Who needs a Win more?- UMass Preview

#18 Massachusetts Minuteman (4-3,2-2)  @ #15 James Madison University (4-3,1-3) , 3:30

What to watch for: Two teams who made national headlines in September, JMU beating Tech in Blacksburg and UMass almost knocking off Michigan in the Big House, meet in a CAA to end the month of October. Last week the UMass Minuteman were apart of history, when they squared off against New Hampshire at Gillette Stadium. The crowd on hand was 32,848, a CAA record, and also drew a 0.88 TV rating. Over one million fans watched New Hampshire beat UMass, which means both teams come into Bridgeforth Stadium coming off losses with both desperately needing a win. The Dukes lost a tough contest last Saturday in Philadelphia 14-7, but coach Matthews said that he thought his team show a good effort in a hostile environment. With both teams really need a victory to improve on their playoff chances, the Dukes might kiss the playoffs goodbye if they go down in defeat.


Key Matchup: UMass Offense vs. JMU Pass Defense
Both teams are No. 1 in their category and expect this to be this to be a positional battle. Quarterback Kyle Havens has thrown nine touchdowns on the season but he has distributed the ball well, with four players having two touchdowns each. The Dukes have done an excellent job on the defensive side of the ball, but are getting banged up in doing so. JMU gets back DE Max Alexandre, who was supposed to be out all season, who will provide support. The Dukes are looking into playing true freshman Dean Marlowe at cornerback, but this late in the season might be a loss of a redshirt. If he plays, expect Havens to go at him. The Dukes might need to pick Havens off a couple of time and give the offense good field position if it wants to stand any chance in becoming victorious.  

Difference Maker: Penalties. I always pick a person here, but this week Coach Matthews talked about how penalties have been crushing this team. “I hate to keep beating a dead horse and beating a dead horse and beating a dead horse,” JMU coach Mickey Matthews said this week. “ The penalties we got on offense were ab solutely critical, critical, critical.” JMU is the 2nd most penalized team in the league, with 67.9 yards per game. That won't cut it for a team that is trying to make the playoffs.

Players to Watch: Drew Dudzik, QB James Madison. Dudzik had his first 200+ yard game off the season on the road last week at Villanova. Hopefully, now that he is back home he can produce some of the same stuff he succeed with last week. The Minuteman have the 3rd ranked pass defense in the CAA, but are at the bottom in rushing. Look for Dudzik to use his legs and make some plays tomorrow at Bridgeforth. 

Prediction: Don't have a whole lot of faith in this squad anymore. When your 7th game of the season is the first time you have thrown for over 200 yards that says a lot. JMU has only won one home game this season, so I'm going to say they continue their downfall and get dashed by UMass. Massachusetts 28 James Madison 10. 
-MO

Could JMU get a key DE Back?

Nice article by the DNR's Mike Barber about Max Alexandre. Come back tomorrow for a preview of #15 JMU Dukes @ #18 UMass.


An Early Gift For JMU D-Line

By MIKE BARBER

Daily News-Record

HARRISONBURG – Lacking healthy defensive linemen for last Saturday’s game at Villanova, James Madison’s football team looked to a player whose season once appeared to be over.

Junior defensive tackle Max Alexandre suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in a knee during spring practice in April, prompting JMU to an nounce that he would miss the 2010 season. But biology sometimes trumps expectations.

“I was definitely hoping I could come back this year and play, but they told me it would be hard,” Alexandre said after practice this week. “I’d have to work really hard to come back.” 

The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder did exactly that, and three weeks ago he returned to the practice field. Still, it seemed unlikely he’d see action in a game. But with JMU already without its two starting defensive tackles – Ronnell Brown and Nick Emmons – because of ankle injuries, Alexandre was getting plenty of work in practice. When defensive end Sean O’Neil – who had been moved to play inside at tackle because of Brown’s and Emmons’ absence – suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out against Villanova, Alexandre suddenly was the team’s next-best option. “It’s an amazing recovery,” JMU coach Mickey Matthews said. “And to be honest, if we didn’t have all the injuries, we wouldn’t have even thought about him. Max was working really hard and the trainer kept saying he was doing well. We thought we’d get him out here and see what he could do.” 

