JMU vs West Virginia, Mr. C's Official Game Blog

[Mr. C]

In this kindler, gentler version of my weekly game blog, we will attempt to think peaceful thoughts and talk only in positives.

Well, that didn't last very long. West Virginia is ahead 21-0 after one quarter, showing vastly superior speed to one of the fastest teams in FCS and Mr. C spent much of the first period in the stadium tunnel waiting for the credentials that a certain person managed to mess up. Not a great beginning to a dy of covering football.

[Mr. C]

I had a little doorway's view of the field early on as Shawne Alston scored under five minutes into the game on a 2-yard run. Stedman Bailey then added a pair of TD receptions from Geno Smith from 9 yards at 6:29 and 3 yards at 1:38 to make it 21-0. Got into the press box in time to see those two Smith-to-Bailey connections.

Impressed with West Virginia speed in person and surprised by the fact that JMU is having trouble tackling in this game. The Mountaineers have been finding success on the ground and then are cutting the Dukes apart further by isolating guys on LBs.

[Mr. C]

More WVU speed and poor JMU pass coverage and a Smith to Austin hook-up has WVU with a first down at the 3. Two plays later its 4 yards on a TD completion from Smith to Campbell at it is 28-0 with 10:15 left in the half. 8 plays, 86 yards, 3:03 on the drive after JMU had put together its best offensive push of the game to pin the Mountaineers deep.

[Mr. C]

Would love to hear what Duke fans have to say about this game and would invite other FCS fans to put in their two cents worth, too.

[JMUNJ08]

More WVU speed and poor JMU pass coverage and a Smith to Austin hook-up has WVU with a first down at the 3. Two plays later its 4 yards on a TD completion from Smith to Campbell at it is 28-0 with 10:15 left in the half. 8 plays, 86 yards, 3:03 on the drive after JMU had put together its best offensive push of the game to pin the Mountaineers deep.

That's sad that was our O's best push so far... Hoping for something on this drive. Maybe 2 first downs?

[Mr. C]

I also had credentials today for The Citadel at App State, William & Mary at Towson and (briefly) for Rhode Island at Villanova. Was also in the neighborhood near Tubby Raymond Field before the Bucknell-Delaware game. I guess I should have have picked one of those other venues today.

[Mr. C]

After watching loads of SoCon coaches video this week, I am stunned by what The Citadel is doing today.

[Mr. C]

That's sad that was our O's best push so far... Hoping for something on this drive. Maybe 2 first downs?

I really thought JMU had a chance to score some points and, at least stick with WVU for awhile today.

[Mr. C]

Justin Thorpe has had a couple of nice runs to get JMU to the 48.

[Mr. C]

Too many missed blocks, blown assignments and other execution-related stuff from the other Dukes thus far.

[JMUNJ08]

That's sad that was our O's best push so far... Hoping for something on this drive. Maybe 2 first downs?

Got the 2 first downs! I would say this had the making of the worst of the 4 mr. C but wish I could be there still...

[Mr. C]

Thorpe is sacked by Bell on third down to force another JMU punt.

[JMUNJ08]

I really thought JMU had a chance to score some points and, at least stick with WVU for awhile today.

Me too. Our punter has been great (sign of a bad game). JMU has been shooting themselves in the foot and the WVU has been much better than expected. I would think we just continue running the rest of the game...

[Mr. C]

Got the 2 first downs! I would say this had the making of the worst of the 4 mr. C but wish I could be there still...

You are missing all of the drunken debauchery outside of FedEX Field. Some of WVU and JMU fans are living to their reputations. Never have seen so many empty liquor containers outside of a stadium. Lots of fans have never even made it to the gates. A late-arriving crowd for other reasons than mine.

[Mr. C]

FedEx Field is somewhat dumpy in comparison to several of the other newer NFL venues that I've been to. Baltimore, Nashville (where we've had the CAA nad OVC media days respectively), Lincoln Financial Field in Philly and whatever they are calling the stadium in Charlotte now are all ones I like better.

[Mr. C]

Nice to see that JMU helmet and the other markings in the end zone in front of me, however.

[Mr. C]

JMU finally earned a stop against WVU and forced a punt. The Dukes are on the move at the WVU 20.

[Mr. C]

First down at the WVU 18 for the Duke Dawgs.

