FIRST SHOT FOR GLORY
Letter from the sports editors
‘First
Shot for Glory’ Meaning of the 2024 football preview
After three seasons of JMU football playing without any assurance of being allowed to compete in a championship game, the Dukes are finally bowl eligible.
JMU can no longer be told no. Not by the NCAA, not by the Sun Belt. There is no limit to how far the Dukes can go.
To make matters even more dramatic, head coach Bob Chesney has ushered JMU into a new era after former head coach Curt Cignetti took the same job at Indiana. Cignetti led the Dukes to an unprecedented 108-
34 record in his tenure. That’d make the average fan think that JMU is entering a rebuilding year. But it’s been in this spot before and still had immediate success.
In this special section, you’ll find players — returning and new — to keep an eye on this season and read about what the future of JMU football could entail.
But most importantly, you will find that there are no longer any lingering questions about the Dukes’ postseason eligibility.
“There’s no more asterisks on this thing, this is full go,” Chesney said during an Aug. 27 press conference. “This is really the moment we’ve all been preparing for.”
Sure, JMU made rings for its self-proclaimed Sun Belt East championship in 2022, but this year is its first shot for glory. It’s time for the Dukes to prove they bite as fiercely as they bark.
Sincerely,
Hayden Hundley Preston Comer Sports Editors
WHAT’S INSIDE
JMU’S ROAD TO BOWL ELIGIBILITY
Despite finishing at the top of the CAA, the conference rules JMU is ineligible to compete in a conference championship due to its impending transition to the Sun Belt.
JMU finishes at the top of the Sun Belt East at 8-3 but couldn’t compete in the conference championship or a bowl game due to the NCAA’s two-year transition rule.
JMU’s first waiver to the NCAA requesting a one-year transition is denied.
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares sent a letter to the NCAA requesting that JMU is allowed to compete in the postseason.
The Dukes start the season 10-0, and it’s announced that ESPN College GameDay will come to Harrisonburg for a Nov. 18 game against App State. The NCAA denies JMU’s second waiver for bowl eligibility, and Miyares sends a letter threatening the NCAA with litigation. The lawsuit is never filed.
Comments from the ESPN College GameDay crew and a crowd of JMU students’ signs share disappointment with the NCAA’s decision to not grant the Dukes bowl eligibility.
Despite being ineligible for a bowl, JMU makes it into the Armed Forces Bowl since there aren’t enough bowl-eligible teams. The Dukes still aren’t eligible to compete in the Sun Belt Conference Championship.
NIL, recruitment, scheduling
NIL, recruitment, scheduling
Dukes look to maintain momentum
By HAYDEN HUNDLEY
The Breeze
JMU football has seen incredible success since transitioning to the Sun Belt Conference in 2022, but now the Dukes are tasked with maintaining that momentum, and they’re getting creative in finding avenues to do so — particularly, when it comes to money.
In its first two seasons in the FBS, JMU accumulated an impressive 19-5 record, played in 10 nationally televised games, broke a College GameDay attendance record with 26,000 and reached No. 18 in the AP Poll.
On the flipside, the Dukes produced zero NFL draft picks and have only played two
games against four-autonomy teams since joining the FBS.
Most of those recruits committed to an FCS school, though, and those games were scheduled while JMU was still in the FCS.
However, the Dukes have evolved over the past two seasons from an FCS powerhouse to a national brand, but how do the Dukes avoid plateauing?
Assistant AD for Football Administration Matt Transue helped break down how the Dukes are focusing on three key elements: scheduling the top competition, profiting off JMU’s brand and attracting the best talent.
“As you usher in a new era, a new football coach (Bob Chesney) and a new athletic director (Matt Roan), I think you want to
continue to make strides and show that JMU is still the place to be,” Transue said.
Scheduling the top competition
One of Transue’s most crucial responsibilities is assembling the Dukes’ annual schedule — but now he has to focus on the short-term rather than the long-term, breaking precedents. To understand the dynamic of scheduling in the FBS, there are a few components to keep in mind.
Every season, JMU will play eight total conference games, six of which will be Sun Belt East opponents. That leaves room to schedule four out-of-conference games, one of which is reserved for an FCS matchup.
That’s when JMU pays an opponent to play against them; for example, the Dukes will pay Gardner-Webb $250,000 for their game this season, according to the Daily News-Record. When JMU travels to play a four-autonomy conference opponent, it’ll be a payday for the Dukes.
Schools are always trying to put their teams in the best position to either clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff or meet the six-win threshold to qualify for a bowl game. That’s why booking a game against JMU as a four-autonomy program isn’t exactly a winning strategy. In terms of improving its strength of schedule, if a power conference team beat the Dukes, it wouldn’t be worth the risk of losing to a group-of-five team.
