(10-28-2014 09:18 PM)JMUNation Wrote:  I have to say I have enjoyed this season thus far. Four games have come down to the end and JMU has won three of them. 5-3 is one game worse than the 6-2 record I thought we would have. I will judge this season on Nov. 22nd and not now while the playoffs are still a possibility.

I love the fight in this team. They compete. There are mistakes by players and coaches. In the end, they have seemed to find a way to win most Saturdays. If you throw out the MD game, the Dukes are 5-2 against FCS competition. They are 3-1 out of conference. They have already won three road games. It seems some of you want to discount these accomplishments because of sagarin ratings and the teams we play all suck. All I know is road wins are hard to come by. Mickey had very few of them since 2008.

Four conference games are left. If JMU were to win all of them, would everyone on these boards agree that the coaching was pretty good or would you say it is luck or great players?

I am looking forward to Saturday. It is a huge game. The Dukes have a chance to determine their own destiny. Win the next two and Elon, and they are likely in the playoffs. Win all four, and they definitely are in the playoffs.

I honestly believe Withers will recruit and the talent level will go up. I am disappointed to read the negativity on these boards in a coaches first year at JMU. I think most of you are misguided as to the level of talent you perceived was at JMU. There are some very good players left over from last year but not at every position. We are also missing Stanton and Robertson. Those two are a lot to lose.

Being a good athlete is not enough. A lot of Mickey's recruits never played the positions they were assigned to at JMU. The comments I have heard from players is that they are receiving much better coaching from the current staff than the previous one. I wlll put more faith into their comments then some message board posters.

agreed. only wish a change had been made a couple years earlier so we'd be further along the process.

I've heard from multiple people the recruits we have verbals from are stellar and will significantly increase our talent level. And that Withers isn't wasting time going after guys with only FCS offers. He's after and competing for guys with many FBS offers. So far, he's won some of those battles too.

(10-29-2014 10:41 AM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  

(10-28-2014 09:18 PM)JMUNation Wrote:  I have to say I have enjoyed this season thus far. Four games have come down to the end and JMU has won three of them. 5-3 is one game worse than the 6-2 record I thought we would have. I will judge this season on Nov. 22nd and not now while the playoffs are still a possibility.

I love the fight in this team. They compete. There are mistakes by players and coaches. In the end, they have seemed to find a way to win most Saturdays. If you throw out the MD game, the Dukes are 5-2 against FCS competition. They are 3-1 out of conference. They have already won three road games. It seems some of you want to discount these accomplishments because of sagarin ratings and the teams we play all suck. All I know is road wins are hard to come by. Mickey had very few of them since 2008.

Four conference games are left. If JMU were to win all of them, would everyone on these boards agree that the coaching was pretty good or would you say it is luck or great players?

I am looking forward to Saturday. It is a huge game. The Dukes have a chance to determine their own destiny. Win the next two and Elon, and they are likely in the playoffs. Win all four, and they definitely are in the playoffs.

I honestly believe Withers will recruit and the talent level will go up. I am disappointed to read the negativity on these boards in a coaches first year at JMU. I think most of you are misguided as to the level of talent you perceived was at JMU. There are some very good players left over from last year but not at every position. We are also missing Stanton and Robertson. Those two are a lot to lose.

Being a good athlete is not enough. A lot of Mickey's recruits never played the positions they were assigned to at JMU. The comments I have heard from players is that they are receiving much better coaching from the current staff than the previous one. I wlll put more faith into their comments then some message board posters.

agreed. only wish a change had been made a couple years earlier so we'd be further along the process.

I've heard from multiple people the recruits we have verbals from are stellar and will significantly increase our talent level. And that Withers isn't wasting time going after guys with only FCS offers. He's after and competing for guys with many FBS offers. So far, he's one some of those battles too.

Agree & Agree

(10-28-2014 09:18 PM)JMUNation Wrote:  I honestly believe Withers will recruit and the talent level will go up. I am disappointed to read the negativity on these boards in a coaches first year at JMU. I think most of you are misguided as to the level of talent you perceived was at JMU. There are some very good players left over from last year but not at every position. We are also missing Stanton and Robertson. Those two are a lot to lose.