[Mr. C]

Brodie for one on a run. 2nd down.

[Mr. C]

Pass to Harvey from Thorpe sails high in the end zone. 3rd and 9 from the 17.

[JMUNJ08]

You are missing all of the drunken debauchery outside of FedEX Field. Some of WVU and JMU fans are living to their reputations. Never have seen so many empty liquor containers outside of a stadium. Lots of fans have never even made it to the gates. A late-arriving crowd for other reasons than mine.

Our crowd is still new to getting into the stadium for the game (only last 8 years) and have been planning tailgates for a year plus. WVU I think we all know about...

[Mr. C]

The option pitch to Anderson is stopped at the 16. Fourth down and field goal time for Cameron Starke. Three points for JMU on the 33-yard FG, West Virginia 28, James Madison 3. 8 plays, 27 yards, 3:21 on the drive.

[JMUNJ08]

Sneaks it in! 28-3! Now can JMU hold for 1:02....

[Mr. C]

Our crowd is still new to getting into the stadium for the game (only last 8 years) and have been planning tailgates for a year plus. WVU I think we all know about...

Neither one of these crowd performances surprises me.

[Mr. C]

Sneaks it in! 28-3! Now can JMU hold for 1:02....

From my angle, I was hopeful Starke hadn't missed it. We are located in the JMU end one, just to the left of the WVU bench.

[Mr. C]

Geno Smith is tearing it up in the two-minute drill, getting the ball through the air to the JMU 43 with 16 seconds left in the first half.

[Mr. C]

Can't help but think of my late friend Bill Stewart while I'm watching this and wishing that he was still patrolling the Mountaineer sidelines. RIP, Bill. You are missed by many.

[Mr. C]

Nice defensive play by JMU CB Corey Davis to bust up a hitch screen and hold it to little yardage. But Austin is still giving the JMU defense fits. Lucky he didn't haul in another TD pass with 5 seconds left.

[JMUNJ08]

From my angle, I was hopeful Starke hadn't missed it. We are located in the JMU end one, just to the left of the WVU bench.

Had the feed angle here in London. We don't disappoint Mr. C. Great for the under 30 crowd but not family friendly always...

[Mr. C]

JMU might have dodged another TD pass with a time out right before the Mountaineers snapped the ball. Smith had a man out there and drilled him with one of those soft, precise passes.

[Mr. C]

Halftime. West Virginia 28, James Madison 3.

[Mr. C]

Had the feed angle here in London. We don't disappoint Mr. C. Great for the under 30 crowd but not family friendly always...

Don't have the family with me for this one. But hey, they grew up watching Appalachian State games. They seen their share of such stuff as Boone natives.

[JMUNJ08]

Halftime. West Virginia 28, James Madison 3.

Holding them to ONLY 56 would be nice. But we need to get a TD or two...

[Mr. C]

Been an interesting day for Mr. C. Came out of a 5 1/2-year retirement of officiating college volleyball to serve as the head official and court manager for a volleyball tournament at Lincoln University this morning and afternoon. Had a Shaw University-Lincoln match and a Fayetteville State-Bowie State match. A third match got postponed when one of the teams didn't show up on time. Then raced down Interstate 95 to get to the FedEX Field at game time.

[Mr. C]

Holding them to ONLY 56 would be nice. But we need to get a TD or two...

If people would EXECUTE, the Dukes would have a couple of TDs on the board right now.

[Mr. C]

Halftime stats:

West Virginia 268 yards passing, 80 rushing, 348 total. Geno Smith is 23-of-28 for 268 yards and 3 TDs passing a 2 carries for 18 yards rushing, with Stedman Bailey having 9 catches for 126 yards and 2 TDs and Tavon Austin having 9 catches for 104 yards. Shawne Alston has 8 carries for 37 yards.

JMU has 27 passing yards and 72 rushing yards for 99 yards of total offense. Thorpe is 3-of-7 passing for 27 yards and has 11 carries for 36 yards. Jordan Anderson has struggled with 10 carries for 27 yards. Where is Dae'Quan Scott? Ryan Dixon has 2 catches for 14 yards and Brian Barlow has one for 13 for the Dukes.