Transue said the Dukes’ success is ultimately why he faces difficulty while scheduling.
“JMU is a premium G5 program at this point that people aren’t necessarily excited about playing,” Transue said. “It’s a little bit like a marketing job, a little bit like a
sales job, you kind of have to really develop relationships and sell your program.”
Some of those key relationships that he’s developed are with regional-based teams such as Liberty, Virginia Tech and U.Va. — the last of which will pay JMU $550,000 for its 3635 loss last year. The Dukes have three homeand-home series scheduled with Liberty, one through 2025-26 and two through 203134. No payments are dished out when teams initially schedule a home-and-home series.
“You want to keep a regional approach,” Transue said. “Because I do think it continues to pique interest in the sport, particularly whether it’s wins or losses. People are always interested in those kinds of regional matchups. So that’s what we strive to do.”
Transue said that scheduling in football has become “more fluid” due to changes in college football’s current landscape with constant conference realignment and house settlements.
“People are just more on track of not planning 10 years out, maybe five years out instead,” Transue said.
JMU currently has the following matchups scheduled against four-autonomy programs: Louisville (’25), Virginia Tech (’26), Maryland (’27), UNC (’28) and UCF (’29).
The largest payout for the Dukes is the 2027 game against Maryland, which will earn JMU $1.4 million, closely followed by the UCF game, which will yield $1.3 million.
The Dukes’ 2025 and 2026 out-of-conference schedules are full but they have three openings in 2027. Transue added that they will hopefully have some announcements in the “near future.”
see FUTURE OF FOOTBALL, page 15
ESPN College GameDay, which visited JMU on Nov. 18, was one of the primary reasons for JMU football’s success. Breeze file photo
names to know
By PRESTON COMER The Breeze
Cam Ross | R-SR. | WR
• Played 12 games in 2023
• Tallied 44 catches for 552 yards and two touchdowns last season
• 2019 Pro Football Focus HM Freshman All-American
Chauncey Logan | JR. | CB
• Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
• Started all 13 games for JMU in 2023
• Had one interception and six pass breakups last season
Terrence Spence | SR. | CB
• Transferred from Holy Cross
• Played 35 games at Holy Cross and started 13
• 2023 second team All-Patriot League
• Finished last season with two interceptions and four pass breakups
Trent Hendrick | JR. | LB
• Played 12 games for JMU last season and started five
• Had 29 tackles and one pass breakup in 2023
• Had career-high 11 tackles vs. South Alabama Sept. 30
George Pettaway | R-SO. | RB
• Highest ranked recruit in JMU history, according to 24/7sports
• Played in 15 games in two seasons at UNC
• Rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns during his true freshman season
7
Jacob Thomas | JR. | S
• Played all 13 games for JMU last season and started 12
• Finished 2023 with 54 total tackles, 29 solo
• Career-high eight tackles vs. Georgia Southern Oct. 14
Graphics by Libby Addison / The Breeze
12 PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR THIS SEASON
Ayo Adeyi | SR. | RB
• Spent three seasons at North Texas
• 2023 Second Team All-AAC
• Ran for 1,017 yards and six touchdowns in 2023
• JMU’s Week 1 starter against Bucknell last season
• Scored one rushing touchdown in his only start
• Greensboro News-Record All-Area OPOY as a senior in high school
• Played five seasons at Holy Cross, started all 43 games in his career
• Three-time First Team All-Patriot League
• 2023 Patriot League Player of the Year
Hudson | R-JR. | WR Cole Potts | SR. | OL Alonza Barnett III | R-SO. | QB
• Played all 13 games for JMU last season, making three starts
• Had eight catches for 88 yards and a touchdown in 2023
• Completed a four-yard touchdown pass vs. U.Va. (Sept. 9)
• Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
• Started all 13 games as right guard for JMU last season
• CFN Preseason Second Team All-American
Jacob Dobbs | R-SR. | LB Eric O’Neil | R-JR. | S
• Associated Press Third-Team FCS All-American
• Finished 2023 with 54 total tackles, 29 solo
• 2023 NEC Defensive Player of the Year
Photos courtesy of JMU Athletics
A look into
2 2
JMU: 79 points (2 first-place votes)
The Dukes are coming off an 11-2 season but lost over 50 players that were on the roster. JMU brought in over 60 players and still has five Preseason All-Sun Belt selections.
4
4 EAST THE
Marshall: 49 points Matchup: Nov. 30
The Thundering Herd starts their season with three difficult outof-conference games against Ohio State, Virginia Tech and Western Michigan before closing their season against JMU. Marshall has the least amount of Preseason All-Sun Belt selections with one.
