What Happened to James Madison?

[ThompsonThe]

What is going on at James Madison? Seriously. Do they have have H1N1 or something?

[Eight Legger]

What happened is about what most people who know the CAA expected to happen to them this year. They lost a great player in Landers, who pretty much was their offense, and graduated a decent number of other players from a very good team.

A few other CAA teams had more returning talent this year, plain and simple. JMU has now lost to three of them -- Richmond, Villanova and W&M -- in consecutive weeks. Coming into the season, I don't know who would have listed JMU as a favorite in any of those three games, quite honestly. Losing Dudzik against Richmond with a broken ankle didn't help matters. They'll be back though, just not this year.

[GolfingGriz]

Its the Montana hangover. ;)

Probably not, Eight Legger said it better than I could.

[MR. CHICKEN]

THUD!....INJURIES...ARE UH FACTOR...AWK!

[93henfan]

What happened to James Madison?

Per Wiki:


"The Convention of 1829, we might say, pushed Madison steadily to the brink of self-delusion, if not despair. The dilemma of slavery undid him."[30]

Although his health had now almost failed, he managed to produce several memoranda on political subjects, including an essay against the appointment of chaplains for Congress and the armed forces, because this produced religious exclusion, but not political harmony.[31]

Madison lived on until 1836, increasingly ignored by the new leaders of the American polity. He died at Montpelier on June 28, the last Founding Father to die.[32] He is buried in the Madison Family Cemetery at Montpelier.

[ngineer]

xnodxxthumbsupx:D

[WestCoastAggie]

What happened to James Madison?

Per Wiki:

And now we know. xsmiley_wix

[Seawolf97]

What happened to James Madison?

Per Wiki:

Thats what I thought -Poor man xlolx

[appmaj]

What happened to James Madison?

Per Wiki:

xoutofrepx

[JMU2K_DukeDawg]

The losses due to graduation, injuries, etc.

There are probably about 8-10 would-be starters not playing, NOT including normal attrition from graduation. Ouch!

Pres-season
DT - JD Skolnitsky - Lost eligibility, Redkins Practice Squad xcoolx
OL - Arthur Walker - Academically ineligible for '09 xsmhx
OL - Chris Clarke - Leg injury; medical scholarship for '09 xmadx
S - Gerren Griffen - Shoulder injury; medical scholarship for '09 xeekx
DE - Quintrell Thomas - kicked off team for undisclosed reason xmadx
LB - Reggie Hicks - did not return for 5th year after graduating xoopsx
WR - Doug McNeil - Academically ineligible xsmhx
LB - Colin Fitz-Maurice - neck injury in 08-09, will never play again :(

Mid-season
QB - Drew Dudzik - Never given the reigns, now has broken foot xconfusedx
WR - Kerby Long - broken hand (severe) xbawlingx
WR - Bosco Williams - finally returned from injury vs. W&M, but too little too late xcoffeex xrolleyesx
RB - Corwin Acker - Hamstring xrotatehx
CB - Mike Allen - bruised kidney (mostly a ST player) xeyebrowx
C - Donny Smith - ankle xoopsx
LB - Jamie Veney - knee injury vs. Villanova xnonono2x

S/RB - Griff Yancey - horrible experiment @ thin Safety position. Was injured for a game or two (clavicle), then moved back to RB. Still not like his old self I don't think.

And in spite of all this, we JMU fans are not crying about the injuries. Yes, they suck. But what has been most bothersome is the flat out bad play by the guys who are playing. I supposed we have been spoiled, but the QB play in particular shows that this team is dreadful on offense.

Defensively, IMO the team is much better despite the losses. The dam eventually broke against W&M, but with the way our offense was playing, you'd start playing with half a heart on D as well.

The lone shining light is Arthur Moats, a Buck Buchannan candidate, who I think might be only the second player in a long list of players to win the award despite his team not making the playoffs. The other player? JMU's Derrick Lloyd from 2001.

What's bad is the phrase "next year" doesn't even sounds promising right now. It's tough to be a Dukes fan at the moment, even though so many things are still going well in our program.

[Dukie95]

Losing Landers hurt, but we had an adequate replacement in Drew Dudzik (who finished the Montana game last year).

When the season started, there was a QB controversy between Dudzik and R-FR Justin Thorpe - we kept hearing they were both so good, no one had won the job. As a result, they alternated possessions in the first 5 games of the season, even though it was clear Dudzik was the one leading the scoring drives.

