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2025 Sun Belt Football Previews: James Madison Dukes
69 Plays2 months ago
Brian and Zeke are here to preview the 2025 James Madison Dukes, led by second-year coach Bob Chesney. After a fairly successful year 1, how will JMU respond to losing starting QB Alonza Barnett III for an indeterminate amount of time and the emergence of Matthew Sluka?
James Madison is also replacing pieces on defense with a number of transfers, will JMU meet expectations and represent the East in the Sun Belt title game (finally?).
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Transcript
Introduction and Humor
00:00:15
Speaker
Welcome everybody back to another edition of Warm Weather Fans, the Sunbelt Podcast. My name is Brian Stone once again here this week with Zeke Palermo. Zeke, you are broadcasting from what looks like the abyss.
00:00:30
Speaker
How's it going? Well, this is where Old Dominion fans sent me after last week's episode, Brian. i I'm doomed to year two eternity until Old Dominion puts together a, in my eyes, offensively competent or well-rounded season.
00:00:50
Speaker
ah So I'm here for probably until my grandkids are born.
Interactions with James Madison Fans
00:00:56
Speaker
You know, getting onto the subject that we're talking about today, the James Madison Dukes, I have to say,
00:01:06
Speaker
It's weird to me that James Madison seems like on the surface, they would be the team that would talk the most crap. But I feel like 99% of my interactions with James Madison fans on social media have been positive, like just kind of like normal ribbing stuff. Like I haven't had anybody, haven't had anybody with a purple ah color scheme in their, in their avatar. Tell me to go to hell lately.
00:01:32
Speaker
yeah, But it's weird the ratio of like the teams that should be talking shit like the fan bases that should be talking shit to the ones that actually are are like totally out of whack. Like if JMU fans were like everybody is is pretenders and you guys wouldn't let us go to the conference title game when we should have.
00:01:53
Speaker
I wouldn't really have anything to say in response to that. I'd be like, you're, you're kind of right. But it's weird to me that the fan bases that have the least room to talk are the ones that are talking the loudest.
00:02:03
Speaker
So, I mean, it's because you have the most to prove, right? Excuse me as I readjust. I'm actually, so
Podcast Setting and Visuals
00:02:10
Speaker
in reality, I'm, I'm actually on the lake right now. You can't see it behind me, but I'm, my feet are in the sand.
00:02:16
Speaker
um So I'm at a picnic table um right now. So please excuse me if you get any feedback. There's also been a bear sighting in the area. I'm sorry, but this podcast would do numbers if a bear just came and sniped you right now. amen we're We're trying to really upscale this operation, and that and i would expedite that.
00:02:39
Speaker
Listen, if if you are listening to this podcast and not watching it, visit us, youtube.com slash at warm weather fans. You might see during this recording, Zeke get taken away by a black bear. So that would be a fun little ah tidbit that before YouTube totally bans our channel for ah snuff posting that. Yeah.
00:02:59
Speaker
Yeah. For posting a snuff film. um
James Madison's Season Under Bob Chesney
00:03:02
Speaker
All right. So we are here, like I said, to talk about James Madison. A good first season for Bob Chesney.
00:03:10
Speaker
I know ah for a lot of James Madison fans, this the season was not quite up to par from their past standards with Kurt Signetti. But frankly, like when you compare what these new coaches do when they come in and, you know,
00:03:29
Speaker
This team was was pretty hollowed out as far as talent went like a lot left with Signetti or, you know, Jordan McLeod transferred to Texas State. So you're starting over at quarterback. You're starting over at a lot of different positions.
00:03:41
Speaker
You know, they could have easily went the way of Troy and been like, we're just not we're just not going to be competitive this season. Like, there's really nothing we can do about it. And then. you know, they went eight games in the regular season, including a ninth in the bowl game.
00:03:57
Speaker
I thought what was ah pretty good, like I said, first season for Bob Chesney, some good stuff to build upon. um Unfortunately, there was a ah major injury that we'll get into that, that we need to kind of talk about, but what were your kind of overall thoughts on year one for Bob Chesney at ah James Madison?
00:04:16
Speaker
I mean, it it was as good as you could have asked for, right? Eight and four overall, nine and four after the bowl game. Four and four in conference definitely leaves something to be desired, especially as they play in the East, which last year and probably this year feels really top heavy. There feels like some guys there the you know below top two, maybe top three.
00:04:37
Speaker
um you know The other five feel like kind of easy picking. So...
Quarterback Dilemmas and Injuries
00:04:40
Speaker
you know that If we're here to nitpick, which we are, um that's that stuff that you um think could have gone better. but i mean not it It was an exceptional big first season because Kurt Signetti took everything except the quarterback when he left, ah and then the quarterback still left because he ended up at Texas State.
00:05:00
Speaker
ah They keep Alonzo Barnett, which is a big key to their success. um because before Jordan McLeod even won the job, he won it over Alonzo Barnett, or actually Alonzo Barnett, I believe, won the job. What was it? Yeah, Barnett had won the job, yeah. So, I mean, it wasn't like they were starting from ground zero, but, I mean, they're in a really, really good spot.
