JMU @ UNC Official Game Thread

[BDKJMU]

Well, don' think there will be too many posts on this one...

3:30 PM start time:
TV: Comcast Sportsnet (Harrisonburg Comcast Ch. 42, HD 846); ESPN3.com
Audio: JMU/nTelos Radio Network - WSVA 550AM (Harrisonburg) , WREJ 1540AM (Richmond), Fox Radio 910AM (Roanoke), WGH 1310AM or ESPN 94.1FM Hampton Roads; MadiZONE Audio, Live Stats

Game Day Central
http://www.jmusports.com/ViewArticle.db ... M_ID=14400" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BDKJMU]

JMU Offensive 2 deep:

QB:
rJr 7 Justin Thorpe (6'1", 215): 09' started 6 games, CAA Rookie of the Year, 10' season ending injury in opener.
rFr 12 Jace Edwards (6'2", 200)

OL

LT
rFr 76 A.J. Scott (6'6", 280): Marshall transfer. Marshall OL coach said Scott was slated to start for them at OG.
rFr 69 Matt Cunningham (6'3", 260)

LG
rJr 70 Earl Watford, (6'4", 290): returning starter
rJr 79 Drew Holmes (6'4", 250)

C
rSr 55 Roane Babington (6'2", 300): returning 3 year starter, 2nd team All CAA last season, pre season All CAA.
rFr 53 Matt Williams (6'3", 255)

RG
rSo 74 Matt Krout (6'5", 280): returning starter
rFr 73 Austin Lane (6'5", 290): Syracuse transfer

RT
rSo 71 Josh Wells (6'5", 245)
rFr 72 Erik Buchholz (6'6", 260)
*Returning OL starter rSo Hunter Jones (6'5", 295) offseason knee surgery, not expected to return till mid season.

On the OL (Harrisonburg Daily News Record): ""That's a really athletic group," Matthews said.
The 6-foot-2, 300-pound Babington is arguably one of the top linemen in the Colonial Athletic Association and the unquestioned leader of the unit.
The left side - with the 6-4, 290-pound Watford outside of the 6-6, 280-pound Scott - appears to be the strong side of the line.
"We look good getting off the bus with those two guys," JMU coach Mickey Matthews said. "We'll wait to see how they're going to block. Earl and A.J., they're as good as anyone has. No one has a better looking one in terms of height and weight. We're big up front and we're athletic up front.""
Probably the tallest OL JMU has had, avg about 6'4 1/2"

TE
rJr 84 Brian Barlow (6'3", 260): returning starter
Jr 81 Jon Sharp 6'3", 240

TB
rSo 11 Dae’Quan Scott (5'9", 190): started at WR last season
rSo 28 Jordan Anderson (5'11", 200)

WR:

rSr 23 Kerby Long (5'11", 185) (returning 4 year starter (missed several games every season due to injury).
Fr 31 DeAndre’ Smith (5'9', 175)

rSo 86 Renard Robinson (5'11", 185)
rFr 10 Daniel Brown (6'4", 195)

rSo 18 Arlandis Harvey (6'0",185)
rJr 29 Lee Reynolds (5'10",185)

*Returning starter Jr Quinton Hunter (6'1", 210), 4 star transfer from UVA, tore achilles in Spring, practicing but not fully recovered.

[BDKJMU]

JMU 2 deep defense. Switching from 4-2-5, which have run last at least 7 seasons, to 4-3. 9 starters back, 10 from last 2 seasons. Last yr #2 in Total Defense in CAA last season, #1 vs pass.

DL

DE
rSr 13 D.J. Bryant (6'3", 245): returning starter
Fr 3 Sage Harold (6'2", 210)

rSo 95 Tyler Snow (6'3", 245): returning starter
rJr 39 Aaron Harper (6'1", 230): started 5 games last season.

DT
rSo 56 Jordan Stanton (6'4", 255)
rSo 67 Bingham Togia (6'1, 245)

Jr 98 Sean O’Neill: (6'4", 265):
rSr 91 Lamar Middleton: returning starter (started after Emmons went down vs VT), Syracuse transfer.

*6th/7th yr senior DT Nick Emmons (6'3", 260), Army transfer (something like 05' USMAPS, 06' Fr Army, 07' So Army (started), 08' Jr Army (started 1st game, left West Point), 09' Sr JMU (redshirt transfer issue), 10' Sr JMU (med redshirt: started 1st 2 games last season, season ending ankle sprain vs VT) slated to start at DT, injured knee in practice, may miss 1st 2 games.

Mickey on the DL (before the Emmons injury)(Harrisonburg Daily News Record): "Matthews said defensive line is the deepest position on the team, with anywhere from 8-10 players being considered for spots in the rotation at tackle and end."