Against the Wildcats, the defending Division I- AA national champions, Alexandre made two tackles in a 14-7 loss that was surprisingly close considering JMU was using a patchwork defensive line against a hulking and skilled offensive front. 

“It was a very gallant effort, because they’re very big,” Matthews said of the performance of his defense. “Our guys hung in there. Our guys really played hard on defense. We refused to give in. It gave us a chance to win at the end.” 

Alexandre, who came on strong at the end of the 2009 season and was a potential starter for this year before his knee injury, was right in the middle of that effort.

“We would have not have played as well on defense Saturday without him,” Matthews said. “He was a huge contributor.” 

Just getting back on the field was a huge accomplishment for a player who has dealt with plenty of adversity since last season ended. 

Alexandre is a native of Haiti, and his grandmother was killed in the January earthquake that ravaged that country’s capital city of Port-Au-Prince. 

Then, in the spring, Alexandre suffered the injury. “Old-school line of thought was that when you had major reconstruction involving the ACL, it was a minimum of 12 months and maybe 18 months coming back,” Matthews said. “His was shredded. There was even talk that his career was over in April.” 

Alexandre was on crutches for six weeks and it was four months before he could begin running again. He did his rehabilitation work with JMU athletic trainer Scott Cook and then began to work himself back into playing shape with the team’s strength and conditioning coach, Jim Durning. 

Three weeks ago, with Brown and Emmons sidelined, Alexandre returned to practicing. 

“I was a little uncomfortable at first,” Alexandre said. “I was kind of hesitant to make the cuts and stuff. But last week during the game, it was just like, ‘Wow. I can do it again.’ The first couple of plays, I was a little rusty. I was a little slow with it. After that, I picked up where I left off.” The Dukes (4-3 overall, 1-3 in the Colonial Athletic Association) will need him again Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium. In a pivotal game against Massachusetts (4-3, 2-2), JMU could be without as many as seven players expected to be defensive starters coming out of spring practice. The Dukes won’t have Brown, Emmons, O’Neil or cornerback Mike Allen, who suffered a season- ending foot fracture against Villanova. Allen and Emmons join linebacker Jamie Veney (quad) on that list of players done for the year. 

Matthews said linebacker Pat Williams (concussion) is doubtful and cornerback Leavander Jones (knee) is questionable for Saturday. The coach is considering playing true freshman Dean Marlowe, a safety, at cornerback, but in the eighth game of the season, it’s a bit late to be pulling redshirts. 

That a move like that is even being considered shows JMU believes it can still make the I-AA playoffs. The Dukes need to win all four games to assure themselves of an at-large selection. With one loss dropping them to 7-4, JMU would be on the bubble. 

“It’s just something you have to deal with as a football program,” Matthews said. “We’re not the only football program that’s had injuries.” 

-MO

New Sports Network Poll, JMU falls to No. 15

The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top-25 College Football Poll

Team (First-place votes)	Record	Points	Previous Rank
1. Appalachian State Mountaineers (136)	7-0	3,873	1
2. Jacksonville State Gamecocks (17)	8-0	3,675	3
3. William & Mary Tribe (2)	6-1	3,599	4
4. Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (1)	6-1	3,338	5
5. Villanova Wildcats	5-2	3,189	6
6. Delaware Blue Hens	7-1	3,139	2
7. Montana Grizzlies	6-2	2,863	7
8. Eastern Washington Eagles	6-2	2,712	8
9. Wofford Terriers	6-1	2,584	9
10. New Hampshire Wildcats	5-3	2,408	10
11. Southeast Missouri State Redhawks	7-1	2,189	13
12. Bethune-Cookman Wildcats	7-0	2,064	14
13. Montana State Bobcats	6-2	1,801	15
14. Richmond Spiders	4-3	1,616	16
15. James Madison Dukes	4-3	1,534	11
16. Liberty Flames	5-2	1,453	17
17. South Carolina State Bulldogs	5-2	1,389	18
18. Massachusetts Minutemen	4-3	1,247	12
19. Northern Iowa Panthers	4-3	1,048	19
20. Chattanooga Mocs	5-2	930	24
21. Penn Quakers	5-1	909	20
22. Cal Poly Mustangs	5-3	706	23
23. Grambling State Tigers	6-1	453	NR
24. Jacksonville Dolphins	7-1	357	NR
25. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks	4-3	341	22

