JMU @ UNH Official Game Thread

[BDKJMU]

CAA Stats (CAA games only)

UNH offense
Rushing #3 158.4 ypg
Passing #1 291.2 ypg
Scoring #2 32.0 ppg
Total #1 496.6 ypg

UNH Defense:
Rushing #8 169 ypg
Passing #6 226.8
Scoring #6 25.8 ppg
Total #10 395.8

JMU Offense:
Rushing #1 245.6 ypg ypg
Passing #11 128.6 ypg
Scoring #7 25.8 ppg
Total #6 374.2 ypg

JMU Defense
Rushing #1 69.6 ypg
Passing #4 200.6
Scoring #1 15.8 ppg (no one else under 21)
Total #1 270.2

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[BDKJMU]

-JMU gets starting RG Steve Krout back, who suffered a concussion vs ODU. He was practicing today.
-Starting RB Dae'quan Scott, who went out vs ODU after he re injured a shoulder injury, was back practicing today.

[BDKJMU]

UNH has an excellent offense, tops in the CAA, but they are facing a very good JMU defense.

Keys for JMU defense will be to:
-Force some TOs- JMU will definitely have to win the TO battle to come out on top.
-Get heat on Decker. CAA games Decker is putting up great #s, 30 passes a game, completing 69%, 7 TDs, 5 INTs. Way to stop Decker, and thereby stop UNH, is to get heat on him. That's what W&M did in holding UNH to 10 points- sacked Decker a 1/2 doz times and picked off 2 passes. Also got a couple of UNH fumbles.

JMU offensive #s put it right in the middle of the CAA. With the couple of OL down, JMU's offense could be subpar. But they are facing a bad UNH defense, so JMU should be able to score some.

Keys for JMU offense will be to:

-Establish a running game, their usual MO. Can JMU do it with a banged up OL vs a subpar UNH defense?
-Get some big plays- UNH has given up a ton this yr.
-Keep the UNH AA DE Brian McNally from having a field day with the newl starting JMU LT, and RT (either new or returning starter who hasn't played in a year). Probably gonna have to chip with the TE or RB. UNH has a bad defense overall, but they do have the 2 Buchanon candidates, McNally and the LB Matt Evans.
-Continue to not turn the ball over.

Jace Edwards has been good- In 4 CAA games completed 65.7% of his passes, only 2 TDs, but ZERO INTs and ZERO lost fumbles. He dislocated his non throwing shoulder vs Maine 4 weeks ago when he dove into the endzone in OT. He reinjured it last week vs ODU, but didn't come out. That's why he hasn't been getting any called QB running plays the last 2 games. He's just got to stay healthy and continue not to turn the ball over for one more week- Thorpe's 5 game suspension ends after this game.

[ODUfanRazor]

go jmu.

[BDKJMU]

-JMU gets starting RG Steve Krout back, who suffered a concussion vs ODU. He was practicing today.
-Starting RB Dae'quan Scott, who went out vs ODU after he re injured a shoulder injury, was back practicing today.

On the JMU OL that leaves the 2 tackles to replace who wnet down last week vs ODU:
-Starting OT 6'5/295 rSo Josh Wells is done for season with broken foot, but starting OL from last yr, 6'5"/290 rSo Scott Jones, who was out Spring-Sept with offseason knee surgery, is back in his 4th week back at practice. Either he'll be at RT or it will an undersized 6'3"/260 rFr who was thrown in last week.
-Starting LT, 6'6"/280 Marshall transfer rFr AJ Scott (Daequan's cousin) is out for season, knee injury. His replacement is 6'5"/290 Syracuse transfer rFr Austin Lane.

Mcveryl posted this over on the CAA Zone. According to a Harrisonburg Daily news article about the JMU OL situation, the 2nd article this week , JMU OL vs UNH will be:
LT - 6'3" 270 rFr. Matt Cunningham (new starter) (roster says 260, DNR article says 270)
LG - 6'4" 290 rJr. Earl Watford (regular starter)
C - 6'2" 300 rSr. Roane Babington (regular starter)
RG - 6'3" 275 rFr. Matt Williams (new starter) (roster says 255, DNR article says 275)
RT 6'5" 290 rSo. Matt Krout (regular starter at RG. Started all of last season at RT though)

Back-ups
rFr. Austin Lane (6'5"/295)
rSo. Scott Jones (6'5"/290) (started all of last season at RG)'

DNR "....Cunningham – a 6-foot-3, 270 pound redshirt freshman – has actually been vying for playing time at left tackle throughout the year, but JMU has stuck with Scott, in part, for continuity and chemistry, a source said.

“Matt’s an athlete,” Lane said. “That’s why they have him at left tackle. He has great feet. He’s going to cover kids up......"

