JMU @ Delaware

[Monarch History]

Great win for the Hens in what was a great game by two very good teams. xbowx Best of luck to both schools for the remainder of the season.

[SunCoastBlueHen]

Just an obvious side note...

JMU holds on to the ball today, they win the game. The Dukes are a damn good team and would represent the CAA very well should they make the playoffs. I hope they win out and get the chance.

[BDKJMU]

TURNOVERS KILLED JMU!
1. The 1st quarter strip of Yancey returned to the JMU 7. Led to UD TD. An obvious bad call.

"The first one gave the Blue Hens (8-1 overall, 5-1 in the CAA) control of the game. Freshman tailback Scott Noble, pressed into service this year after Eugene Holloman’s season-ending knee injury, was gang tackled after a 2-yard gain. But while Noble’s progress was clearly stopped – and Delaware defenders had begun pushing him backward – defensive end Matt Marcorelle alertly noticed the officials had failed to blow the whistle.

Marcorelle stripped the ball from Noble and returned it 28 yards to the Dukes’ 7-yard line.

“He was stopped,” Matthews said, before polling the assembled media. “What did you see? What did you think? He was stopped. It was a no- brainer. I was absolutely stunned.”

Marcorelle agreed, but wasn’t about to give back the game-breaking play.

“I thought they were going to blow a whistle,” he said. “But they didn’t, so why not? Why not reach in there and play till the whistle?”"
http://www.dnronline.com/sports_sunday_details.php?AID=13131&CHID=52&sub=James%20Madison%20University

2. Dropped snap by JMU punter Pritchard that gave UD the ball at the JMU 29. Led to UD field goal.

3. 3rd quarter bad pass by landers to McCarter in the flat- looked like McCarter kind of juggled it. UD picked it off and returned it to the JMU 7. Led to UD TD.

4. Yancey fumble at UD 31 on JMU's next to last possession.

If someone had told me that JMU would have:
-3 turnovers that led to 17 UD points
-a 4th turnover that killed a JMU drive.
-JMU late 2nd quarter TD called back due to ineligible man downfield (Eason- left guard)
-And a missed an extra point
-and UD didn't have a single turnover, I would have said UD wins by 3-4 TDs.

Then again, I'm sure if any of us were told that JMU would rush for over 400 that JMU would win. 403 yards rushing but only 39 passing xeekx . Rodney was 5-16, had several bad passes and the receivers had several drops. The passing game was as bad as the running game was good.

BOTH teams had to deal with injuries coming into the game and during the game. No Holloman didn't appear to be a problem, but no LC Baker (after missing a game he was limited the last 2, but for this one he didn't even make the trip- is his hamstring getting worse?) and no Mike Caussin at starting tightend (quad injury) really hurt JMU's passing game.

I wonder whats wrong with Scotty McGee, who was JMU's starting corner (the last couple of games he's been listed 2nd string- maybe dealing with an injury the last several weeks?) He didn't make the trip. No LC baker and no McGee was why Landers was back there returning punts. And now Jamaris Sanders, who was listed as the backup at both corner spots for the game, is out for the season with a broken ankle. I HOPE McGee is back healthy for W&M, because JMU is real thin at corner to face the Tribe aerial attack.

I know the UD defensive end from UD was not playing, and then the other defensive end #11 I think went down in the was it late in the 2nd quarter? I think that played a big factor in UD's near total inability to stop the run in the 2nd half. UD will need those guys back to deal with the UR ground game & Hightower. He had 36 carries for 187 yards vs Nova.

I look at 2 of those JMU turnovers unforced, punter dropping the snap and the bad Landers's pass (wasn't due to pressure as I remember it) and a 3rd due a horrible call by the refs. The 4th one UD forced by 2 guys hitting Yancey hard high and low. But JMU isn't forcing the other teams into or creating enough turnovers. UR game JMU lost the turnover battle 3-2, UD game 4-0, and JMU is now -5 in TO margin on the year. Bottom line, you will have a hard time beating anybody in the CAA losing the turnover battle 4-0.

JMU has also yet to score a non offensive TD this season- this point last season they had 4.

https://admin.xosn.com/fls/14400/stats/football/2007/delaware.htm?SPSID=71029&SPID=8113&DB_OEM_ID=14400

Congrats to UD- will be rooting for UD over UR next week as I think that would help JMU's playoff situation.

[Ud1Hens]

Hmmm. Note to self. UD kicker has weak leg.

Kicking a 47 yd. FG into a 25-30 MPH wind isn't realistic.