Others receiving votes: North Dakota State 339, Western Illinois 187, Robert Morris 186, Georgia Southern 106, Furman 84, Hampton 63, Lehigh 39, Dayton 37, South Dakota State 35, Elon 34, Southern Utah 33, Jackson State 23, Brown 18, Harvard 16, Southern Illinois 15, Praire View A&M 12, Texas Southern 10, Weber State 9, Sam Houston State 8, McNeese State 8, Sacramento State 4, Florida A&M 4, UT Martin 3, UC Davis 2, Old Dominion 2, Tennessee Tech 2, Illinois State 1, Yale 1, South Dakota 1, Missouri State 1.

JMU's next opponent will be the UMass Minutemen, who are hot on the Dukes' heels at No. 18. Come back later this week for a preview!

-CH

Dukes Seeking to Upset Champs- Villanova Preview

#11 James Madison Dukes (4-2) @ #6 Villanova Wildcats (4-2), 3:30

What to watch for: James Madison goes up to Philadelphia on Saturday, a place where miracles have happened in the past. If you recall two years ago Rodney Landers (boy do we miss him) threw a Hail Mary to Bosco Williams at the end of the game to steal a 23-19 win from the Wildcats. Since then, a lot has changed. JMU has neither player on their team anymore (graduation), and the Wildcats hoisted a national title last season. And they haven’t forgot about that day the Dukes stunned them 2 years ago on their home turf. They creamed Madison in Harrisonburg last season, 27-0.

The Wildcats are hoping they will have last season’s CAA Offensive Player of the Year Matt Szczur back from an ankle injury, but coach Andy Talley said will be a game-time decision. Expect Szczur to start. They are coming off an impressive 48-18 victory over Maine where senior quarterback Chris Whitney threw for a career high 322 yard and 3 touchdowns.

The Dukes really need this win to get back on track and save the season. If not, things could get ugly.

Key Matchup: Villanova “Wildcat” Formation vs. JMU D-Line

Whether it’s Mike Szczur running the wildcat or his backup, Angelo Babbaro, the Wildcats will run the ball a lot. Babbaro has accumulated 619 yards through the wildcat, and before Szczur was hurt he had 453. This team has two great running backs and I expect them to give it to them early and often.

JMU’s defense is ranked No. 3 in the CAA in rush defense, only allowing 118 yards per game, and 6^th nationally in total defense, only giving up 266 per game. Meanwhile, Villanova is No. 3 in the CAA in rushing offense, with 192 yards per game. Clearly something is going to have to give, and we’ll take a look back on Monday and compare these stats and see if that’s how the game was determined.

Difference Maker: Drew Dudzik, QB JMU

Matthews said all week that the offensive is struggling, but it’s not Dudzik to blame. “Our protection was horrible Saturday,” Matthews said. “He was under fire so much Saturday, it was hard to play quarterback. If I thought we needed to make a change at quarterback, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it. I think he needs to play better, but he needs some other guys around him to help.” Dudzik and the offense have scored more than two touchdowns in the past four games, but I really believe this is a game where Dudzik can turn it around. Villanova is vulnerable in the passing game, and I think Matthews has something schemed up through the air to confuse this tough Wildcat defense.

Players to Watch: Scott Noble, RB JMU

Noble posted his first 100-yard rushing game this season last week in their loss to New Hampshire, but I expect Noble to make some key plays on Saturday. I’m not saying he is going to fill the stat sheet, because Villanova’s run defense is vicious, but I think Noble will do a better job in blocking this week and hopefully break some swing plays or screens.