6
6
Old Dominion: 32 points Matchup: Nov. 16
Last season, The Monarchs were a tough out for JMU during Homecoming Weekend as the Dukes snuck by them 30-27. 2024 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year senior linebacker Jason Henderson leads ODU.
App State: 96 points (12 firstplace votes) Matchup: Nov. 23
The reigning Sun Belt champions and 2024 preseason favorites have nine Preseason All-Sun Belt selections — one of whom is 2024’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year senior quarterback Joey Aguilar.
Coastal Carolina:
67 points Matchup: Oct. 10
The Chanticleers are projected to finish third in the Sun Belt East behind the Dukes despite the former only having two Preseason All-Sun Belt selections. Coastal Carolina went 8-5 in its first year with head coach Tim Beck, who said the Chanticleers have 66 new players this season.
5 5
Georgia Southern: 50 points Matchup: Oct. 19
The Eagles are coming off a 6-7 season, during which they lost to the Dukes 41-13. In terms of most Preseason All-Sun Belt selections, Georgia Southern is tied with App State and Arkansas State with nine. The Dukes are 2-8 all time against the Eagles.
Georgia State: 19 points Matchup: Nov. 9
The Panthers are projected to finish last in the East after winning the Sun Belt’s only bowl game last season. Georgia State has two Preseason All-Sun Belt selections. The Dukes are 3-0 all-time against Georgia State.
SPORTS DESK The Breeze
Courtesy of App State Athletics
Courtey of JMU Athletics
Courtesy of Georgia State Athletics
Courtesy of Coastal Carolina Athletics
Courtesy of Marshall Athletics
Courtesy of Gerogia Southern Athletics
Defensive preview
By HAYDEN HUNDLEY & JACKSON HEPHNER The Breeze
A lot’s changed with the Dukes since 2023. Here’s what you need to know about JMU’s defense heading into the 2024 season.
Defensive line
With all four starters from last year’s defensive line gone, the Dukes’ unit will look much different entering this season — defensive line coach Sam Daniels has coined the phrase “junkyard mentality,” according to redshirt junior Immanuel Bush.
“Coach Daniels really tries to emphasize just that junkyard dog mentality that like, no matter what the situation is you got to do what you got to do,” Bush said.
While this is Daniels’ first year coaching at JMU, he’s no stranger to Bridgeforth. He played for JMU from 2006-09, and is one of the many defensive lineman who have thrived with the Dukes.
“The kids do understand the tradition of [defensive] linemen that have been here, because there have been some good ones, for sure,” Daniels said, “and we have talked about that several times.”
The position group now consists of mostly transfers and younger returners who have seen little action in their careers thus far. The exception is Bush, who played in all of JMU’s 13 games last season, making 17 tackles, seven of
and USF redshirt senior Lloyd Summerall III. The 6-foot6 245-pounder was highly recruited coming out of high school — boasting offers from schools such as Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Texas among others.
Another notable addition is former Syracuse defensive tackle Terry Lockett Jr. The redshirt junior registered 45 tackles and recovered three fumbles in 26 games with the Orange.
Linebacker
Former 2023 Comeback Player of the Year redshirt senior Jacob Dobbs leads JMU football’s most experienced defensive group this season. Junior Trent Hendrick and redshirt senior Taurus Jones are returning after Jones initially inserted his name in the transfer portal.
The three have combined for 87 games, 605 tackles and 64 tackles for loss, or TFLs, over their careers.
Out of all of those stats, Dobbs accounts for 432 tackles and 46.5 TFLs. He’s also the only linebacker on the roster with multiple career interceptions with four —- Jones has the only other pick. Junior safety Jacob Thomas, who wore Dobbs’ number 27 the last two years, said Dobbs plays his role “perfectly.”
“He’s the leader of this defense,” Thomas said. “He talks to everybody, he has great communication, and he just gels well with everybody. He knows everybody’s name, even though he hasn’t been here for a while.”
Dobbs doesn’t just love football, he lives it. In college football’s first season with headset-to-helmet communication, Dobbs will be the primary communicator on defense.
In the NFL, the role of the headset’s communicator is usually given to the MIKE linebacker. However, at Holy Cross, Dobbs played the WILL position, on the weak side of the defense. This allowed him to show off his prowess defending the pass. Odds are he will play that same spot
In addition to Dobbs, the Dukes added Raymond Scott who’s played in 41 career games — 29 of those at USC and 12 at Fresno State. He’s accumulated 69 tackles over his career and will add to the veteran presence in the Dukes’ linebacker unit.
Hendrick and Jones are the Dukes’ returners with the most production. Jones is one of two players on the roster who’s now been at JMU for six seasons — the other being center Tanner Morris. After a breakout 2022 season, in which Jones started all 11 games, he fell out of the Dukes’ linebacker rotation and only started three games.