Being a good athlete is not enough. A lot of Mickey's recruits never played the positions they were assigned to at JMU. The comments I have heard from players is that they are receiving much better coaching from the current staff than the previous one. I wlll put more faith into their comments then some message board posters.

As far as the recruiting you are right. Withers has a proven track record as a very good recruiter at the BCS level. At this level he should be a great one. MM was a very good recruiter at JMU. Withers should be better. I think there is near 100% consensus on here that Withers can recruit. If JMU hasn't made a move up announcement by 2017 (I think JMU will have by then), JMU should have the top talent in the nation at the I-AA level, bar none, with the best or among the best facilities. There will be 0 excuses for not making Frisco by then.

It's Withers on the field track record (comparing his units stats at his prior stops the year before he got there, when he was there, and the year after he left) that are mediocre at best.

As far as the comments from players about better coaching than the previous staff, were those offensive or defensive players? I can believe offensive players would say it was better, but not defensive. And it's not like players are going to publicly say anything negative about the current coaching.

Regardless of what has been said, actions count a lot more than words. And actions on the field have clearly demonstrated that the defense has underachieved, and that indicates poor coaching.

(10-29-2014 10:41 AM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  

(10-28-2014 09:18 PM)JMUNation Wrote:  I have to say I have enjoyed this season thus far. Four games have come down to the end and JMU has won three of them. 5-3 is one game worse than the 6-2 record I thought we would have. I will judge this season on Nov. 22nd and not now while the playoffs are still a possibility.

I love the fight in this team. They compete. There are mistakes by players and coaches. In the end, they have seemed to find a way to win most Saturdays. If you throw out the MD game, the Dukes are 5-2 against FCS competition. They are 3-1 out of conference. They have already won three road games. It seems some of you want to discount these accomplishments because of sagarin ratings and the teams we play all suck. All I know is road wins are hard to come by. Mickey had very few of them since 2008.

Four conference games are left. If JMU were to win all of them, would everyone on these boards agree that the coaching was pretty good or would you say it is luck or great players?

I am looking forward to Saturday. It is a huge game. The Dukes have a chance to determine their own destiny. Win the next two and Elon, and they are likely in the playoffs. Win all four, and they definitely are in the playoffs.

I honestly believe Withers will recruit and the talent level will go up. I am disappointed to read the negativity on these boards in a coaches first year at JMU. I think most of you are misguided as to the level of talent you perceived was at JMU. There are some very good players left over from last year but not at every position. We are also missing Stanton and Robertson. Those two are a lot to lose.

Being a good athlete is not enough. A lot of Mickey's recruits never played the positions they were assigned to at JMU. The comments I have heard from players is that they are receiving much better coaching from the current staff than the previous one. I wlll put more faith into their comments then some message board posters.

agreed. only wish a change had been made a couple years earlier so we'd be further along the process.

I've heard from multiple people the recruits we have verbals from are stellar and will significantly increase our talent level. And that Withers isn't wasting time going after guys with only FCS offers. He's after and competing for guys with many FBS offers. So far, he's won some of those battles too.

MM got some of those guys. Withers will get more. One thing that will help will be, "Come to JMU and be part of the team as we move up to I-A football." VU did it in 2010, and JMU probably has undoubtably been doing it for the last several years under both MM and Withers. It's not like its lying- JMU will move up...eventually.

Agree with BDK about player's comments on the current coaching staff. While I'd hope they are getting great coaching on both sides of the ball, it wouldn't be wise for the players to say anything negative about their coaches to anyone.

That being said, the defense isn't as good as I thought it would be. The progression in the offense has been fantastic, so I'm holding out hope that by this point next year, we will see marked improvement in our defense as well.

