jmu_duke07
September 11th, 2008, 09:32 AM
By JOHN PACKETT
RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Massachusetts coach Don Brown says James Madison quarterback Rodney Landers "sends shivers up your spine watching him on tape."
JMU coach Mickey Matthews feels much the same way about UMass QB Liam Coen.
"We're very well aware of Coen and all the things he's done for them," Matthews said.
Coen, the preseason offensive player of the year in the Colonial Athletic Association, and dual-threat Landers will be on opposites sides of the field Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium for an early-season conference showdown between two top-10 teams.
Both will have a lot to say about which team draws first blood in the league race.
Coen, who has passed for more than 3,000 yards each of the past two seasons, is coming off a 395-yard performance last week against Holy Cross.
Coen's "a great player, and he brings a great team with him," said Landers, who passed and rushed for almost 3,000 yards last season. "Any time you get a chance to play the best, I think that's when you want to show your stuff.
"I think it gives you a little more incentive, yeah, just because he was the preseason player of the year."
Since Landers played behind Justin Rascati the last time the teams met in 2005, this will mark the first meeting between two of the best QBs in the nation at the Football Championship Subdivision level.
"From what I've seen on tape, he does a great job distributing the ball and shows great poise," Landers said. "He's a great leader."
Coen is a great admirer of Landers, too.
"Knowing that you're going up against one of the top players in the conference, if not the country, you have to have the mindset that you're going to have to be more efficient and really focus on moving the ball and finishing drives," Coen said. "No matter what defense is lining up against them, they're going to have their big plays and successful drives, so you have to be ready yourself."
The fact that Landers can run and pass makes him more of a threat than Coen, who rarely carries the ball.
"He's got a great understanding of what they're trying to do offensively," Brown said of Landers. "He's really crafty, plus he's as athletic as any quarterback in our league. We certainly have the two-headed monster we have to deal with this week."
Brown and Matthews believe that whatever defense has the best game likely will determine the outcome.
"They're two great players, but they'll be severely tested by the defenses," Matthews said. "We feel like we have a good defense, and so do they.
"It's totally different offensive systems, because I don't know if I've ever seen Coen run with the ball. I'm sure he has at some point. He does do a good job on their naked bootleg. He can get outside and hurt you. I thought Rodney played with a lot more confidence against North Carolina Central than he did the first week against Duke."
As Brown put it, "We're going to have our hands full. Both quarterbacks have great supporting casts. It's going to come down to which defense is going to play better."
RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Massachusetts coach Don Brown says James Madison quarterback Rodney Landers "sends shivers up your spine watching him on tape."
JMU coach Mickey Matthews feels much the same way about UMass QB Liam Coen.
"We're very well aware of Coen and all the things he's done for them," Matthews said.
Coen, the preseason offensive player of the year in the Colonial Athletic Association, and dual-threat Landers will be on opposites sides of the field Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium for an early-season conference showdown between two top-10 teams.
Both will have a lot to say about which team draws first blood in the league race.
Coen, who has passed for more than 3,000 yards each of the past two seasons, is coming off a 395-yard performance last week against Holy Cross.
Coen's "a great player, and he brings a great team with him," said Landers, who passed and rushed for almost 3,000 yards last season. "Any time you get a chance to play the best, I think that's when you want to show your stuff.
"I think it gives you a little more incentive, yeah, just because he was the preseason player of the year."
Since Landers played behind Justin Rascati the last time the teams met in 2005, this will mark the first meeting between two of the best QBs in the nation at the Football Championship Subdivision level.
"From what I've seen on tape, he does a great job distributing the ball and shows great poise," Landers said. "He's a great leader."
Coen is a great admirer of Landers, too.
"Knowing that you're going up against one of the top players in the conference, if not the country, you have to have the mindset that you're going to have to be more efficient and really focus on moving the ball and finishing drives," Coen said. "No matter what defense is lining up against them, they're going to have their big plays and successful drives, so you have to be ready yourself."
The fact that Landers can run and pass makes him more of a threat than Coen, who rarely carries the ball.
"He's got a great understanding of what they're trying to do offensively," Brown said of Landers. "He's really crafty, plus he's as athletic as any quarterback in our league. We certainly have the two-headed monster we have to deal with this week."
Brown and Matthews believe that whatever defense has the best game likely will determine the outcome.
"They're two great players, but they'll be severely tested by the defenses," Matthews said. "We feel like we have a good defense, and so do they.
"It's totally different offensive systems, because I don't know if I've ever seen Coen run with the ball. I'm sure he has at some point. He does do a good job on their naked bootleg. He can get outside and hurt you. I thought Rodney played with a lot more confidence against North Carolina Central than he did the first week against Duke."
As Brown put it, "We're going to have our hands full. Both quarterbacks have great supporting casts. It's going to come down to which defense is going to play better."