How Many Wins for JMU ?

[JMU DUUUKES LAW]

How many wins do you guys think (not WANT) JMU will end up with? I like rationale reasonable arguments, not "i hate JMU so 2-9 ! " Haha.

Here's the remaining schedule with my picks.

Villanova - W
at William Mary - W
at Delaware - L
Maine - W
at UMass - L
Towson - W

I say our team is fired up and angry and finds a way to beat Nova.

Then WM could just as easily be a loss, but we play the Tribe well and should have a decent away crowd.

Delaware (although not very recently), whenever they field a decent team, gives us hell, so I'm going with a loss at the Tub.

Then wins vs. Maine and Towson for obvious reasons (insert Hofstra joke).

UMass I say we get tripped again cause we just play terrible on the road in the northeast. I worry about traveling to those UNH, NU, Hofstra, Maine, Umass games every year.

So I'm saying a very real possibility is 6-5. SEE I'm not a crazy homer! haha

[ToTheLeft]

I think 6-5, but with wins over Towson, Maine, Bill and Mary, and UMass

[4th and What?]

With Dudzik in all season JMU is 9-2, with Thorpe behind center JMU is 4-7.

[JMU DUUUKES LAW]

With Dudzik in all season JMU is 9-2, with Thorpe behind center JMU is 4-7.

What if we can get Rodney to put on Thorpes jersey, give him like a visor to hide the face, and wear sleeves to hide rodneys guns .... nobody would notice .. well, they might notice when we start rushing for 300 yards haha

[93henfan]

3-3 the rest of the way, so 5-6.

[JMU2004]

7-4

This team just took UR to the wire despite being -3 in turnover margin. They show up like that for the rest of the year, they will finish 7-4.

[PhoenixSupreme]

I'm saying 3-3 down the stretch with wins over W&M, Maine, and Towson

[mcveyrl]

7-4

This team just took UR to the wire despite being -3 in turnover margin. They show up like that for the rest of the year, they will finish 7-4.

I think that's a valid point. And I think Thorpe will get a whole lot better as the year goes on -- not great, but he'll be able to lead a drive or two.

We'll probably win a game or two that we're not supposed to and lose one that we're supposed to win. I'd say 6-5. I will be happy with 6-5.

[JMUNJ08]

I say 5-6 will be a victory and a chip for next year.

Does anyone think we would make the playoffs at 7-4 if we get on a roll? Let's say just a L on the road to UD or W&M?

[mcveyrl]

I say 5-6 will be a victory and a chip for next year.

Does anyone think we would make the playoffs at 7-4 if we get on a roll? Let's say just a L on the road to UD or W&M?

Nope. Not with what's out there. Unless a lot of crazy stuff happens, we have to win out.

[JMUNJ08]

With Dudzik in all season JMU is 9-2, with Thorpe behind center JMU is 4-7.

It would help if he wasn't so fragile. He got 2 major injuries in just 1/2 of the team's snaps! I've been down on him too but just give Thorpe a little more credit as he will get all the experience he needs for the next 3 years in the upcoming weeks.

[PurpleandGold]

I think JMU fans are way too down on their team right now. We're 2-3 right now so we get to play underdog, at least for the next two games, one of which is at home and the other we'll travel very well to. I don't know if anyone noticed, but we were this close to upsetting the #1 team in the nation, and that was with Dudzik playing a quarter of the game. (Splitting time in the first half, out with injury in the second). Thorpe made redshirt freshman mistakes, but he's been getting better as the season's gone along and now with the job locked up, he can get into a rhythm. With Yancey back on offense, Sullivan coming back off injury and Acker's speed, our backfield will be nasty. We'll wear down the D-line and put up 100 rushing yards in the fourth with fresh legs. No one doubts our D-line right now and the secondary is improving and played very well against a potent pass attack against Richmond. As long as Thorpe limits his turnovers, I honestly believe that we can make a 6-0 run.

[mcveyrl]

It would help if he wasn't so fragile. He got 2 major injuries in just 1/2 of the team's snaps! I've been down on him too but just give Thorpe a little more credit as he will get all the experience he needs for the next 3 years in the upcoming weeks.

