I would much rather we schedule tough OOC games then play teams like St. Francis, Alcorn, CCSU, Lock Haven, etc.

App St. series was a fun one, Lehigh should be good.. so what if we have to sign 1 and 1's, I'd rather see us go on the road to play a good team than host a cupcake win at home..

(04-25-2013 09:14 AM)JMU_Newbill Wrote:  

(04-25-2013 08:35 AM)JMU_71 Wrote:  

(04-25-2013 08:18 AM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  I like the future Lehigh series...that should be interesting. It will also be nice to play Maryland again after the narrow loss a few years ago. 2014 looks to be very nice from an OOC perspective.

So, we are playing Lehigh and Maryland in 2014? Yeah, that's good if true. I said a few pages back, and no one seemed to care, that I think we should schedule more Southern Conference schools. I never understood why we don't play Wofford, El Cid, or Furman more.

Agreed regarding playing SoCon teams. A 1-for-1 series requires minimal travel (readily accessible by bus) and a good chance to have playoff caliber teams on your schedule. While I agree that Wofford/Furman aren't going to draw what an App St/ODU/FBS opponent would, it would certainly be more interesting, enjoyable, and productive than destroying a St. Francis.

Also, do we have VMI on the schedule again any time soon? While VMI obviously isn't a peer in football, its still a D1 win and carries a very high level of interest within the state. If we are going to put "easy wins" on our schedule, let's atleast do it against an in-state opponent that's nearby and would attract fans.

For that matter, does it make sense to schedule in-state and nearby FCS rivals? It would seem to make sense that there might be more interest in Hampton or Norfolk State than Central Connecticut. Or is the worry that if we lose, we've opened up recruiting to an in-state rival, where we don't have the same concern with St. Francis?

I'm all in on VA opponents and Southern Conference schools as well. They at least have a name and a lot of there fans will travel to BFS. Even as much as I dislike Coastal Carolina, that's a better game than St. Francis, CCSU, Alcorn St., or Morehead State will ever be. So many of you disliked our Liberty series, but those two away games were great games to watch. Well, maybe the rain on the first one wasn't so good. The home game we played, we won but we SXXXXed. But still better than those listed above.

Lehigh's a great OOC opponent because its A)driveable, B)still a probable win, C)not some no-talent I-AA in name only team.

(04-25-2013 10:30 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  I'm all in on VA opponents and Southern Conference schools as well. They at least have a name and a lot of there fans will travel to BFS. Even as much as I dislike Coastal Carolina, that's a better game than St. Francis, CCSU, Alcorn St., or Morehead State will ever be. So many of you disliked our Liberty series, but those two away games were great games to watch. Well, maybe the rain on the first one wasn't so good. The home game we played, we won but we SXXXXed. But still better than those listed above.

I agree on the Liberty games. Never had a problem w/ those. They were a worthy opponent.

(04-25-2013 12:03 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Lehigh's a great OOC opponent because its A)driveable, B)still a probable win, C)not some no-talent I-AA in name only team.

Lehigh is a good team. I don't think we can say it's a probable win. Patriot League isn't deep, but Lehigh is consistently good.

We should ask BDK since he would know, but I remember the 2004 Lehigh team looking like a JV squad compared to JMU. We played so terribly sloppy & somehow still won. (Thanks for that personal foul Lehigh defensive lineman!)

Also, Lehigh's a great OOC opponent because their stadium setting is beautiful. A tailgate worth going to just based on the scenery.

Lehigh Playoff Teams:

1979 at Murray State W, 27-9 Div. I-AA
**vs. Eastern Kentucky L, 30-7
1980 #Eastern Kentucky L, 23-20 Div. I-AA
1998 at Richmond W, 24-23 Div. I-AA
at Massachusetts L, 27-21
1999 at Hofstra L, 27-15 Div. I-AA
2000 at Western Illinois W, 37-7 Div. I-AA
at Delaware L, 47-22 Div. I-AA
2001 ^Hofstra W, 27-24 (ot) Div. I-AA
at Furman L, 34-17
2004 ^James Madison L, 14-13 Div. I-AA
2010 at Northern Iowa W, 14-7 Div. I-FCS
at Delaware L, 42-20 Div. I-FCS
2011 at Towson W, 40-38 Div. I FCS
at North Dakota State L, 24-0 Div. I FCS

Might not be quite as long a list as JMU, but it's not that far off....