A big reason for that was the emergence of thensophomore Trent Hendrick. In his first two seasons with the Dukes, Hendrick has combined for 49 tackles and has six starts. Linebackers’ coach Zach Sparber called Hendrick “intelligent” and said his understanding of JMU’s culture is “valuable.”
“He’s got a tremendous amount of respect for what this place has been,” Sparber said. “Coming from the outside I
Lastly is sophomore Gannon Weathersby who played the majority of his snaps on special teams in eight games last year. With former Dukes Jailin Walker and Aiden Fisher gone, there’s room for him to make a push for playing time.
Cornerback
Junior cornerback Chauncey Logan is the cornerback room’s frontman with plenty of new faces behind him. He’s turned himself into a vocal leader this off-season, and cornerback coach Eddie Whitley said that Logan breaks down the huddle “every day.”
After a tough practice one day during the Dukes’ preseason camp, Whitley said that a speech from Logan completely uplifted the cornerbacks’ demeanor.
“I can’t complain about Chauncey at all right now,” Whitley said. “He’s done a good job. I just want him to get some more picks.”
New to the Dukes is senior Terrence Spence — was head coach Bob Chesney’s top defensive back at Holy Cross last year. Chesney called Spence, who won Holy Cross’ Davitt Award — something given to its best defensive back — a “different” player during Sun Belt football media day in New Orleans. Spence was an All-Patriot League Second Team selection last season.
Another cornerback who’ll be in the mix for the starting job opposite of Logan is redshirt sophomore Justin Eaglin, who got his hands on a few passes during preseason camp.
The trio of Logan, Spence and Eaglin all have one thing in common: stature. All three are at least 6-foot-1 and offer the physicality and range needed to be boundary corners.
The Dukes added two more cornerbacks in the spring transfer window — seniors Jai’Kai Young and selfproclaimed “fastest player on the team,” Jordan Taylor. The former DII standout at Tusculum, Taylor, has six career interceptions.
Logan helped smoothen Taylor’s jump from DII to the FBS by teaching him the playbook’s “ins and outs” after he arrived in Harrisonburg.
“I feel comfortable now, now that time has passed,” Taylor said. “I’ve been studying every day and we’ve been working rep after rep every day in practice.”
Whitley said he’s “all about competition,” and he’s been putting his players in uncomfortable situations to help build depth by rotating them in and out of practice.
“For me, switching guys from the field to the boundary, boundary to the field, like every other day or every two days and stuff like that, I’m like ‘nah,’” Whitley said. “When guys go down it’s not like ‘oh, the second boundary guy is gonna go in.’ It might be ‘Hey, that field guy has played boundary in camp coach, and that’s our third guy. He’s going to go over to the boundary.’”
Young is competing for the starting nickel spot against sophomore DJ Barksdale, who played out his freshman season primarily as a kick returner for the Dukes. Barksdale also, however, accumulated 15 tackles on special teams.
Safety
After JMU lost three key safeties to graduation, Jacob Thomas’ presence in the defense’s third level has become even more pivotal. Thomas developed into a starting role at free safety last year, despite being one of the position group’s youngest players.
Paralleling Logan, Thomas has embraced leadership, despite his youth. Thomas said he wants to continue to improve his technique as he admitted he occasionally got “timid” when matching up with different opponents.
The battle for the strong safety spot next to Thomas is wide open, but per DiMichele, more than one guy can fit into that role.
“We’re gonna have to play a lot of guys,” DiMichele said. “And I think that’s gonna be the beauty of the room … I think the guys that are in the program are extremely bought in, and they’re very talented.”
When defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill was asked what he was looking for in his defensive backs as a recruiter, he said he sought out players who can “cover and tackle.”
The new additions who most accurately fit that bill are seniors Ray Williams and Chris Shearin. Over their careers, both players have played in a combined 83 games and have accumulated 263 tackles and eight interceptions.
Both possess versatility; they have experience playing corner and safety.
The next notable name in the mix is junior Kye Holmes. As a freshman, he played in all 14 games before redshirting his sophomore season and moving back to special teams last year. Now, Thomas said he’s “improved greatly.”
“I know he’s been injured the last couple [of] years, but he’s going to make a statement this year and I’m really happy he’s next to my side,” Thomas said.
Lastly, freshman Chase Regan stood out in camp, making multiple interceptions after a standout performance in JMU’s spring game. Out of all the freshmen who’ve enrolled this semester, Regan seems the most likely to earn immediate playing time. With the additions of Williams and Shearin, there’s enough depth in the room, but Regan’s talent may just be too prevalent for the Dukes to redshirt him.