(10-29-2014 02:46 PM)JMU_Newbill Wrote:  Agree with BDK about player's comments on the current coaching staff. While I'd hope they are getting great coaching on both sides of the ball, it wouldn't be wise for the players to say anything negative about their coaches to anyone.

Yeah - don't see a lot of players saying they think the prior coach was better. Not a good way to get playing time.

Talent has never been a problem at JMU, we have consistently been one of the more talented teams in the FCS. Besides the FBS games MM was close to being 50% at away games , which winning away is a very tough task esp. if you have young players.

When speaking with players and you have no personal relationship with them , your probably not going to get any details about coaches that would paint them negative unless they really don't like them. Players know about the board and how much people talk and they tend to want stay out of that circle of gossip.

I am not going to go into details on the comments because that would implicate players.

This team is better coached. Talent trumps coaching anyday. Mickey had some good players just not enough of them. He was a good salesman. Had too many people believing he was the reason for any success and that JMU would fail without him.

Withers is the real deal. May not be the best coach to ever walk the face of the earth but he is pretty strong for FCS. I like the program and enjoy the games way more than before. I will be very surprised if this team advances deep into the playoffs and won't be surprised if they don't make the playoffs at all. What I do feel is that they will compete every game and that there will be some nailbiting in the stands over the next three weeks.

(10-30-2014 07:32 AM)JMUNation Wrote:  I am not going to go into details on the comments because that would implicate players.

This team is better coached. Talent trumps coaching anyday. Mickey had some good players just not enough of them. He was a good salesman. Had too many people believing he was the reason for any success and that JMU would fail without him.

Withers is the real deal. May not be the best coach to ever walk the face of the earth but he is pretty strong for FCS. I like the program and enjoy the games way more than before. I will be very surprised if this team advances deep into the playoffs and won't be surprised if they don't make the playoffs at all. What I do feel is that they will compete every game and that there will be some nailbiting in the stands over the next three weeks.

Can't forget that MM lost many of his assistants to FBS jobs. So if your asking a player today they might have had two-three coaches, except for LB. There are only two coaches where I could see a question in their ability to coach last year, and thats because they were young in the coaching ranks.

Its going to take a few years for me to be sold on Withers as a head coach , we have to be able to diagnosis his decision making , recruiting and abilty to win games. Cant really do that completey with a first year coach.

I will tell you from what I've heard the defense does not feel like they are better coached. A parent of one of our veteran defenders told me that his son and some of his friends were not happy or impressed by the new defensive coaches. I was told first everything was changed in the spring, and now there seems to be dramatic changes in schemes from week to week. They don't feel as prepared each week as last year, and it has nothing to conditioning.

Of course that's obvious while the offense has slowed since Rodney left - defense has been the staple of JMU football the last decade. Giving up so many 500 yards and 40 point games against bad teams is not an easy thing to stomach.

I don't deny there are a lot of people out there that just like to see a lot of points, and just get excited to have high scoring close games no matter the competition. For me the amount of points don't matter. I just want to be one of top teams 1AA.

When's the last time a JMU team has been 8 weeks into the season and not been ranked? 2003? JMU not ranked in a 1AA that does not include UMass, GSU, ASU, ODU makes it even worse. Apparently from the rankings - subjective and objective, there's a lot of people who see what I see.

No way this team should be worse than last year with all the returning players, and the addition of Lee. If it's not coaching, what is it?

Hopefully we turn the corner versus W&M. If we win that one, we still have a shot at the playoffs.

(10-30-2014 11:49 AM)Dukester Wrote:  I will tell you from what I've heard the defense does not feel like they are better coached. A parent of one of our veteran defenders told me that his son and some of his friends were not happy or impressed by the new defensive coaches. I was told first everything was changed in the spring, and now there seems to be dramatic changes in schemes from week to week. They don't feel as prepared each week as last year, and it has nothing to conditioning.

Of course that's obvious while the offense has slowed since Rodney left - defense has been the staple of JMU football the last decade. Giving up so many 500 yards and 40 point games against bad teams is not an easy thing to stomach.