Never understood why we don't play Georgetown (maybe we've tried and they don't want to). I know their football facilities are weak but with so many alums in the vicinity I would have thought that even home and home series would be beneficial to getting DC based fans interested.

(04-25-2013 01:23 PM)DooX Wrote:  Never understood why we don't play Georgetown (maybe we've tried and they don't want to). I know their football facilities are weak but with so many alums in the vicinity I would have thought that even home and home series would be beneficial to getting DC based fans interested.

It appears as though they don't schedule stronger FCS teams: http://www.hoyafootball.com/games/game-2010s.htm

I don't see a single CAA team on their schedule in the 21st century, for example. They scheduled Towson and ODU, but that was before either school joined the league.

That said, I'd love it if we did play them.

(04-25-2013 01:23 PM)DooX Wrote:  Never understood why we don't play Georgetown (maybe we've tried and they don't want to). I know their football facilities are weak but with so many alums in the vicinity I would have thought that even home and home series would be beneficial to getting DC based fans interested.

I've been saying this for years. I think the biggest problem is that it makes too much sense. Therefore, our admin would never figure out how to make it happen.

JMU Nation, What happened? What went wrong? I am shocked that Jeffrey has signed off on an 11 game schedule. His lack of fortitude is holding your athletic program back and it has gone beyond a few screw ups. His intentional tactics are a direct contradiction to actions needed to build a program. I've tried to coach him many times, but he just doesn't get it. The home OOC schedule consists of St. Francis and Central Connecticut State while Jeffrey leaves a third game unscheduled in the gleaming purple palace that has been built on campus. If that doesn't make you want to , then you need some clarity lessons. His actions are shameful and I am embarrassed for you as a fanbase.
As a suggestion, I'd recommend your University tack on some funds to the current Carr Associates contract and initiate a comprehensive Athletic Director search. You simply cannot get to where you want to be when your leadership is outclassed by his peers. Frankly, I'm shocked that Jon Boy Alger didn't get his hands in the mix and dictate a full schedule for 2013. Perhaps he is overwhelmed by his new job and cannot keep pace with the whirlwind of important decisions that must be made.
Your buddy,
Terry Holland

(04-25-2013 12:26 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  We should ask BDK since he would know, but I remember the 2004 Lehigh team looking like a JV squad compared to JMU. We played so terribly sloppy & somehow still won. (Thanks for that personal foul Lehigh defensive lineman!)

Also, Lehigh's a great OOC opponent because their stadium setting is beautiful. A tailgate worth going to just based on the scenery.

Definitely the worst playoff game JMU played that yr. The defense was super stout. Sacked Lehigh QB 11 times. Held them to 22 yds rushing.

But the offense, sans Banks & Fenner, with Hines carrying the load, struggled. Scored 2 TDs in the 1st 3 possessions/1.5 qtrs. Looked like were going to roll. Then struggled mightily the last 2.5 qtrs/9 possessions

Did outgain Lehigh by 87 in a defensive struggle.
https://admin.xosn.com/fls/14400/stats/f...lehigh.htm

As long as JMU is I-AA should be this OOC most seasons:

-IA, only one that can pay JMU 400k ballpark and up (Akron isn't remotely close).

-in state I-AA: Liberty, VMI, NSU, Hampton. Only Liberty should ever be on road in 1 for 1s.

-a regional So Con, YSU, or Lehigh, which would be driveable from JMU and most VA alums. The only one who should be a 1 for 1 would be YSU. All others should be 2 @ JMU for 1 on the road or a 1 and done @ JMU.

Akron's home game attendance last yr:
UCF: 12,616
Morgan State: 9,933
Miami of Ohio: 8,211
Bowling Green: 10, 102
Northern Illinois: 7,074
UMass: 7716
Avg:9275
http://www.gozips.com/sports/fball/2012-13/schedule

They ranked 119 of 120 I-A teams, only ahead of Eastern Michigan:
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/publ...attendance