Article I posted says he had a stress fracture in that foot all year, too! Very fragile.

[Dukie95]

We knew this season was going to be tough. This is the exact same schedule rotation that kept us out of the playoffs in 2005.

We knew going in that UR and Nova would be tough back-to-back weeks and UD is always tough on the road.

So, going in, I had penciled us in for a loss at UMD, UD, and ONE of the UR, Nova games.

While there are lots of chicken littles among the Dukes faithful, the only real surprise this year has been the loss at Hofstra. Now, we need to make that one up by winning one we weren't expecting, like @UD...not going to be easy.

Their defensive performance in the final 45 minutes on Saturday was encouraging (132 yards and 7 pts). If they can keep that up on the shoulders of Moats and Daniels they could be in a position to make a nice run...any such run will HAVE to come from the defense because a freshman QB is going to make freshman mistakes.

That said, I still think they'll lose at UD, so making up the Hofstra game isn't going to happen. I think they'll get 7 wins, which would be a positive for this team.

[JMUNJ08]

We knew this season was going to be tough. This is the exact same schedule rotation that kept us out of the playoffs in 2005.

We knew going in that UR and Nova would be tough back-to-back weeks and UD is always tough on the road.

So, going in, I had penciled us in for a loss at UMD, UD, and ONE of the UR, Nova games.

While there are lots of chicken littles among the Dukes faithful, the only real surprise this year has been the loss at Hofstra. Now, we need to make that one up by winning one we weren't expecting, like @UD...not going to be easy.

Their defensive performance in the final 45 minutes on Saturday was encouraging (132 yards and 7 pts). If they can keep that up on the shoulders of Moats and Daniels they could be in a position to make a nice run...any such run will HAVE to come from the defense because a freshman QB is going to make freshman mistakes.

That said, I still think they'll lose at UD, so making up the Hofstra game isn't going to happen. I think they'll get 7 wins, which would be a positive for this team.

If we go 7-4 with wins over Nova, W&M, UMASS & Maine aren't we dancing somewhere on the road?

[Dukie95]

If we go 7-4 with wins over Nova, W&M, UMASS & Maine aren't we dancing somewhere on the road?

No. No playoffs with 7 wins this year, unless something crazy happens somewhere outside the CAA

[mcveyrl]

If we go 7-4 with wins over Nova, W&M, UMASS & Maine aren't we dancing somewhere on the road?

Not if Nova, W&M, UR and UD are all 8-3. And there will be plenty of other 8-3s out there to trump us too, I think.

[jmufan999]

preseason i had us at 7-4. i think we could have reached or eclipsed that with Dudzik.

not with thorpe. too young, too "green". it's going to take more than this year to get him to play at a high level. i don't even know if he'd be ready next year. 2 years? probably. but i'm not a good enough talent evaluator (is that a word?) to know how far his potential could take him.

anyway, i still look forward to the playoffs. i'd love for W&M to make it. i think they will, as an at-large. my brother went there and i'd love to see a 5th CAA team win it all.

[GannonFan]

I see it as 5-6. Losses to nova, W&M, and UD and counting a win against UMass (no gimmie there though).

[MacThor]

Obviously, the Hofstra loss really stings. I think it's probably an aberration though; the JMU I watched on Saturday was not a significant drop-off from the team that ran the table last regular season. While blowouts occasionally happen, there's a lot of parity in the CAA, and JMU can beat everyone left on their schedule. I expect a lot of close games that will come down to MM's coaching and Thorpe making fewer mistakes.

...and Scotty realizing there's no shame in taking the occasional fair catch.

[JMU DUUUKES LAW]

...and Scotty realizing there's no shame in taking the occasional fair catch.

Umm thank you, its getting ridiculous, he never will call for it and gets BLOWN UP

[mcveyrl]

Obviously, the Hofstra loss really stings. I think it's probably an aberration though; the JMU I watched on Saturday was not a significant drop-off from the team that ran the table last regular season. While blowouts occasionally happen, there's a lot of parity in the CAA, and JMU can beat everyone left on their schedule. I expect a lot of close games that will come down to MM's coaching and Thorpe making fewer mistakes.

