Pure speculation here, but I think it's the difference between the invited walk-ons and the walk-ons that made the team after possible tryouts? Invited walk-ons come in with the rest of the team try-out walk-ons come in later? I'm almost certain that's what happened with Delvin Joyce back in 1997.
[/quote]

According to Ron Prince who use to be an assistant coach at JMU, Delvin Joyce knocked on the football office door the first day of class and asked if he could try out. About four weeks later they were arguing about whether to pull his redshirt. You have to go some to top that rags to riches story.

(08-22-2016 07:09 PM)Dukes2Space Wrote:  Unless I missed it, has anyone noticed that Kyrie Hawkins' name has been inconspicuously absent from every conversation about the LBs? Is he falling down the depth chart?

I just sent you a PM about this.

(08-23-2016 03:56 PM)jmuroadwarrior Wrote:  

(08-22-2016 07:09 PM)Dukes2Space Wrote:  Unless I missed it, has anyone noticed that Kyrie Hawkins' name has been inconspicuously absent from every conversation about the LBs? Is he falling down the depth chart?

I just sent you a PM about this.

Uh oh...this doesn't sound good.

(08-23-2016 03:45 PM)Bogey Wrote:  Pure speculation here, but I think it's the difference between the invited walk-ons and the walk-ons that made the team after possible tryouts? Invited walk-ons come in with the rest of the team try-out walk-ons come in later? I'm almost certain that's what happened with Delvin Joyce back in 1997.

According to Ron Prince who use to be an assistant coach at JMU, Delvin Joyce knocked on the football office door the first day of class and asked if he could try out. About four weeks later they were arguing about whether to pull his redshirt. You have to go some to top that rags to riches story.
[/quote]

Bogey you scored a Birdie with that story. I loved watching Delvin play. Two games come to mind, we were playing UConn and they went up early 14-0, their cheerleaders were strutting into the end zone after each score to do their pushups. And before you know it Delvin popped a big return and the game flipped and I think we ended up winning 38-14. The other was up at Delaware when their crowd was full of venom and other spirits for their Homecoming. It was a very windy day, winds steady seemingly at least 25 mph and much higher gusts. Delaware punts from way down their end of the field and it carries all the way to our 15 yard line, Delvin busted the return for an 85 yard TD, really changed the game, got us right back in it. But wait, way behind the play is a yellow flag for holding. Brought it all back and then some. For years Mickey said that was the worse call he had ever seen, and I enjoyed rehashing it with him just to see him get riled up again. Anyway we went 3 and out and when we punted into the wind it ended up at the line of scrimmage and Delaware easily scored a TD and went onto an easy win. Anyway thanks for bringing back those memories.

(08-23-2016 05:08 PM)olddawg Wrote:  

(08-23-2016 03:56 PM)jmuroadwarrior Wrote:  

(08-22-2016 07:09 PM)Dukes2Space Wrote:  Unless I missed it, has anyone noticed that Kyrie Hawkins' name has been inconspicuously absent from every conversation about the LBs? Is he falling down the depth chart?

I just sent you a PM about this.

Uh oh...this doesn't sound good.

Nothing bad. In summary, just a lot of competition at a couple of the LB spots right now. Doesn't mean he's not going to play. No off the field stuff or anything like that. I think a lot of guys are going to be battling for PT as the year goes on. It's almost a good thing that our first two opponents are who they are at a few positions, including WR, CB, and maybe even QB. It's one thing evaluating guys in practice, but some guys just have a knack for showing up on game day.

Listening to the podcast, Houston thinks we are loaded with competition at almost every position.

(08-23-2016 06:43 PM)Dukes2Space Wrote:  

(08-23-2016 05:08 PM)olddawg Wrote:  

(08-23-2016 03:56 PM)jmuroadwarrior Wrote:  

(08-22-2016 07:09 PM)Dukes2Space Wrote:  Unless I missed it, has anyone noticed that Kyrie Hawkins' name has been inconspicuously absent from every conversation about the LBs? Is he falling down the depth chart?

I just sent you a PM about this.

Uh oh...this doesn't sound good.

Nothing bad. In summary, just a lot of competition at a couple of the LB spots right now. Doesn't mean he's not going to play. No off the field stuff or anything like that. I think a lot of guys are going to be battling for PT as the year goes on. It's almost a good thing that our first two opponents are who they are at a few positions, including WR, CB, and maybe even QB. It's one thing evaluating guys in practice, but some guys just have a knack for showing up on game day.

New defense , new coach , and new schemes and techniques. He will be okay and find his way onto the field. I think he is also trying a new position. Kyrie is a very hard worker and a good young man.