CONTACT Hayden Hundley at breezesports@gmail.com and Jackson Hephner at hephnejt@dukes.jmu.edu. For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on X and Instagram @TheBreezeSports.
Offensive preview
By PRESTON COMER & HAYDEN HUNDLEY
The Breeze
A lot has changed for the Dukes since 2023. Here’s what you need to know about JMU’s offense heading into the 2024 season.
Quarterback
Since JMU lost quarterback Jordan McCloud to Texas State over the offseason new head coach Bob Chesney needed to find a new, equally productive quarterback — a tall task as McCloud put up 3,657 yards and passing for 35 touchdowns as well as won Sun Belt Player of the Year.
The Dukes brought in redshirt senior Dylan Morris from Washington, and he’s shaping up to be a viable candidate. In two seasons as a starter, Morris played 15 games and threw for 3,355 yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
“We searched around until we found what we found to be the greatest guy,” Chesney said. “There were a lot of guys on the table, and ultimately, [Morris] was the guy that coach Kennedy trusted the most.”
Chesney has not named a starter ahead of JMU’s Week 1 matchup against Charlotte. Despite Morris having experience in a five-autonomy conference, redshirt sophomore Alonza Barnett III has battled him for the starting nod.
Barnett beat out McCloud in the preseason last year and started in the season opener against Bucknell. Barnett was benched in the third quarter after completing 3-of-11 passes with an interception.
Now, Barnett is eager to return to the field and prove himself.
“[Barnett] can make all the throws and he can create with his feet,” Chesney said. “I have very little worries about Alonza. Just watching what he did over this past winter, changing his body, he’s just fully committed.”
Other possibilities at quarterback include Barnett starting the season and then Morris steping in depending on his production, and vice versa. Barnett could also be used for designed run plays and zone reads since he’s quicker than Morris.
The third string quarterback will likely be redshirt junior Billy Atkins, who’s been at JMU for his entire collegiate career. After the season opener last year, Atkins was listed as McCloud’s backup for the season’s remainder.
In 13 career games, Atkins has thrown for 293 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions.
Runningback
While JMU had two running backs last season that surpassed 500 yards in Kaelon Black and Ty Son Lawton, the next closest back had just 132 yards; the entire offense combined for 1,700 yards. Now, the Dukes have a more evenly versatile running back room that will likely be the focal point of their offense.
In the offseason, JMU picked up senior Ayo Adeyi, redshirt senior Tyler Purdy, redshirt sophomore George Pettaway and senior Jobi Malary.
“From top to bottom, it’s probably one of the best groups that I’ve been around,” running back coach David Sims Jr. said.
Adeyi will likely get most of the snaps in the backfield. Last season at North Texas, he finished with 1,017 yards and six touchdowns.
But the backfield won’t be a one-man show. Sims said that each back has a different running style — exactly what the Dukes want.
“They can all do the things that we ask,” Sims said. “Whether it’s catching the ball, running the ball or blocking. I think it’s probably a little bit different from some of the backs that JMU had in the last couple years. I think these guys are probably a little bit more explosive.”
Pettaway and Adeyi’s playstyle parallel one another. Both backs are elusive and explosive, but they also prioritize pass protection. Pettaway could be used similarly to Adeyi in terms of flexibility and running style.
Purdy comes from Holy Cross with head coach Bob Chesney. With the Crusaders, he averaged 5.7 yards per rush in 34 games.
Senior running back Jobi Malary is the heaviest back in the room, listed at 236 lbs. Last season at Portland State, Malary ran for 676 yards and used his size to his advantage in the red zone to score 12 touchdowns.
Despite his weight, Sims said that Malary moves “really, really fluid.”
It’s uncommon for a team to have three or four backs that are all capable of starting and all possess their own diverse skillset.
The running back room also has two more guys providing depth and opportunities for different strategies: redshirt sophomore Wayne Knight and redshirt freshman Ke’Marion Baldwin.
JMU’s offensive line coach/run game coordinator Chris Smith said the running back room’s biggest priority is durability. He knows that his backs are out in the open field and are a target on almost every play, so it comes down to who is healthy throughout the season.
“Running back is a really die-hard, aggressive position,” Smith said. “We need to stay healthy. That’s the most important thing.”
Wide receiver/tight end
Since JMU lost its top three wide receivers from last season — Reggie Brown, Elijah Sarratt and Phoenix Sproles — and tight end Zach Horton — who was fourth on last season’s team in receiving yards — the roster is shaping up to be strikingly different.
Along with this, the Dukes have a new wide receiver coach in Justin Harper and new tight end coach in Drew Canan. Canan coached under Bob Chesney at Holy Cross, while Harper came to JMU from Towson. Before coaching, Harper played as a receiver at Virginia Tech and spent two years as a player in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens.
