JMU Spring Game ..... yawn!

[Linehawg]

Random thoughts:

Around 430-500 people there (far cry fron Virginia Tech's 41,000 spring game attendance) on a wet afternoon. Temp great and only drizzled right at the end.

1. If Mickey Matthew's intent was to shuffle kids around and look at younger kids to solve his depth problem and not "show" much this early, he succeeded. I've seen high school teams that....well, you get the picture.

A conundrum wrapped in an enigma...

2. Prediction: JMU's running stats will fall precipitously this year. I know Fenner and Banks are back but the offensive line play was uninspiring and size a definite challenge.

3. Rascati had time to throw because the defense was not getting any push. Second string defensive linemen frequently moving backward.

How can both these observations be true? The Duke optimist would say because both the O & D lines are so good. The opposite is more likley closer to the truth. Both lines are young, smallish, and very inexpereienced. Footwork sluggish, drop their heads on blocks, DL rushing high with no hand work (easy to block) and far too slow getting into the second level -- left tackle holding more times than not after missing assignments. OL Coach Newsome left for VTech and his experience here clearly being missed.

Having said that, WR Ward will be exciting to watch if they can get the ball in his hands. One nice run after catch--running wind sprints most of the time. His blocking improved tremendously.

Second string QB a definite ground threat. Will give LBs fits in the coming years.

A lot can change between now and September but the Dukes will be fortunate to end the season mid-pack in the A-10 with what was on display Saturday.

At least the band is always good...

[Tribe4SF]

Whoa!!!:eek: Now you've done it!

[JMU Duke Dog]

It's alright Tribe4SF. We all know that Linehawg has a personal problem when it comes to JMU. Are things too boring for you down there in Lexington? Are we even in the same classification as VT?

I will admit that JMU did look uninspiring at the spring game but the reality is that next year's starters did not really play. The top three wide receivers and top two running backs sat out yesterday. We even had players playing positions they have never even played before. We had a running back playing defensive back yesterday. I do not take much out of this spring game at all. It is a joke to even take anything away from yesterday. A concern is the offensive and defensive lines; however, JMU is bringing in an offensive lineman transfer from Utah and a defensive lineman transfer from Connecticut.

[jmuroller]

Considering this.....the top 3 receivers didn't play, our starting LT (all A10) didn't play, our starting right guard and center only played sparingly, our starting left (1st team A10) defesensive end sat out, 1st and 2nd string (both all A10) RB's sat out, starting left CB sat out also, our FS (2 time all-american) didn't play, Justin (QB) only played 1/2 of the scrimmage part, and our #1 water boy also wasn't full speed. Don't take much from the spring game...it was a glorified scrimmage w/ the veterans sitting most, if not all of it out.

I think their will be more problems in Lexington than in Harrisonburg next year. And if you think we will finish middle of the pack you are nuts.

If you were looking for excitement, you could have just skipped the game and gone and watched a movie.

[Linehawg]

I'm a little fuzzy on what things in Lexington have to do with what I saw but the conclusion is Mickey still has a depth problem and his lines have a long way to go. Anyone who focuses on the so-called hot dog "skill positions" first in judging a team should clearly avoid Vegas. :rolleyes:

[jmuroller]

I'm a little fuzzy on what things in Lexington have to do with what I saw but the conclusion is Mickey still has a depth problem and his lines have a long way to go. Anyone who focuses on the so-called hot dog "skill positions" first in judging a team should clearly avoid Vegas. :rolleyes:


Everyone has a depth problem. We have 3 starters coming back which is more than most can say each year. If you judged our line play by what you saw on saturday then you might want to double check.

[BigDukeDawg]

haha thats awesome a yawn? possibly... but half the people playing out there will not be playing at game time, even the young bucks didnt look too bad for the future... you gotta be kidding me "middle of the pack", running game will definately be better than last year as will the passing game... i predict to hear alot of "Rascati pass to Ray Brown for the touchdown" next year... i love to hear JMU compared to Tech even though they rejected our plea of a Sept 2nd game and instead brought in northeastern... and i love that when i mentioned somethin about the Utah transfer before everyone just put it off as bull but yea, i heard the guy from Connecticut is nasty, we'll see... i definately think it will be an exciting year

[jmuroller]

BDD, anything official about the transfer from Utah? Nothing on there board about it. We can always use a big OL.