Another great piece by Madia

https://jamesmadison.rivals.com/news/jmu...-grinding-

(08-23-2016 03:45 PM)Bogey Wrote:  Pure speculation here, but I think it's the difference between the invited walk-ons and the walk-ons that made the team after possible tryouts? Invited walk-ons come in with the rest of the team try-out walk-ons come in later? I'm almost certain that's what happened with Delvin Joyce back in 1997.

According to Ron Prince who use to be an assistant coach at JMU, Delvin Joyce knocked on the football office door the first day of class and asked if he could try out. About four weeks later they were arguing about whether to pull his redshirt. You have to go some to top that rags to riches story.
[/quote]

I was on that team and knew that Delvin was not in camp when it began in early August, but he started against East Tennessee the second or third week of the season. I remember because Delvin busted a screen pass right up the middle for a 60-70 yard TD after some fine blocking by the O-line.

(08-24-2016 10:54 AM)#YEEHAWDUKES Wrote:  Another great piece by Madia

https://jamesmadison.rivals.com/news/jmu...-grinding-

awesome piece. definitely rooting for him now

(08-24-2016 02:49 PM)Halz87 Wrote:  

(08-24-2016 10:54 AM)#YEEHAWDUKES Wrote:  Another great piece by Madia

https://jamesmadison.rivals.com/news/jmu...-grinding-

awesome piece. definitely rooting for him now

Nice! Madia is starting off great. Think I'm going to subscribe to DNR again. It's good to see a DNR reporter making a real effort to put together stories of interest for football fans. In the past I felt it was becoming more like the inquirer or other tabloid.

So we're almost through training camp, and we're starting to get a feel for the strength of the various units on offense and defense. If you had to rank them, based on what we're hearing from coaches, media, as well as what we know from last season, how would you do it? Here's what I'm thinking:

1. RBs (2 special players)
2. WRs (so much depth that we'll be rock solid here all year)
3. OL/TE (based solely on the hype from the coaching staff)
4. Safeties/CBs (Sounds like decent talent and depth, with potential NFL talent at 1 position)
5. QBs (solid returner with potential upside from Mitch)
6. LBs (likely average for our league)
7. Defensive Line (kind of worried about the interior)

(I'm excluding special teams and kickers because I just have no idea)

(08-23-2016 02:48 PM)JMU_71 Wrote:  

(08-23-2016 01:41 PM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(08-23-2016 01:11 PM)jmuroadwarrior Wrote:  My oh my, trust me I was well intentioned and never wanted to stir up a mess. I will not copy or paste anything anymore.

I also did not go to the putting green as truth be told, my body has joined my golf game on the injured list. So I went to get my steps in by walking around campus and somehow ended up watching the team practice on the real grass. Looking through the chain-link is a challenge but at least I had the defense close to me. A pass break-up gets the whole defense excited but it really is a chore to cover our receivers, especially when our play action freezes/fools them and the OL protects. There was another longer pass TD completion to Trai Sharp today. Ravenel is still wearing a redshirt, why take it off now I'm thinking. Starting Monday Walk-ons can practice. It always amazes me how the practices are so well organized, so I imagine that the Walk-ons will be blended in. I really admire them, and who knows, one of them may become the starting center a few years from now.

There was a nice piece on our two RBs on WHSV last night and that link is available on their web site.

(Tomorrow I will head to Jess's Lunch and start interviewing lawyers. As it sounds like I may need one.)

Since when did walkons have to wait till week 3 of camp to be allowed to practice?? Its used to be the walkons started practice at the same time the scholly freshmen did..

Pure speculation here, but I think it's the difference between the invited walk-ons and the walk-ons that made the team after possible tryouts? Invited walk-ons come in with the rest of the team try-out walk-ons come in later? I'm almost certain that's what happened with Delvin Joyce back in 1997.

DIV 1 allows 105 players at camp -- scholarship and walk-ons. Those walk-ons not at camp are either players that they decided to red-shirt, players that did not do summer workouts and attend class, or any player not yet academically eligible (summer class grades not in).

(08-24-2016 05:59 PM)norvirginia Wrote:  

(08-23-2016 02:48 PM)JMU_71 Wrote:  

(08-23-2016 01:41 PM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(08-23-2016 01:11 PM)jmuroadwarrior Wrote:  My oh my, trust me I was well intentioned and never wanted to stir up a mess. I will not copy or paste anything anymore.

I also did not go to the putting green as truth be told, my body has joined my golf game on the injured list. So I went to get my steps in by walking around campus and somehow ended up watching the team practice on the real grass. Looking through the chain-link is a challenge but at least I had the defense close to me. A pass break-up gets the whole defense excited but it really is a chore to cover our receivers, especially when our play action freezes/fools them and the OL protects. There was another longer pass TD completion to Trai Sharp today. Ravenel is still wearing a redshirt, why take it off now I'm thinking. Starting Monday Walk-ons can practice. It always amazes me how the practices are so well organized, so I imagine that the Walk-ons will be blended in. I really admire them, and who knows, one of them may become the starting center a few years from now.