00:05:18
Speaker
I think they're... Gosh, this is what, year four for them in the FBS? Maybe even year three? um And they're setting themselves up for like real long-term G5 success, um assuming Chesney sticker sticks around. I think he's done a really good job but bringing in talent. um There are some holes that we'll talk about and holes that are consistent with...
00:05:42
Speaker
Issues that I brought up with other teams, I promise I'm not picking on you, Monarchs. um There are issues that with this team, but like i mean you've got quarterback set. The running back room is pretty set.
00:05:55
Speaker
I feel good about the the defense and the offensive line. so they're They're in a really good spot, and I'm really excited for them this year. Yeah, so speaking of... you you may You already said something about it, but let's let's talk about the quarterback spot. So Alonzo Barnett, the last I read was an article that was updated three days ago that did not sound like he was going to be ready for this season at the start, if not the whole season.
00:06:22
Speaker
There was even a comment I read from ah Chesney that said, yeah, I believe he's going to play football again. and like that... does not give you a ton of confidence especially for this upcoming season if not for whatever his career you know looks like after after 2025 so first off you know best of luck to Barnett we hope the recovery goes well you know he tore his ACL last season late against Marshall uh during that big comeback that Marshall had
00:06:53
Speaker
um But you do get transfer Matthew Sluka, ah who comes over from UNLV, a ah very tenuous ah time that he spent at UNLV, but has experience with Chesney, played for him at Holy Cross ah for three years, I want to say. So it was like 2020 to 2023. He was with Chesney at Holy Cross.
00:07:16
Speaker
and Like I said, had had ah had some good performances, a little bit low completion percentage last year at UNLV. um Do you want to explain the situation at UNLV and kind of how his exit happened, or do you want me to take that? I mean, I'll give my best run at it because we're about a year removed, but i mean, UNLV was...
00:07:38
Speaker
about as hot as a UNLV team can be considered um through the first couple of weeks. There was a lot of hype and a couple of weeks in, I mean, correct me if I'm wrong. Matthew Sluka just said, I'm not playing. You guys promised me amount of NIL, X amount of, um you know, booster money or whatever.
00:07:57
Speaker
However, the, um, donor situation works there and they pretty much just didn't back it up and he said well I'm not going to play for you um which was a really landmark situation and one luckily that we haven't seen again since I'm sure there have been spot instances but like that was you should know that guy that tri Jaden Rashada did the same thing from what what did he go from Florida to Georgia is he Georgia still I don't i don't even know you know i but He did the same thing at Florida, but I don't think he ever... I don't know that he got ever got off the I don't think he even played. yeah so
00:08:33
Speaker
like it was a pretty novel situation. and i i was really enamored because as we're still trying to like iron out all the creases here, that was a really unique situation of a guy saying, like well, you promised me this, and if if you're going to if we're going to do this whole pay-for-play type thing, you've got to pay me.
00:08:51
Speaker
um yeah you know I don't want to dip too far into it, but you know we We just saw an executive order that was like, hey, we're going to get rid of pay for play. you Your NIL deals have to um equate like the actual sponsorship that you're performing. And I think um if looking exclusively at that and nothing else that's going on right now ah out of that office, it's like...
00:09:14
Speaker
I can get behind that. I think that's a really important thing to do and can be really good for a college football. But so that's Matthew Sluka's ah situation. He played like three games at UNLV last year um and was pretty pretty hot for them starting the year.
00:09:30
Speaker
um But he he is a year away from football and that worries me. Alonzo Barnett. I mean, he's still not cleared for contact as to the reports I'm understanding. um So he's a ways away. yeah,
00:09:41
Speaker
you know As we get into it, if he shows up week six, week seven, um obviously there will be a transition period back into like full full form. But ah you know I think Matthew Sluka, from what we've seen, is capable of holding down the fort um to preserve bull eligibility down the line.
Offensive and Defensive Analyses
00:09:59
Speaker
right I know that he put up pretty good numbers at Holy Cross in 2023 when he played for Chesney. um You know, I have it right here. 62% completion percentage, 1,728 yards, 20 touchdowns to five picks.
00:10:14
Speaker
Ran for 1,200 yards. I mean, I know the guy is, like, mobile, but that's... I mean, we're we're talking, like... Lamar Jackson type yeah like rushing numbers. i mean like that Even the best rushers running quarterbacks that we see in the Sun Belt don't put up anything close to that. so That would be insane.
00:10:34
Speaker
i do i mean I know that he his completion percentage at UNLV last season was not good. um Now, I don't know... Because of the guy that came in after him that played pretty well, that was a Campbell transfer like that Georgia Southern actually played against. So like that was the only reason I knew who he was.
00:10:52
Speaker
but He ended up kind of playing pretty well in his absence. And I think people kind of forgot about the Sluka situation just because of that. But outside of him, you have... it If for some reason it's not Sluka Sluka gets injured or or what have you, you've also got Camden Coleman, ah who is a transfer from Richmond. They've actually got a couple of Richmond transfers coming over from the FCS level. So we'll we'll see how they slayed in.