I don't deny there are a lot of people out there that just like to see a lot of points, and just get excited to have high scoring close games no matter the competition. For me the amount of points don't matter. I just want to be one of top teams 1AA.

When's the last time a JMU team has been 8 weeks into the season and not been ranked? 2003? JMU not ranked in a 1AA that does not include UMass, GSU, ASU, ODU makes it even worse. Apparently from the rankings - subjective and objective, there's a lot of people who see what I see.

No way this team should be worse than last year with all the returning players, and the addition of Lee. If it's not coaching, what is it?

Hopefully we turn the corner versus W&M. If we win that one, we still have a shot at the playoffs.

I-AA rankings mean absolutely nothing. The rankings are all based on reputation to a certain extent. If you want to cast blame on this 5-3 JMU team not being ranked at all this season -- call up MM and lay that blame on him and the program making the playoffs once in the last 5 years.

This current team is moving in the right direction and I for one am glad to see the offense playing 'modern day', exciting brand of football.

Face the fact that the defense was NOT good last year --- and lost its two best players in Robertson and Stanton -- along with Snow.

(10-30-2014 12:06 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(10-30-2014 11:49 AM)Dukester Wrote:  I will tell you from what I've heard the defense does not feel like they are better coached. A parent of one of our veteran defenders told me that his son and some of his friends were not happy or impressed by the new defensive coaches. I was told first everything was changed in the spring, and now there seems to be dramatic changes in schemes from week to week. They don't feel as prepared each week as last year, and it has nothing to conditioning.

Of course that's obvious while the offense has slowed since Rodney left - defense has been the staple of JMU football the last decade. Giving up so many 500 yards and 40 point games against bad teams is not an easy thing to stomach.

I don't deny there are a lot of people out there that just like to see a lot of points, and just get excited to have high scoring close games no matter the competition. For me the amount of points don't matter. I just want to be one of top teams 1AA.

When's the last time a JMU team has been 8 weeks into the season and not been ranked? 2003? JMU not ranked in a 1AA that does not include UMass, GSU, ASU, ODU makes it even worse. Apparently from the rankings - subjective and objective, there's a lot of people who see what I see.

No way this team should be worse than last year with all the returning players, and the addition of Lee. If it's not coaching, what is it?

Hopefully we turn the corner versus W&M. If we win that one, we still have a shot at the playoffs.

I-AA rankings mean absolutely nothing. The rankings are all based on reputation to a certain extent. If you want to cast blame on this 5-3 JMU team not being ranked at all this season -- call up MM and lay that blame on him and the program making the playoffs once in the last 5 years.

This current team is moving in the right direction and I for one am glad to see the offense playing 'modern day', exciting brand of football.

Face the fact that the defense was NOT good last year --- and lost its two best players in Robertson and Stanton -- along with Snow.

You realized we ran this offense with a qb named Rodney Landers. MM would send his coaches all over the country to learn new techniques and schemes in off season. Coaches went to Nevada to learn about the pistol one year.

Our secondary didnt play good last year and that was our only weakness along with a true soph QB.

(10-30-2014 12:35 PM)Hotrod829 Wrote:  

(10-30-2014 12:06 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(10-30-2014 11:49 AM)Dukester Wrote:  I will tell you from what I've heard the defense does not feel like they are better coached. A parent of one of our veteran defenders told me that his son and some of his friends were not happy or impressed by the new defensive coaches. I was told first everything was changed in the spring, and now there seems to be dramatic changes in schemes from week to week. They don't feel as prepared each week as last year, and it has nothing to conditioning.

Of course that's obvious while the offense has slowed since Rodney left - defense has been the staple of JMU football the last decade. Giving up so many 500 yards and 40 point games against bad teams is not an easy thing to stomach.

I don't deny there are a lot of people out there that just like to see a lot of points, and just get excited to have high scoring close games no matter the competition. For me the amount of points don't matter. I just want to be one of top teams 1AA.