...and Scotty realizing there's no shame in taking the occasional fair catch.

I think he's starting to get frustrated. Teams realize that high kicks with a little less distance are the way to shut him down rather than trying to angle things left or right and risk a short out of bounds kick. He hasn't had a good shot at a punt return all year.

[soccerguy315]

Not if Nova, W&M, UR and UD are all 8-3. And there will be plenty of other 8-3s out there to trump us too, I think.

UNH is the other obvious team, probably more likely to go 8-3 (or better) than both W&M and UD.

JMU has a good team... I think they would be playoff worthy with Dudzik. The loss to Hofstra obviously hurts, dropping a game that you should win is not good in the CAA because there are too many good teams, you need to take care of business when you are supposed to. If JMU can run the table with a rFr QB, that should be well beyond anyone's expectations.

[mcveyrl]

UNH is the other obvious team, probably more likely to go 8-3 (or better) than both W&M and UD.

JMU has a good team... I think they would be playoff worthy with Dudzik. The loss to Hofstra obviously hurts, dropping a game that you should win is not good in the CAA because there are too many good teams, you need to take care of business when you are supposed to. If JMU can run the table with a rFr QB, that should be well beyond anyone's expectations.

Yea, if we run the table I wll not be shy in predicting that we will win the national championship. :Dxthumbsupx

[BDKJMU]

I think he's starting to get frustrated. Teams realize that high kicks with a little less distance are the way to shut him down rather than trying to angle things left or right and risk a short out of bounds kick. He hasn't had a good shot at a punt return all year.

Come on Mcveyrl, if you watched the MD and VMI games you would know he had a good shot at a return in each- he had a 14 yard return vs MD (which had to involve about 30-40 yards of running- I distinctly remember that one) and a 17 yd return against VMI that he couldn't quite break.

[mcveyrl]

Come on Mcveyrl, if you watched the MD and VMI games you would know he had a good shot at a return in each- he had a 14 yard return vs MD (which had to involve about 30-40 yards of running- I distinctly remember that one) and a 17 yd return against VMI that he couldn't quite break.

Fair enough. He hasn't had a good shot in a while.

[Silenoz]

A lot of people think they're gonna go 5-1 down that stretch?

[mcveyrl]

A lot of people think they're gonna go 5-1 down that stretch?

Yea, that's a tall order, particularly if you've seen us play. I'm assuming most are thinking a loss to 'Nova and running the table, but I doubt that's gonna happen. Would love to be wrong, but...

[4th and What?]

A lot of people think they're gonna go 5-1 down that stretch?

Perhaps I am one of those people that is too "down" on JMU right now, but I have no faith in Thorpe (at least for this season). I see the odds higher of not scoring another offensive touchdown than going 5-1 down the stretch. I didn't see the VMI game, but apart from that one, I think he has one rushing touchdown this season? And if the Dukes are on the field for more than a three and out, the odds of a Thorpe turnover go through the roof (every possession in the second half of the Richmond game was a 3-in-out or Thorpe turnover).

I know very little, er, nothing about player development in football, but I hope he can become a quality QB for JMU in the coming years, but I really hope this season doesn't destroy his confidence so much he doesn't recover.


edit: Well, I'm sure they can score on Towson

[HensRock]

I think it will be 5-6 or even 4-7 (maybe worse). Losses to WM, UD, Nova. Wins against Towson and Maine. UMass can go either way. But even Towson and Maine are not gimme's.

Right now I think the odds of JMU losing another that they didn't expect are greater than the odds of winning one they didn't expect.

I said at the beginning of the season that JMU opening up at Maryland with 2 quarterbacks was eerily similar to UD last year. (we opened at MD and it was literally a game morning decision that Shoenhoft would get the start)

Well, how did that season turn out? 4-8
BTW, I am not wishing for JMU to fall to the same fate as UD. I hope they do better. That's just the way I see it.

[bluehenbillk]

I But even Towson and Maine are not gimme's.



Wow HR. I'm not high on JMU the rest of the way but Towson isn't a gimme? Ouch.

[HensRock]

Wow HR. I'm not high on JMU the rest of the way but Towson isn't a gimme? Ouch.

