong> here looking to the future of the program\u2026<\/p>\n

Strengths-<\/strong> Facilities, Reputation, Funding, Conference Affiliation, Visibility<\/p>\n

Weaknesses-<\/strong> Offense, Lack of direction for the program, Students leave tied games against in-state rivals early, refuse to recruit good quarterbacks.<\/p>\n

Opportunities-<\/strong> FCS= chance to compete for another national championship, Complete the stadium expansion, start running a serious offense and become national powerhouse, bringing back the black jerseys.<\/p>\n

Threats-<\/strong>\u00a0 A FBS playoff system, ODU becoming the 3rd \u201cbig\u201d school in VA, Any of the remaining \u201cgood\u201d teams leaving the CAA, Bringing in a new coach who sucks worse (see: JMU Basketball).<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong>
\nAt the end of the day, I love my Dukes. \u00a0I have a full-court press going to brainwash both my daughters between now and when they move in to the Village. \u00a0I want JMU to grow, prosper and be mentioned alongside VT and UVA (After ODU leaves C-USA for the Sunbelt). \u00a0I want to walk into any wal-mart in BFE Virginia and see purple and gold crap plastered all over everything to balance out that horrible, fugly maroon and orange. \u00a0\u00a0I want to have people begging to mooch my season tickets because they can\u2019t get in to the stadium. \u00a0I want 8-3 to be a \u201chorrible season\u201d. \u00a0That being said, what I see right now is a 7-4 team (including wins over Ga. State, St. Francis, Alcorn and Rhode Island) who is just not competitive with ODU, Delaware, Nova and the other top teams, but pats themselves on the back for 7-4 and maybe a first round playoff win AT some average team from a hack conference (Eastern Kentucky). \u00a0I see a team that brings in top recruiting classes every year, and spits out teams that are one game above .500 (in a good year), have a totally dysfunctional offense that is (frankly) not even fun to watch, and just kind of flounders around in mediocrity. \u00a0Get your sh*t together, JMU.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n