When's the last time a JMU team has been 8 weeks into the season and not been ranked? 2003? JMU not ranked in a 1AA that does not include UMass, GSU, ASU, ODU makes it even worse. Apparently from the rankings - subjective and objective, there's a lot of people who see what I see.

No way this team should be worse than last year with all the returning players, and the addition of Lee. If it's not coaching, what is it?

Hopefully we turn the corner versus W&M. If we win that one, we still have a shot at the playoffs.

I-AA rankings mean absolutely nothing. The rankings are all based on reputation to a certain extent. If you want to cast blame on this 5-3 JMU team not being ranked at all this season -- call up MM and lay that blame on him and the program making the playoffs once in the last 5 years.

This current team is moving in the right direction and I for one am glad to see the offense playing 'modern day', exciting brand of football.

Face the fact that the defense was NOT good last year --- and lost its two best players in Robertson and Stanton -- along with Snow.

You realized we ran this offense with a qb named Rodney Landers. MM would send his coaches all over the country to learn new techniques and schemes in off season. Coaches went to Nevada to learn about the pistol one year.

Our secondary didnt play good last year and that was our only weakness along with a true soph QB.

You are saying Birdsong was one of our two weaknesses to being successful?

(10-30-2014 12:37 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(10-30-2014 12:35 PM)Hotrod829 Wrote:  

(10-30-2014 12:06 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(10-30-2014 11:49 AM)Dukester Wrote:  I will tell you from what I've heard the defense does not feel like they are better coached. A parent of one of our veteran defenders told me that his son and some of his friends were not happy or impressed by the new defensive coaches. I was told first everything was changed in the spring, and now there seems to be dramatic changes in schemes from week to week. They don't feel as prepared each week as last year, and it has nothing to conditioning.

Of course that's obvious while the offense has slowed since Rodney left - defense has been the staple of JMU football the last decade. Giving up so many 500 yards and 40 point games against bad teams is not an easy thing to stomach.

I don't deny there are a lot of people out there that just like to see a lot of points, and just get excited to have high scoring close games no matter the competition. For me the amount of points don't matter. I just want to be one of top teams 1AA.

When's the last time a JMU team has been 8 weeks into the season and not been ranked? 2003? JMU not ranked in a 1AA that does not include UMass, GSU, ASU, ODU makes it even worse. Apparently from the rankings - subjective and objective, there's a lot of people who see what I see.

No way this team should be worse than last year with all the returning players, and the addition of Lee. If it's not coaching, what is it?

Hopefully we turn the corner versus W&M. If we win that one, we still have a shot at the playoffs.

I-AA rankings mean absolutely nothing. The rankings are all based on reputation to a certain extent. If you want to cast blame on this 5-3 JMU team not being ranked at all this season -- call up MM and lay that blame on him and the program making the playoffs once in the last 5 years.

This current team is moving in the right direction and I for one am glad to see the offense playing 'modern day', exciting brand of football.

Face the fact that the defense was NOT good last year --- and lost its two best players in Robertson and Stanton -- along with Snow.

You realized we ran this offense with a qb named Rodney Landers. MM would send his coaches all over the country to learn new techniques and schemes in off season. Coaches went to Nevada to learn about the pistol one year.

Our secondary didnt play good last year and that was our only weakness along with a true soph QB.

You are saying Birdsong was one of our two weaknesses to being successful?

Too many ints , but he was young.

It's important also not to overlook the amount of inexperience we have on D this year. Withers said last weekend there was a time when 3 freshmen were in the secondary.
The defense has definitely been struggling this year, but I do think they've been improving. It's been in spurts, but there is definite improvement. At the same time, they need to get better quickly or else we'll be sitting home come tourney time.

(10-30-2014 12:35 PM)Hotrod829 Wrote:  

(10-30-2014 12:06 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(10-30-2014 11:49 AM)Dukester Wrote:  I will tell you from what I've heard the defense does not feel like they are better coached. A parent of one of our veteran defenders told me that his son and some of his friends were not happy or impressed by the new defensive coaches. I was told first everything was changed in the spring, and now there seems to be dramatic changes in schemes from week to week. They don't feel as prepared each week as last year, and it has nothing to conditioning.

