JMU @ UNC Official Game Thread

[D1B]

SMFH

[BDKJMU]

This UNC team was far superior to the 3 I-A teams I've seen JMU play live:
UNC 07' (Butch Davis's 1st year)- no comparison
Duke 08'-no comparison
MD 09'- no comparison
(wasn't at the VT game)

Again, it is no fluke that UNC had more players drafted last yr than any other team- more than Auburn, Oregon, Bama, Ohio State, etc. Davis has been stockpiling talent there for 5 years (maybe helped by cash under the table & cars) and JMU was simply overmatched.

JMU defensively.
That o-line (avg about 6'5 1/2, 319), the strength of NC's team, probably is the best in the ACC. Certainly will be the best JMU will see all year- by far. JMU DL simply couldn't generate any rush. The UNC QB threw 23 passes. All 23 were caught- 22 by UNC and 1 by JMU, for 277 yds, 2 TDs The 1st UNC series, a TD long pass from a newly starting rSo QB to a stud receiver was exactly like 4 years ago. 4 years ago it was Hakeem Nicks. Today it was a 6'4", 225 receiver. After the UNC OL the big receivers were suppose to be the next best part of their O, and it showed. Thankfully JMU won't face another pair like UNC's starters for the rest of the season.

JMU's De, considering missing 1 DL starter, the heat, the mammoth UNC OL, and the 245 lb tailback (along with the 250 lb fullback) didn't all that badly against the run. Gave up 184 on 35 carries, 5.3 avg.

It also hurt JMU's defense that the JMU's punter's 1st 3 punt (which carolina wasn't even rushing) SUCKED, giving UNC great field position He punted one from inside JMU's 10 that was only a 20 some yarder, and after a JMU penalty on the punt, UNC started on the JMU 22.

[BDKJMU]

At least JMU looks like they belong on the same field with UNC. More than I can say for App today at VaTech. And JMU's offense looks potentially much better than last year.

I think so. Thorpe was 11-15, 152, 1 TD, NO INTERCEPTIONS (as a matter of fact, no JMU turnovers) on 9 of JMU's 11 possessions. Had a nice 41 yard TD pass and a 47 yarder, and he often didn't have a lot of time to throw. Didn't help was missing a starting OL (expected back in Oct) and a starting receiver (achilles tear in Spring, practicing but not back full).

Rushing was an abysmal 39 carries for 59 yds. That includes -21 on 4 sacks, but even excluding that would be 35 rushes for 70. Just couldn't rush on that big UNC front 7.

-End of the 1st half JMU down 21-7, Thorpe throws a nice 47 yard pass caught at the UNC 10, then rushes for 7 yards to the 3. Only 7 seconds left, so Mickey calls for an alley oop into the endzone. JMU receiver catches it, but was just out of bounds. 3rd and goal from the 3, but only 2 seconds left, so just decide to kick the 19 yard chop shot and go with the 3 points. JMU kicker clamks the ball off the upright.

-3rd qtr JMU opens with a nice 10+ min drive. 1st and goal on the UNC 6 turns into 4th and goal on the UNC 13, so settle for a 30 yd FG.

-Had a 90 some yard punt return called back.

That's JMU should of, could of, would of scored 20-28. Would have still been a loss, but more respectable.

[BDKJMU]

The photo gallery from the Raleigh News Observer Sunday paper:
http://www.newsobserver.com/uncpics/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

At least out new pants look good!

[BDKJMU]

Highlights from CAA football channel. Don't know why didn't show Thorpe's 47 yard pass but showed lesser completions.
http://www.youtube.com/user/CAAFootball ... tAXGE3DdKo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BDKJMU]

Well, remember I mentioned UNC had 9 players drafted, more than any other team in the country? Well, looks like they are projected to be right up there again:

One mock draft:
Rank Player Pos. Position Rank School Class Ht. Wt. 40 Time

1st round:
2 Quinton Coples DE 1 North Carolina Sr 6-6 285 4.76 (2 sacks Sat)
13 *Donte Paige-Moss DE 3 North Carolina Jr 6-4 260 4.67
15 Zach Brown OLB 1 North Carolina Sr 6-2 230 4.48

4th round:
126 Dwight Jones WR 15 North Carolina Sr 6-4 225 4.53 (2 TDs Sat))

7th round:
218 Devon Ramsay FB 4 North Carolina rSr 6-2 250 4.68
227 Tydreke Powell DT 19 North Carolina rSr 6-3 310 5.22
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/pros ... tart_row=1

Walter had just through the 1st 2 rounds 5 UNC players:

1st round:
2 Coples (he's listed now at 6'6", 290)
12 Paige-Moss
21 Brown

2nd round
50 Jones
53 Powell
http://walterfootball.com/draft2012.php

That's a 10 win team right there. They'll contend for the ACC title. They're not ranked yet, but they will be. Mickey called them the best team JMU has faced since the 99' VT team with Michael Vick that went 11-1, losing to FLA St in the NC Game.

[mcveyrl]

I'll add my two cents quickly. Went to the game. Most Carolina fans were great, a couple of the drunk ones were not - but that's to be expected anywhere.

I actually came away with a lot of positives from the game. Thorpe looked good throwing the ball. A couple of bad passes, a couple of busted routes (or bad passes). For what the defense had to contend with they did a fairly good job. Carolina has huge lines on both sides of the ball and Houston is a big bruising running back that looked as big as our DL.

We did get a pick on an ill-advised pass by UNC's QB, and despite the efficiency of their QB, we usually had guys right there to make the tackle (one atrocious blown coverage that would've been a TD on a better thrown ball, though). I don't know what their YAC was, but I would venture to say it was fairly low compared to their passing yards.

Of course the big highlight was a 10 minute drive to start the second half. Would've been nice to punch the ball in the end zone, but that type of drive will win us a lot of ball games keeping the defense fresh.

And I (gulp) agree with BDK...a lot of should've, could'ves but in the end we still lose even if those go our way. Just a little closer. It would've been tied a one score game IF we put the ball in the end zone at the end of the half AND we score a TD on that opening second half drive, but that's probably as close as we were gonna get. They wore us down pretty good.

[BDKJMU]

Bottom line if that UNC DL has 2 1st round picks at DE (as both mock draft sites suggest) and a 2nd rounder at DT as that one site suggests, thats probably the best DL in the country that JMU played against.

Both sites had the 2 bookends and the LB as 1st rounders. Could turn out that UNC will have one of the better defenses in the country too. So given that JMU was able to pass on them is a very good sign, and not being able to run on them isn't necessarily a bad sign.

Again, JMU won't face anything remotely close to what UNC has on both sides of the ball again.