QB Recruit Picks JMU over App State

[NYJMUSupporter]

Highly touted Varina QB Justin Thorpe has commited to play for JMU. Thorpe is rated as the third best QB in the Richmond area and was highly recruited by App State and UR. Big pickup for the Dukes! xbeerchugx xxmasx xhurrayx xnodx

http://va.digitalsports.com/conferences/4/articles/12799-thorpe-likes-james-madison

[Mountaineer#96]

we still got Edwards two more years......so we can find another within that limit of time. Congrats although!!

[andy7171]

I don't think ASU will be jonesing for a QB for another couple years.

[JMU2K_DukeDawg]

It sounds like he is more of an athlete than a great QB prospect. Drew Dudzik is still a VERY good backup to Rodney and he'll only be a sophomore next year. I suppose after next year the competition for QB could get interesting.

Remember though that Mickey more than anything is a great recruiter, and that he got Scotty McGee to come here on hopes of playing RB (recruited by Tennessee as DB) and now Scotty is playing DB at JMU.

This is not to say that Mickey Matthews makes hollow promises, more likely, you get the best collection of athletes on the field and let them compete for who gets what.

Given injuries that happen over the course of a season, you can never have too many skill position players. This is definitely a great pickup for the Dukes. xthumbsupx

[Baltimore Hen]

It sounds like he is more of an athlete than a great QB prospect. Drew Dudzik is still a VERY good backup to Rodney and he'll only be a sophomore next year. I suppose after next year the competition for QB could get interesting.

Remember though that Mickey more than anything is a great recruiter, and that he got Scotty McGee to come here on hopes of playing RB (recruited by Tennessee as DB) and now Scotty is playing DB at JMU.

This is not to say that Mickey Matthews makes hollow promises, more likely, you get the best collection of athletes on the field and let them compete for who gets what.

Given injuries that happen over the course of a season, you can never have too many skill position players. This is definitely a great pickup for the Dukes. xthumbsupx

yeah, 6 TDs to 9 Ints is not what I call a great QB prospect.........not to mention under 2000 yards of total offense.

[Eight Legger]

Anytime you get an athlete from Varina, it's a good sign. (Of course I live there, so I am biased.) However, Michael Robinson was the Varina QB a few years back, and he went on to a great career at Penn State and now plays for the 49ers. They churn out tons of I-A and I-AA players every year. Haven't seen a ton of Thorpe but I imagine he is in the same mold as a great athlete who can run, pass when he needs to and probably play anywhere you want him. UR was also in his final three. Good get by the Dukes.

[asu7]

We got AE for 2 more years ...

Good get but I think this hurts UR more than us ...

I still do not think it really hurts UR either as they are young and gonna be a force in the CAA ...

[ur2k]

Good get by JMU. Good get for FCS against some Big East Schools too.

[Tribe4SF]

Thorpe is a good athlete, but if you're going to recruit a QB, recruit a QB!:D

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/high_school/20071211_Kearney_commits_to_William___Mary.html

[NYJMUSupporter]

Seems like he could be a good pick up for the tribe. As far as Thorpe, he is another speedy athlete that should fit nicely into our system. I feel Drew Dudzik is going to take over for Rodney when he graduates, but it will be nice to have another athletic QB waiting in the wings. We are going to be showcasing some serious speed over the next few seasons. Get ready to see a lot of a kid named Kerby Long. Mickey says he is the best athlete on our team and was better then anyone we faced this season. Check out his highlight video:
http://www.coachmatthews.com/07class/klong.php

[AZGrizFan]

We got AE for 2 more years ...

Good get but I think this hurts UR more than us ...

I still do not think it really hurts UR either as they are young and gonna be a force in the CAA ...

WHo's AE's backup next year when he goes down, with Elder being a senior? xeyebrowx

[KiddBrewer]

coco hilliary probably. and hunter stewart.

i wonder if he picked JMU over App State a few weeks ago too?xrolleyesx

na its a good pick up for the dukes, ive seen some stuff on him and heard from a couple high school coaches from that area that now coach in my hometown that hes a real good player.

[KiddBrewer]

ha we'll prolly stay away from recruiting a quarterback.......we'll most likely recruit somebody as an "athlete" and change them into what we want them to be.

[smallcollegefbfan]

Nice pickup! Congrats! Seems that Thorpe wanted to stay in state. I thought he would end up with VT but I am guessing they didn't offer?

According to Rivals.com ASU had not offered Thorpe. ASU has targeted Shrine Bowl QB Darius Thomas from West Charlotte. I had heard that they were focusing their recruiting on him. He is bigger than Edwards and just as fast. Looks like ASU didn't offer Thorpe. So technically he picked JMU over Liberty, Richmond, Duke, and Eastern Michigan. Still a very good pickup! He was a 3-star but I noticed he dropped to 2-star. I hate how Rivals does that when players commit to FCS schools.

[appfan2008]

coco will probably armanti's backup next year but that would be kind of weird to have your backup quarterback also be a starting wide reciever and your top kickoff returner... but whatever works next year is a new year...

[Tribe4SF]

Seems like he could be a good pick up for the tribe. As far as Thorpe, he is another speedy athlete that should fit nicely into our system. I feel Drew Dudzik is going to take over for Rodney when he graduates, but it will be nice to have another athletic QB waiting in the wings. We are going to be showcasing some serious speed over the next few seasons. Get ready to see a lot of a kid named Kerby Long. Mickey says he is the best athlete on our team and was better then anyone we faced this season. Check out his highlight video:
http://www.coachmatthews.com/07class/klong.php

If Kerby is so high on Mickey's list, I'm a little puzzled why he didn't play this year. He's a post-graduate kid, who spent a year at Fork Union, and you guys had some issues in the secondary. After hearing Mickey rave about him last Winter, I really expected to see him on the field.