Of course that's obvious while the offense has slowed since Rodney left - defense has been the staple of JMU football the last decade. Giving up so many 500 yards and 40 point games against bad teams is not an easy thing to stomach.

I don't deny there are a lot of people out there that just like to see a lot of points, and just get excited to have high scoring close games no matter the competition. For me the amount of points don't matter. I just want to be one of top teams 1AA.

When's the last time a JMU team has been 8 weeks into the season and not been ranked? 2003? JMU not ranked in a 1AA that does not include UMass, GSU, ASU, ODU makes it even worse. Apparently from the rankings - subjective and objective, there's a lot of people who see what I see.

No way this team should be worse than last year with all the returning players, and the addition of Lee. If it's not coaching, what is it?

Hopefully we turn the corner versus W&M. If we win that one, we still have a shot at the playoffs.

I-AA rankings mean absolutely nothing. The rankings are all based on reputation to a certain extent. If you want to cast blame on this 5-3 JMU team not being ranked at all this season -- call up MM and lay that blame on him and the program making the playoffs once in the last 5 years.

This current team is moving in the right direction and I for one am glad to see the offense playing 'modern day', exciting brand of football.

Face the fact that the defense was NOT good last year --- and lost its two best players in Robertson and Stanton -- along with Snow.

You realized we ran this offense with a qb named Rodney Landers. MM would send his coaches all over the country to learn new techniques and schemes in off season. Coaches went to Nevada to learn about the pistol one year.

Our secondary didnt play good last year and that was our only weakness along with a true soph QB.

Perhaps similar but definitely NOT the same offense. I don't recall JMU running a consistent up-tempo offense with 4/5 WR sets with Landers. I do recall a steady dose of read-option with Landers plowing over defenders. Also Landers probably attempted about 15 passes per game (going from memory here). There is actually very little similarity in this current offense and the JMU offense with Landers --- other than the read-option element.

And yes I realize MM sent coaches around the country to try and learn new things --- never really saw any positives from it. The pistol offense that got implemented from the Nevada trip for Dudzik/Thorpe was astrocious. It did pull the upset of VT with that offense (a season that ended with no playoff trip).

(10-30-2014 03:12 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(10-30-2014 12:35 PM)Hotrod829 Wrote:  

(10-30-2014 12:06 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(10-30-2014 11:49 AM)Dukester Wrote:  I will tell you from what I've heard the defense does not feel like they are better coached. A parent of one of our veteran defenders told me that his son and some of his friends were not happy or impressed by the new defensive coaches. I was told first everything was changed in the spring, and now there seems to be dramatic changes in schemes from week to week. They don't feel as prepared each week as last year, and it has nothing to conditioning.

Of course that's obvious while the offense has slowed since Rodney left - defense has been the staple of JMU football the last decade. Giving up so many 500 yards and 40 point games against bad teams is not an easy thing to stomach.

I don't deny there are a lot of people out there that just like to see a lot of points, and just get excited to have high scoring close games no matter the competition. For me the amount of points don't matter. I just want to be one of top teams 1AA.

When's the last time a JMU team has been 8 weeks into the season and not been ranked? 2003? JMU not ranked in a 1AA that does not include UMass, GSU, ASU, ODU makes it even worse. Apparently from the rankings - subjective and objective, there's a lot of people who see what I see.

No way this team should be worse than last year with all the returning players, and the addition of Lee. If it's not coaching, what is it?

Hopefully we turn the corner versus W&M. If we win that one, we still have a shot at the playoffs.

I-AA rankings mean absolutely nothing. The rankings are all based on reputation to a certain extent. If you want to cast blame on this 5-3 JMU team not being ranked at all this season -- call up MM and lay that blame on him and the program making the playoffs once in the last 5 years.

This current team is moving in the right direction and I for one am glad to see the offense playing 'modern day', exciting brand of football.