[Mr. C]

Nothing like some big, freshly boiled and messy chili-cheese hot dogs to stem a hungry man's appetite here in the press box. Good stuff, along with home-made chips and some tasty desserts.

[JMUNJ08]

Stop at midfield by JMU! Let's stop them on 4th!

[Mr. C]

WVU on the move again on the opening drive of the second half. WVU goes for it on fourth and 2 from the JMU 49 and Austin is stopped short.

[Mr. C]

Anderson finally gets some running room and breaks loose for 24 yards to the WVU 27.

[JMUNJ08]

Dukes get the stop! Mr. C cleans up the chili on his shirt and looks up to see JMU inside the WVU 30!

[Mr. C]

Incomplete pass on 1st down Thorpe to Barlow. Ryan Dixon takes a licking and keeps on ticking with a nice catch to the 21 and Anderson gallops down to the two on third down. First and goal at the 3.

[JMUNJ08]

JMU at the 3! Make it a game boys!

[Mr. C]

Maybe this can be like that second-half comeback against ASU in 2008, when the Dukes trailed 21-0 at halftime and came back and won 35-32. I'm serious.

[Mr. C]

Instead of a 99-yard Scottie McGee kickoff return for a TD, we had a momentum-changing defensive stop on back-to-back plays at midfield. JMU has found something for Anderson. Good adjustments so far.

[Mr. C]

Not sure what to think of girls in the crowd wearing coon skin caps.

[Mr. C]

Anderson smashes to the one on a zone read play

[Mr. C]

Forward progress stopped at the 3 before a fumble. Third and goal at the 3.

[Mr. C]

Power OT for one yard for Anderson. 4th and goal from the 2.

[Mr. C]

On the downside, JMU has burned two time outs since getting first and goal.

[Mr. C]

WWMD? What Will Mickey Do?

[JMUNJ08]

Not sure what to think of girls in the crowd wearing coon skin caps.

I know what to think, stay away....

[Mr. C]

Thorpe under center, quick pitch to Anderson, should have cutback, but he is stopped out of bounds at the 1. WVU holds.

[Mr. C]

Dumb play call results in a safety as Austin is tackled by Deon Barlow.

[JMUNJ08]

Look like a lil horse collar but didn't hold. Dukes turned away at 1

[JMUNJ08]

SAFETY! 28-5!

[Mr. C]

Slow-developing sweep is not the call to make right there. Free kick coming for WVU with the score at 28-5. TD here for JMU would make things interesting.

[Mr. C]

Nice return to the 40 for JMU. But where is Scottie McGee when you need him?

[Mr. C]

I know what to think, stay away....

At least this WVU girl had teeth.

[Mr. C]

After seeing what WVU's defense did the first two weeks, I thought JMU would have some better offensively success. If Marshall could put up points, certainly the Dukes can

[Mr. C]

Three and out for JMU and a punt. Missed opportunities will kill you in these games.

[JMUNJ08]

At least this WVU girl had teeth.

Then she is consider a 'looker' but I'll stay with our Lady Dukes and the Dukettes...

[Mr. C]

Stony Brook is hanging with Syracuse in the 4th, 21-17 down with 10 minutes left.

[JMUNJ08]

Three and out for JMU and a punt. Missed opportunities will kill you in these games.

We are good as self inflicted wounds...thought the same. 28-12 sounds interesting but need a stop first again.

[Mr. C]

Then she is consider a 'looker' but I'll stay with our Lady Dukes and the Dukettes...

One thing JMU has never lacked is pretty coeds. What is the percentage of females to males? Is is still like 55-45?

[Mr. C]

Then she is consider a 'looker' but I'll stay with our Lady Dukes and the Dukettes...

I'll never forget the atmosphere in Chattanooga in 2004 all championship-week long.

[Mr. C]

TD pass from Geno Smith to Bailey for 30 yards. WVU 35, JMU 5, 4:37. 8 plays, 70 yards, 2:40 on that drive.

[Mr. C]

Geno Smith doesn't have an NFL-prototype arm, but you can't help but be impressed with him as a great college QB.

[JMUNJ08]

One thing JMU has never lacked is pretty coeds. What is the percentage of females to males? Is is still like 55-45?

Always 60-40. I think officially 59-41 but oh well. Still a WONDERFUL 5 years there. Wish I coulda got more degrees...