[NYJMUSupporter]

Mickey did not play him because at the beginning of the year we were loaded in the offensive backfield. Mickey and his staff have decided to use him on offense. They decided to redshirt him to give him for time to learn the system. In his final press conference of the season, Mickey said that we will use him in a slash roll next season. He will return punts and kicks and see time at WR, QB and RB. Mickey said he will be an impact player next year and that Dukes fans would learn his name very quickly. I guess we will see in the fall.

[Tribe4SF]

On offense I'm just as puzzled since you went to RB by committee after Hollomon got hurt. Obviously Mickey had his reasons, and Kerby was certainly a great prospect, but it just seems strange that such a great player with a years maturity wouldn't be used by a team with the aspirations the Dukes had this year. Will be anxious to see how he pans out next Fall.

[NYJMUSupporter]

Mickey already had to use Scott Noble a year early and I think he did not want to spend two redshirts in one year. The Dukes had a crowded backfield with Noble, Bolton, Yancey and Sullivan. Not to mention the fact that they had Baker and Mcgee returning kicks. Mickey said it was very tempting to play him, but they had decided as a staff to save him for next season. We shall see, but I am very excited after watching him in practice. The kid is rediculously fast!

[Mountaineer#96]

What is up with this kids QB stats? Anyone seen him play or anything that can tell me? He has some wierd passing stats for a QB.

[thmst30]

Nice pickup! Congrats! Seems that Thorpe wanted to stay in state. I thought he would end up with VT but I am guessing they didn't offer?

According to Rivals.com ASU had not offered Thorpe. ASU has targeted Shrine Bowl QB Darius Thomas from West Charlotte. I had heard that they were focusing their recruiting on him. He is bigger than Edwards and just as fast. Looks like ASU didn't offer Thorpe. So technically he picked JMU over Liberty, Richmond, Duke, and Eastern Michigan. Still a very good pickup! He was a 3-star but I noticed he dropped to 2-star. I hate how Rivals does that when players commit to FCS schools.
Yep, Darius Thomas is the one App wants. Hopefully we get him as a solid backup and then a starter when hes a Junior.

[ERASU2113]

Yep, Darius Thomas is the one App wants. Hopefully we get him as a solid backup and then a starter when hes a Junior.

Yea I'm hearing Thomas is leaning towards ASU....but who really knows until he signs on the dotted line? :D

[URMite]

Congratulations! This is the one position that I think UR needs to concentrate on in recriuting this year.

Ward is a junior next year, his backup is a senior. But we have lost 3 younger QBs, so we need to get someone in the pipeline - Redshirt in '08, backup in '09...

[WVAPPmountaineer]

JMU is in good hands with Landers next year and I was equally impressed with Ward from Richmond - 2 really solid QBs ---

[HENJOHN]

Looks like a real good pickup. APP State is set for awhile so JMU is making out good here. Question for JMU fans, is Dudzik still highly thought of? I know UD recruited him. In talking with some JMU fans at our game, they indicated his father or a relative also played at JMU.

[Saint3333]

ha we'll prolly stay away from recruiting a quarterback.......we'll most likely recruit somebody as an "athlete" and change them into what we want them to be.

Recruiting a QB (who is also an athlete type) is a HIGH priority this year. Rivals lists two QBs we're after, we lost another (CoCo younger brother to South Carolina earlier). The Thomas kid as reported is reported to have been in contact with ASU and he has very good numbers against a solid 4AA conference.

[DTSpider]

Mickey already had to use Scott Noble a year early and I think he did not want to spend two redshirts in one year. The Dukes had a crowded backfield with Noble, Bolton, Yancey and Sullivan. Not to mention the fact that they had Baker and Mcgee returning kicks. Mickey said it was very tempting to play him, but they had decided as a staff to save him for next season. We shall see, but I am very excited after watching him in practice. The kid is rediculously fast!

MM made a good decision. IF you start the year redshirting a guy I think that you should stick to it. UR pulled Goloboski's redshirt midway through his freshman year. Too bad, because he would have been an amazing addition to this year's squad.

[proasu89]

Yep, Darius Thomas is the one App wants. Hopefully we get him as a solid backup and then a starter when hes a Junior.

REDSHIRT;)

[thmst30]

REDSHIRT;)
I doubt it, we have no backup for next year. I know CoCo plays a little QB, but hes gonna be one of our best and most important WR's next year so we don't need him having to play QB when we have one on the team.

[mcveyrl]

Looks like a real good pickup. APP State is set for awhile so JMU is making out good here. Question for JMU fans, is Dudzik still highly thought of? I know UD recruited him. In talking with some JMU fans at our game, they indicated his father or a relative also played at JMU.

As far as I know, Dudzik is still highly thought of. His only problem is that he backs up Rodney Landers...

I would've liked to have seen him run some more actual game situations when he was in this year (he was in during garbage time and would mostly hand the ball off).

[Eight Legger]

Varina's philosophy on offense is run first, run second and run third. Hence, no QB there is going to have great passing numbers. Go back and look at Michael Robinson's passing stats when he was their QB and you won't see huge numbers either. But I'm sure if JMU wants Thorpe to pass, he will be able to do it well.

[NYJMUSupporter]

Mickey and his staff love Drew Dudzik. He throws a beautiful ball, is very quick and he seems to be a natural leader. I had a chance to meet him last year at a booster meeting and I was very impressed with him as a person. Very well spoken and he seems to have a real passion for the game. He is not the pure athlete that Rodney is, but I think he is going to be another great JMU QB when Rodney is done.