LB

WLB
rSr 6 Vidal Nelson (5'11", 215): returning 3 year starter: 2nd half of 08' at LB, 09-10' at SS. Preason season All CAA at safety.
rJr 2 Jamie Veney (6'2", 225): returning 2 year starter: 08' as a true Fr (07' PG yr at FUMA) & 09'. Redshirt last yr injury.

MLB
RSo 27 Stephon Robertson (5'11", 220): returning starter. Last yr 3rd Team All CAA, CAA Defensive Rookie of Year. Pre season All CAA
rSo 54 Chad Byers (6'0, 215)

SLB
rSr 24 Pat Williams (6'0, 220): returning 4 yr starter: 08' at SS (3rd team All CAA, CAA Defensive Rookie of Year), 09' LB (3rd team All CAA), 10' LB (snubbed for All CAA despite statistically his best yr)
r25 Chase Williams (5'11", 210): Last 2 years played in all 22 games, starting 7.

Mickey on the LBs (Harrisonburg DNR): "“We feel like we have five linebackers who can start,” Matthews said. “The competition’s intense. We just felt like we had an abundance of linebackers.”"

CB

rSr 1 Mike Allen (6'0, 175)
Sr 14 Taveion Cuffee (5'11, 180): returning starter

Jr 8 Leavander Jones (5'11", 165): returning starter
rFr 32 Corey Davis (5'9", 160)

Mickey on the CBs (Harrisonburg DNR): ""Competition in football makes the world go around," Matthews said, when asked about his embarrassment of riches, both at linebacker and defensive back. "You can never have too many good football players."
For the first time in recent memory, JMU has "too many good football players" at cornerback, a position the team has traditionally been thin at."

Safety

WS
rFr 16 Dean Marlowe (6'2", 180)
rJr 42 Isaiah Wright (6'1", 205)

FS
Jr 15 Jakarie Jackson (5'11", 175): returning starter, started 2nd half of 09' as a true freshman, all of 10'
rJr 26 Ryan Smith (5'9", 180): Marshall transfer

Safety only position on JMU's defense not deep at. Started 3 safeties in last yrs 4-2-5 defense:
Last yr's starting:
-FS Jakarie Jackson returns.
-SS Vidal Nelson moved to LB with the elimination of the SS
-WS Jonathon Williams, would have been a 3 yr starter as rJr, 2 arrests, kicked off team.

Last yr's backup:
-FS and WS Peter Rose, would be a rSo awaiting Sept 14 trial on a felony assault charge, future status with team not known.
-SS Jonathon Rose, would be a rSr, awaiting Sept 14 trial on a felony assault charge, future status with team not known.

Also awaiting trial on same assault charge is Anthony Rose, would be a rFr & would have at least been on 2 deep at WR, future status with team not known. Yes all 3 are brothers.

[BDKJMU]

UNC's OL. Lot of news out of Chapel Hill about how they are the strength of UNC's team. They are some BIG boys, starters listed avg 6'5"+, has me worried, as JMU's DL is more like Div II size with BCS speed.

LT 68 James Hurst So. • 6-7 • 310
69 Nick Appel R-Fr. • 6-6 305

LG 64 Jonathan Cooper Jr. • 6-3 • 305
63 Peyton Jenest Jr. • 6-5 • 300

C 65 Cam Holland Sr. • 6-2 • 320
60 Russell Bodine R-Fr. • 6-4 • 305

RG 76 Travis Bond Jr. • 6-7 • 345
78 Landon Turner Fr. • 6-4 • 335 • Fr.
or
62 David Collins So. • 6-8 • 325

RT 73 Brennan Williams Jr. • 6-7 • 315
71 Carl Gaskins Sr. • 6-5 • 315

[JMU2004]

Got to think we will see a lot of 2 TE sets due to the injuries at RT. Good thing we have 2 good ones......

UNC's D-Line is really good, their secondary is weak, so we will need to pass. With MM as our coach, that is a recipe for disaster.

UNC has a ton of bent up frustration/anger and time to prepare, so throw out VT game out the window.

34-10 UNC

[ODUalum11]

never thought I'd say this...GO DUKES!!!

if you don't win try to at least not get crushed like the other CAA teams tonight.

[BDKJMU]

Thing is, a lot of people point to the W&M @ UNC game last yr, which UNC won 21-17. But again, UNC had a lot of players suspended for most/all of the season.

They had more players drafted (9) than any other team in college football.
http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-fo ... 11aab.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A lot of those guys didn't play against W&M. I know for a fact that their 1st round pick (Robert Quinn) and 2 of their 3 2nd round picks (Marvin Austin, Gregg Little) didn't play in that game.

It isn't a fluke that UNC had 9 guys drafted- Butch Davis has been stock piling talent there for 5 recruiting classes (helped by a little cash under the table). Just because they had 9 guys drafted and are under investigation by the NCAA doesn't change the fact that they are loaded with talent. And as far as I know, they don't have any players suspended like they did last season when they had 15 suspended for the 1st part of the season.