Dudzik broke his foot during the Richmond game. After this injury we find out that he had been nursing a stress fracture all season and it became a full break at that time. Since Dudzik went out in the 3rd quarter of the Richmond game, JMU has no TDs and only three points over those 10 quarters.

So, now it appears the QB controversy was BS, and Mickey was trying to extend Dudzik's season by using this alternating QB scheme.

The defense has played well enough to win some games. If JMU had any kind of offense threat, we'd be in a different place right now.

[Dukie95]

The losses due to graduation, injuries, etc.

There are probably about 8-10 would-be starters not playing, NOT including normal attrition from graduation. Ouch!

Pres-season
DT - JD Skolnitsky - Lost eligibility, Redkins Practice Squad xcoolx
OL - Arthur Walker - Academically ineligible for '09 xsmhx
OL - Chris Clarke - Leg injury; medical scholarship for '09 xmadx
S - Gerren Griffen - Shoulder injury; medical scholarship for '09 xeekx
DE - Quintrell Thomas - kicked off team for undisclosed reason xmadx
LB - Reggie Hicks - did not return for 5th year after graduating xoopsx
WR - Doug McNeil - Academically ineligible xsmhx
LB - Colin Fitz-Maurice - neck injury in 08-09, will never play again :(

Mid-season
QB - Drew Dudzik - Never given the reigns, now has broken foot xconfusedx
WR - Kerby Long - broken hand (severe) xbawlingx
WR - Bosco Williams - finally returned from injury vs. W&M, but too little too late xcoffeex xrolleyesx
RB - Corwin Acker - Hamstring xrotatehx
CB - Mike Allen - bruised kidney (mostly a ST player) xeyebrowx
C - Donny Smith - ankle xoopsx
LB - Jamie Veney - knee injury vs. Villanova xnonono2x

S/RB - Griff Yancey - horrible experiment @ thin Safety position. Was injured for a game or two (clavicle), then moved back to RB. Still not like his old self I don't think.

And in spite of all this, we JMU fans are not crying about the injuries. Yes, they suck. But what has been most bothersome is the flat out bad play by the guys who are playing. I supposed we have been spoiled, but the QB play in particular shows that this team is dreadful on offense.

Defensively, IMO the team is much better despite the losses. The dam eventually broke against W&M, but with the way our offense was playing, you'd start playing with half a heart on D as well.

The lone shining light is Arthur Moats, a Buck Buchannan candidate, who I think might be only the second player in a long list of players to win the award despite his team not making the playoffs. The other player? JMU's Derrick Lloyd from 2001.

What's bad is the phrase "next year" doesn't even sounds promising right now. It's tough to be a Dukes fan at the moment, even though so many things are still going well in our program.

I think a healty Dudzik helps tremendously, so I don't peg this entire season on all those losses, but I'll add that Scotty McGee had surgery in the off-season, came to camp overweight and isn't the threat he once was - even though he's doing a better job at CB than he had in the past.

[BDKJMU]

The losses due to graduation, injuries, etc.

There are probably about 8-10 would-be starters not playing, NOT including normal attrition from graduation. Ouch!

Pres-season
DT - JD Skolnitsky - Lost eligibility, Redkins Practice Squad xcoolx
OL - Arthur Walker - Academically ineligible for '09 xsmhx
OL - Chris Clarke - Leg injury; medical scholarship for '09 xmadx
S - Gerren Griffen - Shoulder injury; medical scholarship for '09 xeekx
DE - Quintrell Thomas - kicked off team for undisclosed reason xmadx
LB - Reggie Hicks - did not return for 5th year after graduating xoopsx
WR - Doug McNeil - Academically ineligible xsmhx
LB - Colin Fitz-Maurice - neck injury in 08-09, will never play again :(

Mid-season
QB - Drew Dudzik - Never given the reigns, now has broken foot xconfusedx
WR - Kerby Long - broken hand (severe) xbawlingx
WR - Bosco Williams - finally returned from injury vs. W&M, but too little too late xcoffeex xrolleyesx
RB - Corwin Acker - Hamstring xrotatehx
CB - Mike Allen - bruised kidney (mostly a ST player) xeyebrowx
C - Donny Smith - ankle xoopsx
LB - Jamie Veney - knee injury vs. Villanova xnonono2x

S/RB - Griff Yancey - horrible experiment @ thin Safety position. Was injured for a game or two (clavicle), then moved back to RB. Still not like his old self I don't think.

And in spite of all this, we JMU fans are not crying about the injuries. Yes, they suck. But what has been most bothersome is the flat out bad play by the guys who are playing. I supposed we have been spoiled, but the QB play in particular shows that this team is dreadful on offense.