Maybe that was a bit harsh, but I just meant that Towson is still a CAA team and there are no free games in the CAA. (although I admit, TU is close) If JMU has a weakness, Towson will exploit it. They would like nothing better than to notch a win against the mighty Dukes.

Football is a game of inches and sometimes there can be very little difference in an 7-4 team and a 4-7 team. One little flaw or weakness, and opponents will attack it and beat you. I'm not saying JMU has a weakness, but the QB situation is at least suspect.

My comments were more out of respect for Towson than a dig on JMU.
Sorry is I offended anyone.

[grayghost06]

I think JMU fans are way too down on their team right now. We're 2-3 right now so we get to play underdog, at least for the next two games, one of which is at home and the other we'll travel very well to. I don't know if anyone noticed, but we were this close to upsetting the #1 team in the nation, and that was with Dudzik playing a quarter of the game. (Splitting time in the first half, out with injury in the second). Thorpe made redshirt freshman mistakes, but he's been getting better as the season's gone along and now with the job locked up, he can get into a rhythm. With Yancey back on offense, Sullivan coming back off injury and Acker's speed, our backfield will be nasty. We'll wear down the D-line and put up 100 rushing yards in the fourth with fresh legs. No one doubts our D-line right now and the secondary is improving and played very well against a potent pass attack against Richmond. As long as Thorpe limits his turnovers, I honestly believe that we can make a 6-0 run.

I have to believe it was our fearsome pass rush that made the secondary look good against Richmond. Without that, we're improving back there but still a weak point.

[GannonFan]

Wow HR. I'm not high on JMU the rest of the way but Towson isn't a gimme? Ouch.

I think HR was silly there too, but remember, Towson/JMU is their game for Rivalry Week - pretty tense game there! xlolx

[mcveyrl]

I think HR was silly there too, but remember, Towson/JMU is their game for Rivalry Week - pretty tense game there! xlolx

You guys joke, but by the time that game rolls around, our team could be so out to lunch that we'll be lucky it's at home.

[GannonFan]

You guys joke, but by the time that game rolls around, our team could be so out to lunch that we'll be lucky it's at home.

It's still Towson, man. I certainly think you may be right and once JMU gets that 4th loss they could really nosedive, but there's nosediving and then there's losing to this year's Towson team - I doubt you sink that far.

[appfan2008]

what a tough schedule you all have... wow!

[GannonFan]

what a tough schedule you all have... wow!

Basically the schedule of every CAA South team, with the lone exception being trading UNH for UMass, depending on what rotation a team has. xthumbsupx

[bluehenbillk]

You guys joke, but by the time that game rolls around, our team could be so out to lunch that we'll be lucky it's at home.

Actually your team could be out of it in 2 weeks...or at least hoepfully.

[mcveyrl]

Basically the schedule of every CAA South team, with the lone exception being trading UNH for UMass, depending on what rotation a team has. xthumbsupx

AND ours is actually a little easier because we have the (supposedly) two toughest at home.

[GannonFan]

AND ours is actually a little easier because we have the (supposedly) two toughest at home.

Not so, you guys are in Newark on Halloween!!! :p:p:p

[JMUNJ08]

I know JMU fans usually think the world of their team but earlier this week everyone was leaning 6-5 to 5-6. Now 7-4 is tied with them? 5-1 I don't think is realistic at the moment but possible if Thorpe matures quickly. What changed? Did Landers come back? Did we change our schedule to include URI, NE and a home and home with Towson? not Nova, W&M and UD?

[JMU Newbill]

I think we will be the best 5-6 team in the country at the end of the year

[State Line Liquors]

I tried to vote ZERO, but it didn't work. WTF.

[mcveyrl]

I tried to vote ZERO, but it didn't work. WTF.

You need to go to User CP and turn a**hole voting to "On"

:D

[State Line Liquors]

You need to go to User CP and turn a**hole voting to "On"

:D


xlolx

Maybe that's the problem, I tried to vote using my a**hole! xnodx

[mcveyrl]

xlolx

Maybe that's the problem, I tried to vote using my a**hole! xnodx

xlolx

I'm not sure you could do otherwise.