[BDKJMU]

It doesn't help that JMU will be without one of the starting DTs in Nick Emmons. Mid afternoon game, so heat will be a factor. Even if rotating in 8 guys on DL and 4-5 at LB, I think JMU is going to have a hard time dealing with that mammoth UNC's OL, especially 4th qtr.

Word out of Harrisonburg is that the JMU OL is improved from last yr, despite missing one starter till Oct. But from what I've read/heard, UNC's DL is also a strength of their team, and the JMU OL is probably going to have a very hard time handling it.

DE 98 Donte Paige-Moss Jr. • 6-4 • 260
95 Kareem Martin So. • 6-6 • 260

NT 91 Tydreke Powell Sr. • 6-3 • 305
78 Jordan Nix Sr. • 6-3 • 290

DT 92 Sylvester Williams Jr. • 6-3 • 315
96 Ethan Farmer R-Fr. • 6-3 • 280

DE 90 Quinton Coples Sr. • 6-6 • 290
93 Tim Jackson So. • 6-5 • 265

Our 6'5", 290 injured returning starting OL has been replaced by a 6'5", 245 at RT. I'm afraid he's going to have a very hard time dealing with a 6'6", 290 DE.

JMU is likely going to struggle on both sides of the line against the mammoth UNC OL & DL.

UNC's weakness from what I've heard is their secondary (graduations, injuries, one would be starter quit the team). Don't know if JMU will be able to exploit that very much.

They're also breaking in a brand new QB, a rSo.

[BDKJMU]

FWIW:

Sports Network preview of game:

"No. 15 James Madison Dukes (0-0) at North Carolina Tar Heels (0-0), 3:30 p.m. (Raycom Sports)

Series record: North Carolina leads, 1-0

Last meeting: at North Carolina 37, James Madison 14 (Sept. 1, 2007)

What to know: After defeating Virginia Tech last season and falling to Maryland in overtime the year before, FBS schools aren't going to take James Madison lightly.

Despite the win against Virginia Tech, the Dukes had an underwhelming 6-5 record - all losses to ranked teams - and are looking to turn it around with 17 starters returning.

North Carolina went through a similar stretch last season, as its 8-5 record didn't reach the preseason goals that came with a Top 25 ranking. With both teams having something to prove from last year, this should be a competitive, perhaps one-score, game until the third quarter.

Prediction: North Carolina 31, James Madison 17"

[ASUG8]

Go Dooks

Selfishly, I don't want to see you take down ACC teams in back to back years, but good luck anyway.

[DukeJack]

Go Dooks

Selfishly, I don't want to see you take down ACC teams in back to back years, but good luck anyway.

We were a kicker away from going for our third ACC win in a row, but whatever.

UNC goes up 7-0 four minutes in.

[ArmyOfDarkness]

Are they playing at Bridgforth? Oh nevermind, I see it has TWO sides now

All joking aside, I am rootin' for JMU here

[DukeJack]

No, their pieces don't touch.

And block in the back penalty then three straight draws up the middle and JMU punts. Fine way to start the season, MIck.

[ArmyOfDarkness]

Hopefully JMU can get some decent field position now.

UNC up 14-0

[jmufan]

Not looking good at all for the Dukes. UNC already up 14-0. Stated in another thread that I think the ACC finally got the memo to play all FCS teams like they were play the SEC. Defense has had some bright moments, but just unable to move the ball against a big and fast UNC defense.

[DukeJack]

End of the first UNC leads 14-0.

I'm not seeing a whole lot of offensive creativity here. The whole offseason the coaching staff was talking about involving the TEs and playing a more vertical game but this is the same draw-left, draw-middle, draw-right crap Mickey's been calling for years. Getting stuffed on first and second down then trying to run again on third....try stretching the D occasionally.

The O-line has been opening some good holes, but credit to the Tar Heels for having the vision and speed to be able to fill them almost immediately.

[DukeJack]

Houston another TD run, 21-0 UNC. Hopefully W&M has a little better luck against UVA.

[ArmyOfDarkness]

Nice pass / catch for a JMU TD.

[clenz]

27-7




28-7

[DukeJack]

And our kicker puts one off the post to end the half but we get ball first in the second half

[ArmyOfDarkness]

20 yard attempt from the right hash... ouch.

[jmufan]

JMU chews up about 10 minutes of the clock, gets 3 points out of the deal. Impressed with the Offense thus far. Need to tackle better and have better special teams. UNC up 28-10.

[SpeedkingATL]

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.

[jmufan]

Defense seems a little suspect though, but then again it could be because UNC is very fast.

[Aho Old Guy]

Its my fault.

I'm casting some serious negative waves toward JMU right now.