Defensively, IMO the team is much better despite the losses. The dam eventually broke against W&M, but with the way our offense was playing, you'd start playing with half a heart on D as well.

The lone shining light is Arthur Moats, a Buck Buchannan candidate, who I think might be only the second player in a long list of players to win the award despite his team not making the playoffs. The other player? JMU's Derrick Lloyd from 2001.

What's bad is the phrase "next year" doesn't even sounds promising right now. It's tough to be a Dukes fan at the moment, even though so many things are still going well in our program.

Skolnitsky, Walker, and Griffin were returning starters. Add them to the 8 lost to graduation/no more eligibility that's 11 of 22 starters lost from last season.

Of the 8 you listed under pre season as you said "about 8-10 would-be starters"
-Skolnitsky, Walker, and Griffin obviously would have started.
-Q Thomas might have.
-The other 4 likely would have been on the 2 deep but likely wouldn't have started.
-You forgot about Josh Johnson. That's a 3rd likely 2 deep LB lost during the offseason. I've heard a couple different reasons why he is no longer with the team.


"WR - Bosco Williams - finally returned from injury vs. W&M, but too little too late"
You may not have seen the Hofstra, UR, and Nova games. Bosco came back against Hofstra (played a few series). Also played vs UR. He started against Nova (was lined up on the very 1st offensive play) and caught his 1st pass of the season. But by then basically didn't have a QB to get him the ball....


S/RB - Griff Yancey - horrible experiment @ thin Safety position.

Yancey wasn't a horrible experiment at safety- he played pretty well there. He was moved back to offense for the UR game when Sullivan wasn't 100% with the bruised knee and Acker having to be moved to receiver due to the injuries there.

[BDKJMU]

JMU2K_DukeDawg basically laid out the offseason from hell for JMU in terms of personnel. It was also due to schedule:

-Only 5 home games. Our AD Jeff Bourne sucks
-1st game not till Sept 12, a week after everyone else, so no bye week. Again our AD sucks.
-Yet 3 of JMU’s 4 toughest CAA opponents, UR, W&M, and UD, had bye weeks before playing JMU.

[BDKJMU]

Injuries. Every team has them. They probably have hit JMU a little more than the avg team. Latest game, 4 starters out vs W&M.
-Dudzick
-Kerby Long at WR- broke his hand in practice before Liberty a month ago.
-Jamie Veney at LB- went out vs Nova, out for the season, knee
-Taveion Cuffee- CB. Went out vs Nova, out for several weeks, ankle.

2 deep:
Mike Allen- corner, bruised kidney vs Liberty, should be back vs UD or Maine
Corwin Acker- TB/WR- hamstring. Just announced yesterday has been suspended indefintely for violation of team rules.

Where the injuries hurt vs W&M was on defense with DEPTH at LB and corner.

JMU only starts 2 LBs, and had been only playing 3 this yr. Remember, 3 likely 2 deep LBs (2 who were on the 2 deep last season) who were expected back didn't return (one medical and one who graduated and elected not to return for his 5th yr). Last seasons's CAA rookie defensive player of the year, now Pat Williams at strong safety, had to be moved up to LB. With Veney out against W&M the 2 remaining LBs (RSo Pat Williams and RFr Chase Williams, no relation) were on the field the entire game. There was no one left to put in for them except for a true freshman. By the 4th qtr they were spent.

With Cuffee and Allen out at corner, that only left 2 seniors at corner to start, and a true freshman who had his redshirt pulled, to rotate in. No depth.

[BDKJMU]

As has already been mentioned, once Dudzik went down was major deficiency at QB. The rFr Thorpe has improved some, but he has basically struggled with
-reading defenses
-spotting open receivers
-making the correct decision or a quick decision on the belly read option (JMU abandoned it vs W&M)
-ball security (at least he didn't turn the ball over vs W&M (not sure about the snap 20 yards past Thorpe when Thorpe wasn't looking that W&M recovered who's fault that was- the center or Thorpe's)).

[BDKJMU]

What is going on at James Madison? Seriously. Do they have have H1N1 or something?

To sum it up, it has been a combination of factors:

1. 8 starters from last season lost to graduation, majority who had made CAA all conference honors, Landers obviously being the biggest loss.

2. 3 more starters from last season lost for one reason or another in the offseason- see previous post.

3. 6 more players who would have likely been on the 2 deep, including one who likely would have started, lost for one reason or another during the offseason.