[ChickenMan]

TURNOVERS KILLED JMU!



I would say that JMU outplayed UD.. certainly in the 2d half after DE Macorelle went down. But now JMU fans have a little idea of how UD felt back in '04 after outplaying JMU from here to Harrisonburg.. but somehow still lost the game. That shakey win for JMU seemed to propel them on to great success (National Championship).. hopefully this one can do similar things for UD.

[89Hen]

Kicking a 47 yd. FG into a 25-30 MPH wind isn't realistic.
Not to mention... 13 of 13 on FG's and 44 of 44 on PAT's... xeyebrowx xthumbsupx

[89Hen]

But now JMU fans have a little idea of how UD felt back in '04 after outplaying JMU from here to Harrisonburg.. but somehow still lost the game.
I was thinking the same thing. UD won the stats battle that day but lost the war. This was payback.

[89Hen]

“He was stopped,” Matthews said, before polling the assembled media. “What did you see? What did you think? He was stopped. It was a no- brainer. I was absolutely stunned.”
I don't think stunned was the word. I'm not sure I've ever seen a coach as mad as MM was after that one. One of his assistant's was literally holding him back. I got a couple good pics of MM on this one... his face was as purple as your team's pants. xlolx xnodx

[blukeys]

I don't think stunned was the word. I'm not sure I've ever seen a coach as mad as MM was after that one. One of his assistant's was literally holding him back. I got a couple good pics of MM on this one... his face was as purple as your team's pants. xlolx xnodx

Having seats in the East stands I have seen MM's act on a regular basis every other year. MM is the biggest whiner, complainer, and baby in the CAA. You haven't seen him get really mad till he throws the hat. xnodx xnodx xnodx xnodx xnodx Raging, turning purple, being restrained etc is just a prelude.

[Ivytalk]

Having seats in the East stands I have seen MM's act on a regular basis every other year. MM is the biggest whiner, complainer, and baby in the CAA. You haven't seen him get really mad till he throws the hat. xnodx xnodx xnodx xnodx xnodx Raging, turning purple, being restrained etc is just a prelude.

Even the News Urinal had a photo of the "MM Holdback." It didn't look like the assistant coach was straining all that hard! xlolx xrotatehx

[JMU-MRD-DAD]

I would say that JMU outplayed UD.. certainly in the 2d half after DE Macorelle went down. But now JMU fans have a little idea of how UD felt back in '04 after outplaying JMU from here to Harrisonburg.. but somehow still lost the game. That shakey win for JMU seemed to propel them on to great success (National Championship).. hopefully this one can do similar things for UD.

First of all, congrats to UD for the victory.

I watched the game yesterday on tv and I believe after the 3rd quarter the stats were just about identical except for the turnovers. The turnovers definitely was the difference in the game. The two scores on the short field hurt the Dukes but even had chances at the end to pull the game out. Flacco connected on some big third down plays and that was the key to the UD win.

Get ready for Hightower next week.

I hope the Dukes win out and get an at large bid to join the party.

Go Dukes!!

[YoUDeeMan]

Kicking a 47 yd. FG into a 25-30 MPH wind isn't realistic.


Welcome aboard UD1Hens. xthumbsupx

Get those students out next week for Richmond! xnodx

[BDKJMU]

All I rambled on about was the 4 JMU turnovers, the JMU offense & UD defense, & the injuries.

One might look at the score & stats and say that JMU's defense did poorly. Not the case. Given the fact that the JMU offense/special teams were more to blame than the JMU defense for 17 of Ud's 37 points, I think the JMU defense did about as well as can be expected against a championship caliber UD offense. UD who came into the game averaging 483 yards offense, had 418 total yards. Cuff had 101 yards on 28 carries (note that Hightower had 102 on 28 carries the week prior against JMU). Flacco did go 33-41 for 257, (he was averaging over 300 a game, but could very well have gone for 300-350 if it wasn't for the pressure that the JMU defense (mostly the front 4) was able to generate. Got only 1 sack, but also a intentional grounding and a number of other plays where Flacco was hurried into throwing the ball away. Notice how accurate he was when he didn't get pressured? And notice how his receivers didn't drop balls and made some great catches on a couple of passes that weren't right on? (I only remember one dropped pass, the UD tightend, in the 4th quarter). Wish I could say the same thing about JMU's trio of bigger (6'2"-6'3", 210-215 lb receivers)

As far as JMU's backs go, I know some of the JMU fans have been pulling their hair out in past games on the reliance on 160 lb Bolton, but he is the only JMU back who DOESN'T fumble. I agree with Mickey benching JMU backs who fumble (the trio of Sullivan, Yancey, and Noble I believe all have at least 2 fumbles?) If one of them fumbles, I would pull him and put him behind the other 2 as the backup to Bolton, which would mean fumble again and you might be done for the season, including any/if playoff game(s) included.