Face the fact that the defense was NOT good last year --- and lost its two best players in Robertson and Stanton -- along with Snow.

You realized we ran this offense with a qb named Rodney Landers. MM would send his coaches all over the country to learn new techniques and schemes in off season. Coaches went to Nevada to learn about the pistol one year.

Our secondary didnt play good last year and that was our only weakness along with a true soph QB.

Perhaps similar but definitely NOT the same offense. I don't recall JMU running a consistent up-tempo offense with 4/5 WR sets with Landers. I do recall a steady dose of read-option with Landers plowing over defenders. Also Landers probably attempted about 15 passes per game (going from memory here). There is actually very little similarity in this current offense and the JMU offense with Landers --- other than the read-option element.

And yes I realize MM sent coaches around the country to try and learn new things --- never really saw any positives from it. The pistol offense that got implemented from the Nevada trip for Dudzik/Thorpe was astrocious. It did pull the upset of VT with that offense (a season that ended with no playoff trip).

Yes it was the same spread set , 3 wide receivers and one te. We just ran the ball so well he didnt have to pass the ball as much. And even if the offense was atrocoious , MM attempted to be innovative with the offense every year.

Mickey attempted to be innovative but he wasn't. He was in the first half but then the second half came and with a 3 or 7 pt. lead, Mickey went conservative on offense thus making JMU preditable.

Mickey's offenses were always fairly predictable. Had his staff not recruited so well, his record from 2004-2008 would have been different.

We have the opposite this year. Vad is a better QB than Rodney. I know, I know...what I just said is blasphemy but he is. Vad does not have the o line or the weapons Rodney had but by the end of the season, JMU will have scored more points and gained more yards than any JMU team in history.

JMU is 5-3. With Mickey, we would have lost every game but St. Francis this year. While he and his staff recruited well before the last three seasons, he got lazy and did not bring in the same quality of recruits as he had previously.

I will say that Mickey and his staff were very good game planners. I can't recall too many games, if any, when JMU was not well prepared. It was the second half where Mickey's average teams did not far well.

(10-30-2014 07:32 AM)JMUNation Wrote:  I am not going to go into details on the comments because that would implicate players.

This team is better coached. Talent trumps coaching anyday. Mickey had some good players just not enough of them. He was a good salesman. Had too many people believing he was the reason for any success and that JMU would fail without him.

Withers is the real deal. May not be the best coach to ever walk the face of the earth but he is pretty strong for FCS. I like the program and enjoy the games way more than before. I will be very surprised if this team advances deep into the playoffs and won't be surprised if they don't make the playoffs at all. What I do feel is that they will compete every game and that there will be some nailbiting in the stands over the next three weeks.

Maybe offensively, but it is OBVIOUS on the defensive side of the ball that the team isn't better coached. Take off your blinders.

(10-30-2014 11:49 AM)Dukester Wrote:  I will tell you from what I've heard the defense does not feel like they are better coached. A parent of one of our veteran defenders told me that his son and some of his friends were not happy or impressed by the new defensive coaches. I was told first everything was changed in the spring, and now there seems to be dramatic changes in schemes from week to week. They don't feel as prepared each week as last year, and it has nothing to conditioning.

Of course that's obvious while the offense has slowed since Rodney left - defense has been the staple of JMU football the last decade. Giving up so many 500 yards and 40 point games against bad teams is not an easy thing to stomach.

I don't deny there are a lot of people out there that just like to see a lot of points, and just get excited to have high scoring close games no matter the competition. For me the amount of points don't matter. I just want to be one of top teams 1AA.

When's the last time a JMU team has been 8 weeks into the season and not been ranked? 2003? JMU not ranked in a 1AA that does not include UMass, GSU, ASU, ODU makes it even worse. Apparently from the rankings - subjective and objective, there's a lot of people who see what I see.

No way this team should be worse than last year with all the returning players, and the addition of Lee. If it's not coaching, what is it?

Hopefully we turn the corner versus W&M. If we win that one, we still have a shot at the playoffs.

Bingo..