Harper said his time in the NFL taught him that coaches have to be honest with their players, and he’s tried to do the same as a coach.
JMU’s fourth option at wide receiver last season, redshirt junior Taji Hudson, is returning and will be a top target for whoever is behind center. Hudson finished last season with eight receptions for 88 yards and one touchdown.
The Dukes also picked up two redshirt senior receivers in the transfer portal who could make a difference in the Dukes’ air attack: Brionne Penny and Cam Ross. Penny had 290 yards and one touchdown last season at San Diego State, while Ross had 552 yards and two touchdowns at UConn.
Senior Omarion Dollison is going into his second season as a Duke. Before transferring to JMU from South Florida, he put up 666 yards in three years.
Hudson, Ross and Penny will probably see the most action, but this isn’t a traditional receiver room. All of the receivers can be moved outside, inside or even into the backfield at times.
“We pride ourselves on not really having a position,” Harper said of the receiving room. “Everybody should be able to play everywhere, everybody should be able to do everything.”
It’s very likely that either sophomore Maxwell Moss or redshirt sophomore Yamir Knight will start, or at least see a good amount of snaps. Moss played in 10 games for JMU last season, and caught two passes for 23 yards and one touchdown. Knight played in 11 games for the Dukes, catching eight balls for 73 yards.
Knight may be the smallest receiver on JMU as he’s listed at 5-foot-8, but Harper said that he’s “shown that it doesn’t matter.”
Williams may only play a handful of games this season
with a likely redshirt looming, but he made a name for himself in the Dukes’ spring game with his impressive catches over defensive backs, which could lead to him playing more frequently later this season. Harper said that Williams is “going to be a star.”
Although JMU senior tight end Taylor Thompson didn’t have any receptions last season, he’ll likely be the primary target in the tight end room.
Thompson, who switched from wide receiver to tight end, said he doesn’t feel like he’s lost a step despite getting up to 235 lbs. Taylor also said he’s still hit 20-plus mph multiple times during preseason camp.
Redshirt junior Vanderbilt transfer Logan Kyle, another former wide receiver, will likely see a lot of targets this season. Senior Kyi Wright could be used to primarily block, as he’s the heaviest in the tight end room.
“When you put all of us together, the tight end room has a good chance to shock a lot of people,” Thompson said.
Offensive line
JMU’s offensive line has the most returning players from any position group with three starters, setting them up for a reliable season.
At the group’s forefront are senior guard Cole Potts and senior tackle Tyshawn Wyatt. Both were named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt first and second teams. The duo was a staple of the Dukes’ offensive line last year, which was fourth in the Sun Belt with 24 sacks against.
However, Wyatt is still recovering from a knee injury that ended his season in JMU’s 30-27 win over Old Dominion last year, which he suffered attempting a tackle. Before his injury, he started eight games at left tackle last season, which was his second year as a tackle after starting all 14 games at left guard in 2021.
Wyatt began his rehab directly after his surgery that was delayed two weeks post-injury, allowing his knew swelling to descrease. Wyatt added he’s in the “later” stages of his clearance. Wyatt has a redshirt available, so if his recovery runs long, the Dukes can bring him back for another season so long as he plays in less than five games in 2024.
Redshirt junior Jesse Ramil could be a contender to step up early in the season as Wyatt works his way back onto the field. Ramil started 13 games at Saint Francis, which led the Northeast Conference with 360.1 yards of offense per game.
Sixth-year senior Tanner Morris returns with 27 career starts at center and will likely line up next to redshirt sophomore Carter Sweazie — one of the few standouts in the Dukes’ 31-21 loss to Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl.
Redshirt senior Pat McMurtrie is in his first year with JMU but has the most experience in offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy’s system. The two-time All-Patriot League right tackle at Holy Cross has three years of experience under offensive line coach Chris Smith and one year with assistant offensive line coach Chris Zarkoskie, along with Kennedy.
“McMurtrie knew a lot of the terminology, but it wasn’t like it was copy [and] paste from there,” Smith said. “There’s a lot of the JMU blueprint that’s been going on here for years from Tanner [Morris] and [Cole] Potts that was kind of shown throughout our whole o-line package.”
Last season, the Dukes’ offensive line suffered two season-ending injuries during the first 10 weeks. When asked about the depth, Smith said he’s been rotating linemen throughout camp to build chemistry in case of more poorly timed injuries.
Smith said former offensive line coach Damian Wroblewski did a “fantastic job” with the offensive line since he was hired in March but admitted they were skeptical about him at first. As Wroblewski’s predecessor, Smith didn’t come to JMU to force players into his agenda.