Prediction:  The Dukes need this win. Entering their second game in this five game tough stretch, JMU cannot afford to start 0-2. I think the team realizes how much this game means to their season, and like two years ago in Philadelphia, the Dukes will rise! Special teams will ultimately decided the outcome, and I’m predicting we have a field goal attempt less than one minute left in the game. I’ll say Philly goes 0-2 Saturday in sporting events just for kicks, with the Phillies sending the Giants to the World Series.

James Madison 20 Villanova 19, Giants 7 Philadelphia 4.

-MO

Who is Matt Szczur? And how do you even say his last name?

The Dukes head to Pennsylvania this Saturday to take on the No. 6 ranked, reigning FCS champions, Villanova Wildcats. The biggest surprise in the CAA behind our triumphant Virginia Tech win has to be when the William & Mary Tribe upset the then No. 1 Wildcats, 31-24 on Oct. 2.

Perhaps some of the reason the Wildcats fell to the Tribe was the loss of their star, and reigning CAA Player of the Year, senior wide receiver Matt Szczur, who had been dealing with two sprained ankles. He has since healed and Villanova coach Andy Talley says he will remain a gametime decision against JMU. 

With JMU's heart of the defense, Ronnell Brown, out on injury, Dukes' fans are most likely keeping their fingers crossed Szczur sits this one out. After doing some research, I found JMU football beat writer Mike Barber, from our local Daily News-Record, wrote a good piece on what to expect from this young man if he does return.

HARRISONBURG - So what changes when you take the most dynamic football player out of one of the league's top offenses? Not much, apparently.

Villanova coach Andy Talley said this week that reigning Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year Matt Szczur will be a game-time decision for Saturday's meeting with James Madison because of Szczur's two sprained ankles. He was injured very early in the Wildcats' 22-10 win over No. 24 Penn on Sept. 25, and sat out the next two games, a loss to William & Mary and Saturday's win over Maine.

But Talley said the defending Division I-AA national champions' offense will look largely the same with or without Szczur (pronounced "Cee-zer"), a senior wide receiver who plays "Wildcat" quarterback (the formation, not the nickname) and returns kicks and punts for Villanova.

"We're running the same stuff," Talley said. "It's not like you're not preparing for what Villanova does offensively."

Last year, Szczur led the CAA in all-purpose yardage, accounting for 149.3 yards per game. He had 813 yards rushing, 610 receiving and 810 in kick returns. He led the league with 15 total touchdowns.

Villanova - ranked No. 6 in I-AA - said Szczur was not available for interviews this week.

Talley was hopeful Szczur would play last week at Maine. But when the teams took the field for pre-game warm-ups, it quickly became apparent Villanova would be Szczur-less again.

"We thought we'd have him right up till game time," Talley said. "Then he got out there and just didn't feel well. He has two high ankle sprains. It's not just dealing with one."

Teammate Angelo Babbaro, who has filled in for Szczur as the quarterback in Villanova's Wildcat package and as the team's main kick returner, expects Szczur to play against No. 11 JMU (4-2, 1-2).

"With how big of game this is for us, and how big of a competitor Matt is, if he's able to play, he will," Babbaro said Tuesday.

And if not, Babbaro has been doing a more-than-adequate job filing in for his close friend.

Villanova quarterback Chris Whitney described Babbaro the way opposing coaches often talk about Szczur.

"He's probably the fastest guy on our team, probably the fastest guy I've ever played with," Whitney said Tuesday. "And a tough kid. He'll juke people, but he'll also lower his shoulder. He does everything. He's a tremendous athlete."

Babbaro surpassed Szczur as the team's season leader in all-purpose yards after the Maine game. The 5-foot-9, 195-pounder has accounted for 619 yards. (Szczur had 453 before injured.)

Last spring, it was unclear whether Villanova would have Szczur's services at all in their title defense. Also a star for the school's baseball team, Szczur was drafted in the fifth round by the Chicago Cubs. He spent his summer in the minor leagues, then joined Villanova's football team for the 2010 season. (NCAA rules permit athletes to turn professional in one sport while finishing their eligibility in another.)