[BDKJMU]

I just saw this. I was counting up JMU's rushing yards by quarter by the play by play (could be a little off here):
1st half: 70 yards
2nd half: 333 yards, 240 of that in the 3rd quarter, including runs of 86, 55, and 48 yards.

[henfan]

This is what I think Grizzpaw meant by the CAA absurdity...

Again, who, aside from Montana fans, really give a twink about about conference co-championships? They're as important as Lambert Cups. They mean very little. What matters most is winning playoff games and getting a shot at the real championship.

[JMU2K_DukeDawg]

Great job Delaware. I was at the game the row in front of Landers family, and had a lot of fun cheering their boy on in the game. They too were miffed by him returning punts, but as stated earlier in the thread, our usual guys are injured. BTW - McGee had a concussion I believe a couple weeks ago. Might have been slightly more damaging than we had hoped.

As far as the game, great cold, windy November football weather. I was AMAZED at the WRs for Delaware, not so much Flacco. He is a big guy, tough to bring down, but several of his passes that were a little off, his WRs dove for and made some amazing grabs! Great hands on those guys. Their O-line looked better to me in 2005, but the overall team is good in all areas. Their D is not great, but not as bad as I thought they might be. Losing a couple of DEs hurt in the 2nd half. I hope at least one will heal up quickly for you. With homefield advantage, it will take a special team to knock Delaware out of the playoffs. xnodx

On the JMU side, Landers was back. I wish they would have tried more TE passes like the TD that got called back. I think every pass was to the sideline. I think the way to beat Delaware is with the passing game with crossing routes, esp. since they are missing one of their starting safeties. JMU did not take advantage of this, and instead, I suppose, hoped that the size advantage of our WRs would trump their DBs on the sideline routes, most of which were over thrown in the wind.

I think MM called this game much like the game at UR last year when we won 26-20. It was a game where the wind was even more a factor, but the name of the game was RUN RUN RUN. Oh, and we got a Defensive TD in that game, thus the difference in the scores this year as opposed to last.

Turnovers are killing the Dukes. They need to change this immediately or they will have no shot at playing more than 2 more games this year. I hope for two HUGE victories these next two weeks. I think we can crush Towson by that week, but we need to get the big W in Williamsburg next week to have that shot to qualify for the playoffs. I really want to see JMU in the field. We need some help around the country, but this team is pretty exciting to watch, win or lose.

Again, congratulations to Delaware! Well-played and you deserved the win against a hungry JMU team that couldn't hold on to the ball. xpeacex

[BDKJMU]

I think MM called this game much like the game at UR last year when we won 26-20.


2k, not that it really matters, but your post kind of jumped out there. JMU won @ UR last season 27-10. I don't see any 26-20 scores from last year, so don't know where that came from, you must be confused. xconfusedx
http://www.jmusports.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=71032&SPID=8113&DB_OEM_ID=14400&KEY=&Q_SEASON=2006

[JMU-MRD-DAD]

2k, not that it really matters, but your post kind of jumped out there. JMU won @ UR last season 27-10. I don't see any 26-20 scores from last year, so don't know where that came from, you must be confused. xconfusedx
http://www.jmusports.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=71032&SPID=8113&DB_OEM_ID=14400&KEY=&Q_SEASON=2006

I believe that was in 2004.

[HensRock]

This is what I think Grizzpaw meant by the CAA absurdity...

The Big Sky season is now already over. The CAA still has 2 more weeks of anything-goes action with at least 3 teams vying for conference title and automatic bid. "Absurdity" would not be my choice of words. "Excitement" fits better.

[BlueHen86]

This is what I think Grizzpaw meant by the CAA absurdity...
Every conference has tie breaker criteria. That is not unique to the CAA. Every conference can have a three way tie, and if the the three teams involved all went 1-1 against each other they will have to go to other tie breakers. In fact, some conferences ultimately resolve their ties with a blind draw if the preceding steps fail to do so.

As far as the CAA is concerned if both Delaware and UMass win out they will be tied for the CAA title. One will get the auto bid (UD I think) the other will get an at large - both are going to the playoffs.
Also, the at large team can be seeded and the auto bid can go on the road in the first round. This is a non issue.

As a UD fan I don't care if the Hens get the auto bid as long as they make the playoffs.