4. Schedule- see previous post.

5. Injuries- see previous post.

6. Major deficiency at QB once Dudzik went down- see previous post.

7. 9 turnovers for JMU, 3 for the opposing team in the 4 game losing streak (5 of those 9 were on Thorpe, and possibly a 6th (was either center's or Thorpe's fault)), so that ties in with the deficiency at QB.

8. Have lost to I believe a top 5 team (don't pay too much attention to polls) the last 3 straight weeks (UR, Nova, W&M) (that sort of ties in with the schedule from hell). Not like JMU has been losing to the little sisters of the poor or the school of the deaf and blind. Even Hofstra has appeared decent.

Its just one of those seasons when what could go wrong has gone wrong. Most really good programs have them. JMU is a young team. About 27 of 44 on the 2 deep are freshman or sophmores, alot of them very talented. JMU will be likely be back in the battle for the CAA title & playoffs next season.

[cougarpines]

Gentlemen, just replace the names and year and you have UD last year just maybe not as bad. It is a down year no doubt but you have had a great run since 02 and while I hate to say it MM has done a great job. JMU is 60 & 28 since 02 or a 68% winning rate with a NC and four playoff appearences. You are 22 & 10 against the CAA South over the same time priod or 69%. Both records are the best in the CAA south and you have a winnig record against all CAA south teams during the same period.

I understand your frustration but it's the first bad year since 02 when you went 5 & 7.

[JMU Newbill]

Obviously, Armanti Edwards has had something to do with every game we have lost this year.

[mcveyrl]

I think a healty Dudzik helps tremendously, so I don't peg this entire season on all those losses, but I'll add that Scotty McGee had surgery in the off-season, came to camp overweight and isn't the threat he once was - even though he's doing a better job at CB than he had in the past.

xconfusedx
He's still second in the country in yds. per kick return and 1 and 3 both have TDs. Not bad for a guy that you know they're going to key on.
xconfusedx

[Dukie95]

xconfusedx
He's still second in the country in yds. per kick return and 1 and 3 both have TDs. Not bad for a guy that you know they're going to key on.
xconfusedx

I know his stats are still decent, but he looks a step slower (perhaps because JMU's offensive challenges have forced him on the field much more for his day job as CB). I only mentioned that in the context of the litany off-season challenges. He DID have surgery and he DID come to camp overweight and out of shape.

[tribefootballfan]

I guess the loss of Mr. R Landers was bigger than people thought?? It looked like the same off. on Sat. it was just Mr. Landers was not running poeple over to get first downs and keep the ball for JMU.

[BDKJMU]

xconfusedx
He's still second in the country in yds. per kick return and 1 and 3 both have TDs. Not bad for a guy that you know they're going to key on.
xconfusedx

Plus he's playing the majority of snaps on defense. In the W&M game with 2 deep corner Allen still out with lacerated kidney suffered vs Liberty and starting corner Cuffee out with the ankle/foot injury vs Nova for a couple more weeks, JMU only had 3 corners to play, and one of them was a true freshman. Will likely be the same vs UD.

Last season with 4 experienced corners, McGee probably played only 30-40% of the snaps on defense, leaving him fresher for returns.

[BDKJMU]

I know his stats are still decent, but he looks a step slower (perhaps because JMU's offensive challenges have forced him on the field much more for his day job as CB). I only mentioned that in the context of the litany off-season challenges. He DID have surgery and he DID come to camp overweight and out of shape.

True, he ran a hand held 4.31 for the NFL scouts last spring before the surgery. Doubt he'd run that now. Also see above.

[JmuSkinsfan]

Ended the season pretty respectably. Won 4 straight.

@ Delaware
Maine
@Umass
Towson

Not bad to finish 6-5 (4-4) after starting 2-5 (0-4)

[OldSouth]

Oh the whining........ Every team has injuries every year including championship teams. All these long posts explaining why. Recruit great players that have strong character, get good grades and work hard.

Injuries happen to every team, its the moral character of the rest that make a winning team.

[OldSouth]

I hope theres no thread for that. Only losing 6 starters to graduation. Then again we do lose Superman.

[Spiderbite10]

They also just announced that they are playing Virginia Tech next year. That will be some DI-A opponent to start their season with.

On a side note, I never understood why UR has not tried to get VT back on our schedule again.

[MacThor]

Good for them. I'm sick of the incessant coverage of oVerraTed. Hope JMU pulls off the upset. They're due for an FBS win.

[Keenan]

What is going on at James Madison? Seriously. Do they have have H1N1 or something?

Fast forward to Nov.2010 when JMU fan posts thread titled "What happened to Appalachian State?" :p

[Skjellyfetti]

What happened to Liberty?!?1