Talley acknowledged Szczur's situation is extra dicey because he has already signed his professional baseball contract and would not want to risk an injury that could derail his career on the diamond.

"For sure," Talley said. "This will be four weeks coming in, so we're not rushing him, that's for sure. You want to make sure he's right because he does have a future in pro baseball."

Whether it's Szczur or Babbaro lining up as the Wildcat quarterback Saturday, JMU coach Mickey Matthews said he's more concerned with Villanova's traditional quarterback, Whitney, who is averaging 216.8 yards per game of total offense, the second-highest total in the CAA.

"The guy that's changed their program has been the quarterback," Matthews said this week. "He's an old wishbone guy that's big, strong, hard to tackle. He keeps a lot of drives open. He's a physically tough person that I think has brought a different attitude to their whole football program."

Saturday against Maine, Whitney had perhaps his best day throwing the football. He went 20-for-25 for 322 yards and three scores in the 48-18 road rout. Not bad for a team missing its offensive star.

Whether it's with Szczur or without him, Babbaro said Villanova is still trying to erase the sting of its early CAA loss.

"I know a lot of people are doubting us now after what we did at William & Mary," Babbaro said. "We have to prove that we're still here, still a contender."

For more on the Dukes attempt at another upset, check back after this weekend. My prediction is 28-14 in favor of the Wildcats. It's not that I don't have school spirit, I am just a realist.


-CH

JMU-Villanova Injuries Report--Blog Update

The Dukes aren't doing themselves any favors going into their biggest game of the season, at defending national champions Villanova. Matthews has also closed practice this week, for only the second time in the past eight years, in large part because he doesn't want media members using Twitter to share injuries and possible strategies for the game on Saturday. Seems like Mikey might have something up his sleeve....

Here are the Dukes latest injuries:

Ronnell Brown- DT, OUT (ankle)

Nick Emmons- DT, OUT (ankle)

Sean O'Neil, DE, OUT (hamstring)

Leveander Jones, CB, OUT (knee)

Brandon Monroe, RG/RT, LIKELY OUT FOR SEASON


Villanova star running back, the reigning CAA Player of the Year, Matt Szczur will be a game-time decision for the Wildcats, because of two sprained ankles.

-MO

The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top-25 College Football Poll- JMU Blog

Team (First-place votes)	Record	Points	Previous Rank
1. Appalachian State Mountaineers (111)	6-0	3,718	1
2. Delaware Blue Hens (28)	7-0	3,594	2
3. Jacksonville State Gamecocks (11)	7-0	3,419	3
4. William & Mary Tribe	5-1	3,293	4
5. Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (1)	5-1	3,164	5
6. Villanova Wildcats	4-2	2,988	6
7. Montana Grizzlies	5-2	2,594	11
8. Eastern Washington Eagles	5-2	2,520	12
9. Wofford Terriers	5-1	2,394	14
10. New Hampshire Wildcats	4-3	2,047	16
11. James Madison Dukes	4-2	2,001	7
12. Massachusetts Minutemen	4-2	1,854	8
13. Southeast Missouri State Redhawks	6-1	1,807	18
14. Bethune-Cookman Wildcats	6-0	1,592	23
15. Montana State Bobcats	5-2	1,551	9
16. Richmond Spiders	3-3	1,479	20
17. Liberty Flames	5-2	1,341	19
18. South Carolina State Bulldogs	4-2	1,283	10
19. Northern Iowa Panthers	3-3	759	22
20. Penn Quakers	4-1	625	25
21. Western Illinois Leathernecks	5-2	622	NR
22. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks	4-2	599	NR
23. Cal Poly Mustangs	4-3	584	13
24. Chattanooga Mocs	4-2	516	NR
25. Furman Paladins	4-2	462	NR

Others receiving votes: North Dakota State 353, Elon 329, Grambling State 319, Jacksonville 309, Jackson State 148, Hampton 144, Robert Morris 120, Southern Illinois 98, Georgia Southern 85, Colgate 63, Dayton 56, Sam Houston State 41, South Dakota State 32, Indiana State 24, Illinois State 24, McNeese State 24, Sacramento State 23, Lehigh 16, Yale 15, Southern Utah 13, Texas State 9, Weber State 8, UC Davis 7, South Dakota 4, Harvard 3, Tennessee State 2. -mo