“I came in and very quickly said, ‘Hey, you guys win here at JMU,’” Smith said. “We’re going to adopt this culture and it’s gonna be a blend here.”
CONTACT Preston Comer and Hayden Hundley at breezesports@gmail.com . For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on X and Instagram @TheBreezeSports.
Redshirted junior wide receiver Taji Hudson caught eight passes for 88 yards in 13 games for the Dukes last season. Hayden Hundley / The Breeze
from FUTURE OF FOOTBALL, page 5
The Dukes’ part in NIL
This summer, videos of Texas football welcoming a group of recruits with a series of Lamborghinis went viral on the internet.
It’s safe to say that’ll probably never be JMU, at least not anytime soon.
“We’re never going to have donors that are … the Alabama and Texas donors that are just all of a sudden gonna get Lamborghinis outside,” Transue said. “That’s not going to be the case. But if we have enough money to provide student-athletes so they feel a little bit more comfortable, I think that’s great.”
While the Dukes may not be in the position to spoil players with extravagant gifts, they’re doing what they can to make sure players are comfortable.
After the initial rulings of the House vs. NCAA settlements, which may be finalized in late 2024 or early 2025, Transue and the rest of JMU football’s administrative staff are aware that NIL is here to stay.
However, he said there is a “worrying amongst everybody” about who has the upper hand, and in comparison to any program in a power conference, the Dukes don’t.
“I think there’s going to be a lot more opportunities ahead now that with state laws, with the House settlement, things are going to be able to come into play a little bit more internally in athletics, that will help generate dollars,” Transue said. “That’s going to be our lofty goal, to be a player in that space.”
Transue added that his “foremost goal” with NIL money is to retain talent. However, if someone gets several offers from higherprofile schools, it’ll be hard to match them because there’s “not a whole lot of transparency” about how much other teams are investing, he said.
Last season, the Dukes had 14 players transfer to a team in a four-autonomy conference, 13 of them followed former head coach Curt Cignetti to Indiana.
As far as bringing in talent, that’s where recruiting coordinator Anthony DiMichele
“If we got that CFP spot ... that is life-altering money here.”
Matt Transue
Assistant AD for Football Administration
can help play a part. This summer, the Dukes landed 16 players in its 2025 recruiting class thus far.
“We landed some pretty big-time recruits,” DiMichele said. “The national brand that is JMU, it is a national brand now. And a lot of people don’t realize that recruiting Texas, recruiting the Midwest, recruiting Pittsburgh and Ohio, goes a long way.”
DiMichele added that the Dukes’ success across all sports last year “absolutely” helped the team’s recruiting efforts. If the Dukes pull off another successful year, DiMichele said that’ll open up “a ton of doors” for them to bring in more sought-after recruits.
“The money goes to the big bucks,” Transue said. “The Big 10, SEC are all going to get the vast majority of [the] shares. But even if we got that CFP spot, the money that comes with that is life-altering money here.”
Expanding JMU’s brand
One of the first things new JMU Director of Athletics Matt Roan did was add onfield level seating at Bridgeforth for 2024. Transue said Duke Club members can purchase “group block tickets” on the northeast and southeast corners of the stadium. The hope is this will open another spring of funds that’ll eventually trickle down to the team’s quality.
While there hasn’t been any confirmation about expanding the away side of the stadium, Transue said it’s “absolutely on their radar.”
“What’s great when you bring in a new athletic director, is that you kind of have an athletic department reset,” Transue said. “Obviously 81 is right between the school, so there’s always this separation … So it’s really [about] honing in, okay, ‘How do we look at these spaces? How do we make them better? How do we develop fundraising for what we’re trying to do?’ So we’re going to look at everything with a fine-tooth comb.”
College football has entered the era of investing in student-athletes, but that doesn’t mean facilities aren’t important. With the ever-changing landscape, JMU’s staff is growing so fast that Transue said it’s starting to outgrow its own facilities.
Upgrading facilities is an arms race, that’s when the Dukes have to make the best use of their money. Transue said the athletic department is constantly discussing what are the best things it can do to invest in each department.
In terms of marketing, Transue believes that JMU can establish its identity as the “Shenandoah Valley’s team.”
“Look, we’re the premium sports entity within the greatest 150 miles,” he said. “We might as well embrace it, right? And get people to support us as well that way.”
CONTACT Hayden Hundley at breezesports@gmail.com. For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on X and Instagram @TheBreezeSports.
U.Va. paid JMU $550,000 to play them in 2023, to which JMU won 36-35. Breeze file photos
Recruiting coordinator Anthony DiMichele landed 16 players in JMU football’s 2025 recruiting class this summer. He said this was just one example of how JMU is now a “national brand.”