[blukeys]

Sounds like a typical spring game, a chance for the coaches to evaluate the younger guys. I heard one guy complain at the UD scrimmage that Cuff was pulled after 3 carries. Yeah like he has something to prove. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[DTSpider]

Did JMU break into two teams or just do an offense/defense thing? Richmond broke into two teams this year and it was a huge improvement.

Checking out the JMU boards people don't seem all that thrilled. Relying on transfers for line play is dangerous. JMU's defensive front 7 (or I guess 6 based on your scheme) looked awful in the UR game (only game I saw). The O-line was such a strength in 2004, but seemed just average last year.

While I think that JMU has a lot of talent, I don't think that they can just expect to win 8 games next year by stepping on the field. In my years of watching JMU & UR matchups I've always thought that JMU gave away 5-10 points a game in stupid penalties or mental mistakes. While every school has some, I've felt like JMU has had more than other schools. Perhaps its just the matchups.

[jmuroller]

While I think that JMU has a lot of talent, I don't think that they can just expect to win 8 games next year by stepping on the field.


No one has ever said that. We do play in the A10 where a VERY good team can go 6-5 at the drop of a hat. It's unreal how hard our conference is top to bottom.

[Tubby Raymond]

No one has ever said that. We do play in the A10 where a VERY good team can go 6-5 at the drop of a hat. It's unreal how hard our conference is top to bottom.

VERY good teams don't go 6-5 in the A-10, we were 6-5 and nobody will argue that we were a VERY good team last year

[Tribe4SF]

VERY good teams don't go 6-5 in the A-10, we were 6-5 and nobody will argue that we were a VERY good team last year

I don't think he was talking about last year's UD team. They were 6-5 only because of their schedule.

Anyway, you know what he meant, and his point is accurate, albeit slightly exaggerated.

[GannonFan]

I don't think he was talking about last year's UD team. They were 6-5 only because of their schedule.

Anyway, you know what he meant, and his point is accurate, albeit slightly exaggerated.

Schedule??? How so?

[BigDukeDawg]

The way Delaware handled us up there makes me believe that UD was a better team than the record would show, i think they had some injuries and stuff like that. I cant believe both the Davis brothers left, i played against them in high school and that place was exactly where they wanted to be playing behind their brother and all. Roller i talked to a few of my boys the other day and i read an article in a newspaper from Utah that said somethin about him transferring but nothing official yet, he wont be here till the summer i believe. Annnnd DTSpider, the game was like a regular game with the same conditions... also i wouldnt say we're relying on the transfer, of all i know he could pull out of that and end up somewhere else, we have a quality big tackle in franklin martin but as the coach has said he is extremely lazy... i truely feel last year UR was a better team, we were definately sleepin on them and it showed in the play, the new linebackers from last year now have some time under their belts and i think are good to go, Jordan and Barnes in the middle are adding speed as we speak and are definately getting stronger, there is also the most prolific athlete in Mike Brown at LB (VT transfer) but just like at VT he cant stay out of trouble here... D-end is gon be a lil shaky but alot can change between now and the 1st game. The o-line is probably the thing i'm most excited to see knockin heads, i definately think itll be better up front than last year. Regarding the penalties, one of the players told me there were fewer penalties last year than any of the years before. Im not sure how much truth is to that, but i know we gave up the most crucial fumbles and stupid penalties (i say stupid penalties such as unnecessary roughness, late hit, delay of game, false start) which all happened during crucial times of drives of different games such as against UMass, Delaware, Richmond.... in my opinion being a former Catawba college player (under Dave Bennett now head coach at Coastal Carolina), and a former JMU player, i can say without a doubt the coastal carolina loss should have never happened. Yet again JMU comes in with a chip on the shoulder after the national championship win and sleeps on a team that can actually make a few first downs. Dont get me wrong that catch near the end of the game was great but a JMU giving up 300 yards passing to a team, the secondary was definately the worst aspect of the entire team last year. Having a 10 point lead with 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter is definately time where the o-line digs in and runs out the clock, we had that dig from the o-line the year before in 2004.

[Tribe4SF]

Schedule??? How so?

Lehigh early, followed by Holy Cross, and playing the Tribe late on our last swirl down the toilet.:D

Don't get sensitive on me, GF. It's not that serious.;)