James Madison Football-New Hampshire Football Blog

# 15 New Hampshire Wildcats vs. # 7 James Madison
 

It was over when…New Hampshire RB Donna Peters took it in from 14 yards out to give the Wildcats a two score lead with 6:26 left to play in the 4th quarter. Peters was the leading rusher on the afternoon, getting 11 touches for 60 yards and that 4th quarter touchdown. 

What I liked: The way New Hampshire came out in the 2nd half. The Wildcats were down 14-10 at halftime and JMU's defense had shut them down for most of the half. Their lone touchdown in the first half came off a Drew Dudzik fumble that was picked up by New Hampshire DE Matt Evens who ran it in for 17 yards. So this offense did not do a whole lot in the first 30 minutes of the contest. In the second half, the Wildcats gained 247 offensive yards to the Dukes 83 yards and put up 18 points to JMU's ZERO. The All-CAA quarterback ,R.J. Toman, also got it going in the second half, passing for 159 of his 254 yards and led the Wildcats on all 3 of their second half scoring drives. A team that had just beaten Richmond in a defensively sound game, came into JMU's backyard during their Homecoming and took the sails out of what could be a long second-half season for the Dukes. Credit the Wildcats, just like the Delaware Blue Hens did, in beating Richmond and JMU in back-to-back weekends on the road. 

What I didn’t like: There are a lot of things not to like in this game but I'm going to say Drew Dudzik. This man was the big man on campus just a month ago after their stunning upset win over Virginia Tech, and now the kid probably couldn't go down to Harrisonburg High and throw a touchdown. He isn't throwing the ball with confidence and when he is rolling out, it's almost like he is looking at one receiver and if that's not there then he's throwing it away. He threw two interceptions in the game and one that stopped a drive at mid-field in the 4th quarter when they were down 21-14. With Thorpe probably out for the rest of the season, Dudzik must understand this is his team and he needs to carry it. He has not down a great job the past couple weeks and it's showing. His bottom line on Saturday read: 10-23, 157 yards, 2 INT. That's just not going to cut it for a team that has a top 5 defense in the league. This offense needs to find something in practice soon, because the schedule does not get any easier from here on out. 

Game ball goes to…New Hampshire's 2nd half defense. They didn't allow the Dukes to score in the 2nd half, and only allowed the Dukes into Wildcat territory twice, and didn't allow them in the redzone after halftime. They held JMU's miserable offense to 83 yards and forced both interceptions. I'm not sure whether to credit the New Hampshire defense or to credit Drew Dudzik with the game ball, but we'll give the Wildcats some credit for putting Dudzik under a heap of pressure. 

Key Stat: The Dukes are now 1-5 at home in the month of October the past 4 seasons. They will get one more home October game to improve on that record, but for a top team each of the past 4 seasons, that record is daunting. October is the middle stretch of the season, and to have a terrible home record like that, shows that this team struggles playing in front of the home crowd mid-season. Their last home October game this season wont get much easier as UMass comes to town Halloween weekend. 

Up Next: JMU now enters the stretch of the season that will show whether this team will make the playoffs. Now after reading that you might think playoffs are a shoe-in for this team, but pump the brakes. They already have 2 CAA loses, both at home which KILLS, and they haven't even played the past two I-AA champions, Villanova and Richmond, along with two top-15 teams, UMass and William and Mary. Villanova is next on the schedule up in Philadelphia this Saturday in a must-win for the Dukes. They could still lose and get into the playoffs, but the uphill battle will just get harder for JMU as they keep digging themselves into a hole. Look back later in the week as we preview the Nova-JMU game and update you on injuries from Saturday's game. 

-MO

Video: JMU vs. UNH

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUsybxNVCDc

Click the link above to see a highlight reel of JMU's 28-14 loss to the University of New Hampshire Wildcats.