JMU football’s revamped running game looks to ‘dictate’ opposing defenses
By PRESTON COMER & HAYDEN HUNDLEY The Breeze
JMU football running backs coach David Sims Jr. has coached some of the FCS finest — including Malachi Hosley, a Sports Perform Freshman AllAmerican at Penn last season — but he said the Dukes’ backs this year “may be” the best room he’s ever had.
That includes redshirt sophomore running back George Pettaway; if he committed to JMU out of high school, he would’ve been the Dukes’ highest-recruited player ever, according to 24/7sports. The only difference is that Pettaway arrived in Harrisonburg with two years of experience at UNC, where he played in 15 games and scored two touchdowns.
Similarly, Sims was highly recruited, with ESPN ranking him the No. 20 athlete in the nation in 2008 before he had a stellar career at Georgia Tech (2009-13). He said he’s proud that despite the attention he got from top-tier schools, he still had a hunger to be great — Sims said George is the same way.
“GP (Pettaway) hasn’t come in acting like he’s better than anybody else … or that he was a four-star,” Sims said. “If you didn’t know that, you couldn’t tell. I think that’s been the best thing about him, that when he comes in, he’s going to have the same demeanor … he’s going to be ready to work.”
Pettaway’s preseason camp roommate, senior running back Ayo Adeyi, had a much different path to JMU. Adeyi began his college career at DII Harding as a walk-on, before rushing for 1017 yards and seven touchdowns at North Texas last year.
As Sims put it, “that’s what movies are made of.”
Adeyi shared his “why” in front of the team during camp, which Sims said was good for the former four-star
recruit to understand how the former walk-on approaches his day-to-day. Pettaway said the duo have a great relationship other than how they both think the other snores too loud.
“A lot of people think George is a young guy but I see him as a vet,” Adeyi said. “I learn from all the guys. Being an older guy, everyone may think that I’m, like, ‘cozying up’ everyone, but I learned from the guys like Wayne [Knight, from KB [Ke’Marion Baldwin] and I hope that they learn from me too.”
Adeyi said the “biggest thing” on his wish list for his next school was to find a winning program, and he said there’s no better place for him than JMU. In camp, Adeyi has been working with Sims and offensive line coach Chris Smith to improve his pass blocking. At his prior schools, pass protection was very dumbed down, but with JMU, he’s learning more NFL-friendly techniques.
“Now I’m learning how to scan and in the pros that’s a very important thing for running backs to be able to see,” Adeyi said.
Last season, JMU wasn’t shy of talent in the backfield. Kaelon Black ran for 637 yards while Ty Son Lawton ran for 568, and both backs averaged 4.5 yards per carry.
The production was there. The volume, on the other hand, was not. Neither back ever had more than 19 carries in a game, and they combined for 268 carries on the season. Three running backs in the Sun Belt broke 268 on their own.
The Dukes finished in the bottom four of the Sun Belt in rushing attempts, rushing yards and yards per carry.
One JMU player in particular is excited about the possibilities of the run game this season.
“Pass pro[tection] is fun, but you just control the game [when run blocking],” senior offensive lineman Tyshawn Wyatt said. “You can dictate how much time you want to take off of the clock … run game and defense is literally how you win football football games, how you win championships.
That’s the formula here.”
The Dukes will need to use their deep running back room more this season since they lost their top three receivers and their starting tight end to the transfer portal and graduation. The leader of the returning receivers is redshirt junior Taji Hudson, who only had eight receptions last season.
Even with JMU increasing its emphasis on running the ball this season, Adeyi wants to improve his pass protection.
Adeyi said that pass protection was simple for him in the past. Now, he’s trying to learn and engage more in blocking because he aspires to play in the NFL.
Who better to learn professional-level pass protection from than JMU offensive line coach Chris Smith? He spent four seasons with JMU head coach Bob Chesney at Holy Cross before becoming an assistant offensive line coach for the New York Giants.
Sims recognizes Adeyi’s commitment and improvement as a pass blocker and said when he gets an opportunity at the next level, he’ll be ready to pick up blitz.
“He’s going to be able to see it all,” Sims said of Adeyi.
Sims also said that JMU’s pass protection shares a lot of parallels with NFL pass protection.
Smith is also the Dukes’ run game coordinator, meaning he and Sims have been collaborating closely to maximize the running game.
“In coaching, sometimes you get into your system and you know your one way, but you don’t know other ways to do it,” Smith said. “[Sims] knows a bunch of different ways to do it and the pros and cons of doing everything. We’re really working together, it’s a complete collaborative effort.”
CONTACT Preston Comer and Hayden Hundley at breezesports@gmail.com. For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on X and Instagram @TheBreezeSports
Hayden Hundley / The Breeze
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