[Mr. C]

Another nice return to the 37 for JMU

[Mr. C]

Near-miss on play-action from Thorpe to Robinson on first down.

[Mr. C]

Good pass play to Barlow to the WVU 22. Always seem to have great TEs at JMU. Anyone remember Ed Perry?

[Mr. C]

Thorpe slices and dices for 16 to a first and goal at the 8.

[Mr. C]

This is more like JMU offense. Brodie slashes to the four

[Mr. C]

Brodie to the one powering ahead. 3rd and goal

[Mr. C]

Bad time for a false start on JMU. Third and six

[Mr. C]

Thorpe's pass is tipped at the goal line and picked. He held the ball too long.

[Mr. C]

Always 60-40. I think officially 59-41 but oh well. Still a WONDERFUL 5 years there. Wish I coulda got more degrees...

That could be as big a recruiting tool as the newly renovated stadium

[Mr. C]

Good pass play to Barlow to the WVU 22. Always seem to have great TEs at JMU. Anyone remember Ed Perry?

Ed Perry was scoring on a long TD pass connection in the first half with QB Mike Cawley at Kidd Brewer Stadium in the first round of the 1995 playoffs about the time my 16-year-old daughter was being born, five minutes away at Watauga Medical Center. Didn't get to see that play live, but I made it to the game for the second half. Heard the call on the radio in the birthing room.

[Mr. C]

Third quarter ends with Geno Smith pushing the Mountaineers down the field again

[JMUNJ08]

That could be as big a recruiting tool as the newly renovated stadium

We aren't a very 'diverse' campus though that works with the football demographic always... It got me to campus but I could barely play HS varsity....

[Mr. C]

The pictures on the big screen of the various WVU fans between quarters (as Rockin Like A Hurricane played in the stadium) makes me expect to see Honey Boo Boo at any moment. I wonder if Mountaineer fans drink go-go juice?

[JMUNJ08]

Third quarter ends with Geno Smith pushing the Mountaineers down the field again

The score for the quarter was 7-2. MUCH better than the first half but should have been JMU's quarter....

[Mr. C]

Geno Smith became the all-time leading passer at WVU with over 8,000 yards and then threw another TD pass to Austin. WVU 42, JMU 5 wth 14:56 remaining.

[Mr. C]

The score for the quarter was 7-2. MUCH better than the first half but should have been JMU's quarter....

JMU could have punched in a pair of TDs

[Mr. C]

Freshman QB Michael Birdsong is on for JMU and took a huge hit on his first play.

[Mr. C]

It doesn't appear that JMU's receivers are doing much to get open. Fourth down and punting time again for JMU.

[Mr. C]

WVU is now clearing its bench.

[Mr. C]

Why is it that watching the West Virginia fans in the crowd brings back bad memories of those days when Marshall inhabited the FCS ranks?

[Mr. C]

JMU has another fourth and short in WVU territory and a long pass from Birdsong to Harvey goes incomplete.

[JMUNJ08]

Birdsong needs to learn to catch the ball on the snap. Turnover on downs...

[JMUNJ08]

JMU starting to move the ball finally with the 2nd unit. They have kept it under 60, potentially 50. Besides our O struggling with putting it in endzone, not entirely embarrasing. Geno and the WVU Offense is the REAL DEAL

[Mr. C]

JMU is trying to put some window dressing on this game with Birdsong driving the Dukes in the final minute.

[Mr. C]

TD for Latney and JMU. WVU 42, JMU 12 with 49 seconds left.

[Mr. C]

12 plays, 60 yards on the drive for Latney's 20-yard TD run

[Mr. C]

Anyone expecting an onside kick here?

[JMUNJ08]

That was a great run by Latney. WVU must have thought it was a hold and semi-stopped but it was a clear defensive face mask. 42-12 does sound better...

[JMUNJ08]

Anyone expecting an onside kick here?

Nope....

[JMUNJ08]

Anyone expecting an onside kick here?


Nope....

We want to get out of here now... so does WVU for once...

[JMUNJ08]

Mr. C, tailgate part 2 I'm sure is about to start/ did around the 2nd Quarter. Get yourself some brews after your long day! I have to find some myself at 1am over here now...

Great to have the play by play again by you. Try to get to that JMU/ ODU game @ the end of the year!