I hope so- 6'3", 270 is undersized for an OT....

[BDKJMU]

JMU as underdogs in I-AA games this season (according to 5dimes):
@ Liberty, underdog, pulled upset.
@ W&M, underdog, pulled upset (remember, W&M was 2-1 at the time, top 5).
UR, underdog, pulled upset (remember, UR was 3-1 at the time, with an upset over Duke, ranked top 10, Thorpe had just been suspended).

as underdogs, 3-0
as favorites 2-2

JMU will probably be around 3-6 point dogs in this game. Mickey has a good track record in I-AA games as the underdog. Just saying.

[green&gold75]

We were 2-1, after getting clobbered in Charlottesville.

[BDKJMU]

We were 2-1, after getting clobbered in Charlottesville.

Fixed. Was thinking UR who started 3-0 when I typed W&M...

[ODUalum11]

go jmu.

yeah, i'm really not sure who ODU fans want to root for in this game. Do we want JMU to win because that will only boost the credibility of our best win this season? Or do we want UNH to win to assure that the Dukes don't finish with a better record than the Monarchs this season since that could become very interesting in regards to who makes the playoffs and who gets left out....

I'm slightly leaning towards wanting a JMU win in this one...

[mcveyrl]

go jmu.

yeah, i'm really not sure who ODU fans want to root for in this game. Do we want JMU to win because that will only boost the credibility of our best win this season? Or do we want UNH to win to assure that the Dukes don't finish with a better record than the Monarchs this season since that could become very interesting in regards to who makes the playoffs and who gets left out....

I'm slightly leaning towards wanting a JMU win in this one...

You probably want JMU to win to boost your resume, but it probably doesn't matter. One more win and ODU's a lock and there's no need for the JMU win to look good. Another reason to pull for a JMU win is that if both of these teams finish 6-5, I think a 7-4 ODU is a lock as welll, so you root for JMU to win here and both teams to lose out.

I think you really have to stretch some scenarios for this game to matter too much to ODU.

[ODUalum11]

yeah, i'm really not sure who ODU fans want to root for in this game. Do we want JMU to win because that will only boost the credibility of our best win this season? Or do we want UNH to win to assure that the Dukes don't finish with a better record than the Monarchs this season since that could become very interesting in regards to who makes the playoffs and who gets left out....

I'm slightly leaning towards wanting a JMU win in this one...

You probably want JMU to win to boost your resume, but it probably doesn't matter. One more win and ODU's a lock and there's no need for the JMU win to look good. Another reason to pull for a JMU win is that if both of these teams finish 6-5, I think a 7-4 ODU is a lock as welll, so you root for JMU to win here and both teams to lose out.

I think you really have to stretch some scenarios for this game to matter too much to ODU.

Yeah, I'm just saying this considering the possibility IF ODU loses out. I'm REALLY not looking past the Spiders. Whats the line in this game anyway? I assume UNH is favored by 3? ....only because they have homefield...

[BDKJMU]

Haven't been on here since last Fri. I was at the game. I predicted JMU 24 (17 offensive, 7 non offensive), UNH 20.

-JMU was down 25-10 in the 3rd qtr. 3rd and 7 at the UNH 17 Jace throws TD pass to JMU tightend Brian Barlow, which would have been Barlow's 2nd TD catch of the game. Well, one of those new JMU rFr OL that are filling in for the 2 starters who went down vs ODU was called for holding. So TD was nullified, and next play, now 3rd and 17 form the UNH 27 Jace throws INT...that would have been the 17 I predicted.

Or next JMU possession being stuffed on 4th and 1 at the 2.

So given the above it doesn't surprise me that the offense only scored 10 points. Had the opportunity to score 24...

I predicted 20 for UNH, 2 TDs and 2 FGs. UNH got 3 TDs and 2 FGs, with the 2 point conversion making it 28. Given that the 1st 3 kickoffs had horrible kicks and kick coverage, with UNH starting their 1st 3 drive at the UNH 49, JMU 25, and UNH 48. Result = 3 short fields and 18 1st qtr points points. So given that it doesn't surprise me that UNH scored 28.

Knew the only way to stop the UNH offense is to get pressure on Decker (especially with just front 4) and force turnovers. 5 sacks and forcing 2 TO (Decker fumble and INT) just wasn't enough.

Interesting that JMU had 295 yds offense to UNH's 330. Even in UNH's loss to W&M when they only scored 10 points UNH had 517 yards of offense. W&M got 6 sacks and also got 4 UNH turnovers. JMU actually held UNH to their lowest offensive output of the season yardage wise. Again the horroble kicking and kick coverage doomed JMU.....