-CH

Injury Report: JMU-New Hampshire

The Dukes are going into their homecoming match-up against New Hampshire with a good amount of injuries that could alter the outcome of the game:

(This blog was posted before Wednesday's practice. Players that sat out Tuesday's game could still play Saturday.)

Brian Barlow (TE) - out 3 to 4 weeks with a bruised sternum he suffered on a late hit in the end zone

Matt Krout (LT)- held out of practice Tuesday; was seen in a boot

Jamaal Sullivan (TB)- held out of practice Tuesday; status is questionable

Kerby Long (WR)- shoulder injury; status is questionable

DJ Bryant (DB)- suffered concussion on Saturday; sat out Tuesday but WILL PLAY Saturday

Griff Yancey (RB)- hamstring injury that held him out against Towson; back in pads on Tuesday and will likely play Saturday

Justin Thorpe (QB)- LIKELY OUT FOR THE SEASON

This is a major blow to the struggling offense for JMU. They were looking forward to having Thorpe back on the field since he brings two dimensions: pass and run. He's not the best passer when it comes to accuracy or strength, but the man has wheels and would have been a threat in the backfield at  the wildcat or some quarterback draws. In the past 3 games, JMU is only averaging 13.3 points per game. That is pathetic for a team ranked in the top 10. I think the coaching staff has been looking forward to Thorpe getting back on the field, but they probably knew before we did his chances of playing the rest of the season were small. Offensive players like Sullivan, Yancey, Long, and Dudzik will need to step up for the rest of the season if the Dukes are trying to play deep into December.

Check back tomorrow to see if there are any more injuries concerning the Dukes and on Friday a preview of the Homecoming Game!

GO DUKES!!

-MO

Mondays with Mickey Matthews

Back again. JMU barely got by Towson University, winning 17-13. I can't decide if Towson is just underrated or if JMU is just really that bad. But on the bright side, the offense was connecting on third downs and making plays reminiscent of the historic Tech win. Interestingly enough, once the offense got going, the defense broke down. They simply can't put together a solid game offensively and defensively. For homecoming this weekend, we face New Hampshire. Their quarterback R.J. Toman is a preseason All-American honorable mention and has helped New Hampshire get to the top of the conference in total offense. At Ham's today, Mickey talked about the Towson game and what to expect from the Wildcats this weekend. Here are some highlights.

"After Delaware, there was nowhere to go but up."

"We're certainly not an offensive juggernaut."

"We just blocked and ran, nothing fancy about it."

"Brian Barlow is out for 3-4 weeks. The attachment between his sternum and clavicle is bruised. When he came off the field he thought he just couldn't catch his breath, but then we realized it was serious."

"The defensive line played their worst game in six or seven years."

"He has to be the best athlete we've played all year." (Towson QB Chris Hart)

"It was the largest crowd I've ever seen at Towson." (Speaking of the 2,000 in attendance)

"He [Jamal Sullivan] has some sort of internship. He is a health sciences major and is out of town. So I have no idea if he has a broken leg or if he is running around like Secretariat."

"He [Pat Williams] is supposed to graduate in three and a half years, this December I think. He is very intelligent."

"I don't think anyone is mad about firecrackers this week."

"When I watch their [New Hampshire] offense, I feel like I am watching Oregon's."

"Their defense has gotten 15 interceptions, they may lead the world."

"That's the one good thing we are doing on offense." (Speaking on ball security)

"We just decided to block the right guy this time." (Speaking of JMU's success on 3rd down conversions)

"Football is still played by tough people. When Donnell [Brown] goes out there he helps in many situations. He is incredibly physical."

"D.J. [Bryant] wasn't wearing his mouthpiece. He was out by the time he hit the turf."

"His ankle is not well. We want to apply to the NCAA for a medical sixth year." (Speaking of Nick Eammons)

"We need to block No. 33. We need to figure out a way to play defense Saturday or it's going to be a long day."

"I don't know how you can still be a week off as a kicker." (Frustration over Dixon Wright's injury)

-CH