There was a nice piece on our two RBs on WHSV last night and that link is available on their web site.

(Tomorrow I will head to Jess's Lunch and start interviewing lawyers. As it sounds like I may need one.)

Since when did walkons have to wait till week 3 of camp to be allowed to practice?? Its used to be the walkons started practice at the same time the scholly freshmen did..

Pure speculation here, but I think it's the difference between the invited walk-ons and the walk-ons that made the team after possible tryouts? Invited walk-ons come in with the rest of the team try-out walk-ons come in later? I'm almost certain that's what happened with Delvin Joyce back in 1997.

DIV 1 allows 105 players at camp -- scholarship and walk-ons. Those walk-ons not at camp are either players that they decided to red-shirt, players that did not do summer workouts and attend class, or any player not yet academically eligible (summer class grades not in).

I forgot depth chart reasons. Say you have 6 on the wide receiver and linebacker depth charts and you have a player sitting at number 6 on the wide receiver depth chart. No matter if the player is a walk-on or has a scholarship a coach may decide that he has enough depth or knows who will play so they only bring 5 wide receivers at camp. But the coach doesn't really have a strong idea of who will play at linebacker so he brings all 6 linebackers to camp.

(08-24-2016 05:24 PM)chicagoduke Wrote:  1. RBs (2 special players)

I think this position goes 4-deep with starter-quality talent outside of the big 2 (CJ & KA). Trai Sharp & Taylor Woods are really quality RBs.

Has there been much said about the safeties? I assume Greene will be one of the starters and Branch and Johnson are potentially competing for the other spot? Also saw that some of the guys who are battling for PT have the ability to play safety as well. I was not all that impressed with last year's play back there.

(08-24-2016 07:46 PM)Dukes2Space Wrote:  Has there been much said about the safeties? I assume Greene will be one of the starters and Branch and Johnson are potentially competing for the other spot? Also saw that some of the guys who are battling for PT have the ability to play safety as well. I was not all that impressed with last year's play back there.

I would imagine Jordan Brown will be in the mix too at safety after switching over from corner. He played a lot last year- 8 starts.

(08-24-2016 05:24 PM)chicagoduke Wrote:  So we're almost through training camp, and we're starting to get a feel for the strength of the various units on offense and defense. If you had to rank them, based on what we're hearing from coaches, media, as well as what we know from last season, how would you do it? Here's what I'm thinking:

1. RBs (2 special players)
2. WRs (so much depth that we'll be rock solid here all year)
3. OL/TE (based solely on the hype from the coaching staff)
4. Safeties/CBs (Sounds like decent talent and depth, with potential NFL talent at 1 position)
5. QBs (solid returner with potential upside from Mitch)
6. LBs (likely average for our league)
7. Defensive Line (kind of worried about the interior)

(I'm excluding special teams and kickers because I just have no idea)

Based off returning players and what I have read and heard out of camp I would rank the units the same as your list. I hope our front seven can be physical this year at the point of attack.

(08-24-2016 08:16 PM)Rock House Duke Wrote:  

(08-24-2016 05:24 PM)chicagoduke Wrote:  So we're almost through training camp, and we're starting to get a feel for the strength of the various units on offense and defense. If you had to rank them, based on what we're hearing from coaches, media, as well as what we know from last season, how would you do it? Here's what I'm thinking:

1. RBs (2 special players)
2. WRs (so much depth that we'll be rock solid here all year)
3. OL/TE (based solely on the hype from the coaching staff)
4. Safeties/CBs (Sounds like decent talent and depth, with potential NFL talent at 1 position)
5. QBs (solid returner with potential upside from Mitch)
6. LBs (likely average for our league)
7. Defensive Line (kind of worried about the interior)

(I'm excluding special teams and kickers because I just have no idea)

Based off returning players and what I have read and heard out of camp I would rank the units the same as your list. I hope our front seven can be physical this year at the point of attack.

What's up with Jimmy f-in Mooreland ?

(08-24-2016 08:11 PM)olddawg Wrote:  

(08-24-2016 07:46 PM)Dukes2Space Wrote:  Has there been much said about the safeties? I assume Greene will be one of the starters and Branch and Johnson are potentially competing for the other spot? Also saw that some of the guys who are battling for PT have the ability to play safety as well. I was not all that impressed with last year's play back there.

I would imagine Jordan Brown will be in the mix too at safety after switching over from corner. He played a lot last year- 8 starts.

I think Jordan Brown is much more suited to safety. He is fast but was not a very good CB. I think he will also be an excellent special teams player with his speed.