{"id":7021,"date":"2014-09-22T07:56:43","date_gmt":"2014-09-22T11:56:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=7021"},"modified":"2014-09-22T07:56:43","modified_gmt":"2014-09-22T11:56:43","slug":"dukes-fall-to-nova","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=7021","title":{"rendered":"Dukes Fall to Nova"},"content":{"rendered":"

JMU fell to Villanova 49-31 on Saturday. Predictably, the Chicken Littles in our fanbase went nuts. While I tend to join those folks on #CAA4lyfe issues, I’m unquestionably going the other way this time and choosing to see some silver linings in this Dukes performance. Rob and I were both traveling different spots this weekend (tip of the cap to The BierGarden<\/a> in Asheville for giving up a prime tv for two JMU fans amidst of see of Georgia and Georgia Tech partisans) and as you know we’re old, and there just isn’t enough time to go through this one with our usual “thoroughness.” Check out the DNR’s fantastic Matt Jones here<\/a> for that. Yes there was bad (defensive meltdown, gashed for huge plays on the ground, penalties, a forced INT late, and one of the worst missed Pass Interference calls you’ll ever see that proved to be the turning point in the game), but we’re just covering the good today (I’m sure 04 and company will cover all the bad in the comments if you care to wait a few hours)<\/p>\n

Bottom line on this one is that the Dukes played their asses off, made some great plays, but eventually ran out of gas, showed their inexperience, and ultimately lost going away to a better team, indeed the one team in the CAA that is likely in true contender status already. JMU was a 20.5 point underdog by kickoff and it just about turned out that way, but this was truly a game that was more competitive than the final score. You can freak out about the meltdown from the mid-3rd on, but we choose to take some enjoyment and hope out of the fact the Dukes even managed to get out to a 24-14 lead in the third quarter at all.<\/p>\n

Progress. That’s what we want to see each week and we’re starting to see it. Honestly, if you penciled this in as a W before the season, then good for you, but this was JMU’s toughest remaining game (as further evidenced by Towson struggling with NC Central and Charlotte and Elon engaging each other in an offensively challenged rockfight) and the Dukes absolutely competed. They gave up two long, long running plays to Villanova, but for the most part actually looked more stout at the line of scrimmage against the run and did a decent job of limiting Nova’s biggest weapon, QB John Robertson (oh yeah, in case you didn’t notice, he’s pretty darned good).<\/p>\n

The offense IS ready and DOES have potential. 31 points is 31 points. Against a top five team. Yes, the defense set them up a bit in the first half, but three passing TD’s in the second quarter alone was exactly the type of explosiveness we’ve all dreamed of for years. And about those three Villanova turnovers that some fans called “lucky” for JMU in the first half. The muffed punt was lucky. The Dukes took those other two including that fabulous play by Stallings. Once the Dukes lost him and were without a healthy Steele, you could really see the dropoff in our defense, but hopefully those guys are both on their way back soon (glad to see no hesitation from the Dukes trainers about Stallings status after he so clearly suffered a head injury; and man was he ballin’ before that!).<\/p>\n

But we’re betting if you gave Nova coach Andy Talley some truth serum, he’d tell you he was awful nervous about the Dukes potential after seeing Lee, Hyman, and company play like no Dukes team we’ve seen in a while in that first half. The way JMU had the ability to really trade punches for a while was something we take only encouragement from about moving forward with the season. Finally, one quick note about the season and next week. If you remember from our season preview, we said getting out of the first five weeks at 3-2 was both a challenge (with MD and Nova on the schedule as likely L’s and close games likely with Lehigh and UD) and crucial to the season. Well, the Dukes have one to go in that stretch as old rival the Blue Chickens come to BFS this weekend and there’s every reason to think they can still do it. Huge game this week and we all need to put this one behind us and focus on the rootin’ at hand!<\/p>\n

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