00:11:17
Speaker
And then you still got JC Evans, who played sparingly last year, ah including, I think, in the bowl game. um Yeah. So... Yeah, I mean, they've got a pretty deep quarterback room as it as it stands.
00:11:33
Speaker
It'll be very interesting to see how it all shakes out. I i assume Sluka's going to play just because of the continuity with the coach. But, you know, we've seen it at James Madison, at least with previous the previous regime, like anything can happen at the quarterback spot. So we'll we'll see how that all pans out.
00:11:52
Speaker
Uh, do you want to, you want to talk a little bit about their running back room? Because it's, it's also a pretty deep unit as well. I mean, yeah, this is just a group that brings back, you know, there's three top rushers. Um, our Barnett obviously ran a lot, but you look at their top three running backs all back. George Petaway was exceptional.
00:12:10
Speaker
He nearly touched a thousand yards and his relief was Wayne Knight, who was averaging almost six yards a carry. And the behind them, Joby Maleri, 270 on the season. So, I mean, this is just a very experienced group. um We've talked to, we we really like experience at running back guys that have, like George Petaway, who took 162 carries last year.
00:12:30
Speaker
um So that that's a guy that's proven that he can play um a full season as your top guy. He also adds a lot in the ah the past game. I think he had like 200 yards receiving. um yeah, 24 and 200 in the receiving game last year. So he had a lot in that element as well. So I think from a from a depth perspective and from an experience perspective, I mean, they're Your three guys that won you eight games last year are all back. ah yeah you know It's hard to say much outside of that.
00:12:59
Speaker
um But that that really, to step on the toes of the next position group, really pales or makes the the returning receiver room look a lot worse because your top four receivers are all no longer there through transfer, through graduation, um which...
00:13:16
Speaker
as I alluded to earlier, gives me a lot of worry. i like I like experience in my receiving rooms. I like guys that have performed at an FBS level um because i think you know if you can run, you can run. If you're fast and can hit a hole, you're fast and can hit a hole.
00:13:31
Speaker
um But it it doesn't translate like that ah receiver. like You've got to get open. You've got to get open. You've got to win the ball. um And so that that that's where i have concerns most, obviously outside of just patching that hole until Alonzo Barnett gets healthy.
00:13:47
Speaker
Yeah, so you know maybe they lean on this really deep running back room, which Phil Steele you know obviously based a lot of our information on his magazine, has them slated as the top, the best running back unit in the conference, just from like a depth perspective. I believe he also has...
00:14:05
Speaker
um the the quarterback room listed as maybe not the best as far as top end talent goes, but the deepest quarterback room where he's like, we've, we've seen four guys, three guys, but ive we we have a fourth in, in Camden Coleman who played at Richmond, but he was like, they have three or four options at quarterback that can all play with like JC Evans, Coleman, Sluka, like, you know, any of these guys could slot in on a given day and, and give you like a respectable performance. So,
00:14:34
Speaker
it's really It should be really encouraging that they have two deep units at at quarterback and running back. I do agree with you about the receiving position. um It's kind of the same thing, maybe not to as an extreme extent, but it's kind of the same thing that Old Dominion's dealing with, where it's like i you have a lot of these ah FCS transfers um and guys that really haven't produced at other places.
00:15:00
Speaker
um So you're... I mean, here's the difference to me. JMU has earned the benefit of the doubt that they can find the right FCS guys to call up.
00:15:11
Speaker
Whereas... you know Old Dominion is like, if we get a guy that catches has 800 yards at the end of the season, we're counting that as a win, but like one person. Whereas like you know Chesney brought a lot of talent with him when he came up from Holy holy Cross.
00:15:27
Speaker
So i feel pretty good that just based on you know the little track record that we have with him, that he's going to be able to identify guys at the FCS level that fit his system and can produce.
00:15:39
Speaker
Yeah, the another difference is a lot of Old Dominion dipped three levels lower. They weren't going to FCS. They were going to JUCO. um But ah in terms of receiving rooms, you get we're looking at Richmond's top two receivers. We're looking him Villanova's top receiver, all joining the team. Obviously, if it's... a If it's Sluka, you imagine that he's got some... Or I'm sorry, if it's Coleman, if he gets any tick, ah you'd imagine he has that kind of repertoire with the guys ah from Richmond. The room, as it stands, we're looking again at Phil Steele. He's got Jalen Sanchez ah transferred in from Villanova. Again, he was Villanova's top guy, i believe, last year.
00:16:20
Speaker
um Nick DiGennaro, who was at Richmond. He was second-team all-conference. And then Isaiah Alston, who... ah He's not the Richmond guy. Played 11 games at Iowa State.
00:16:31
Speaker
Right. And, you know, that that's kind of a weird one because he also did time in Army, and I'm not certain I want a team pulling their receivers from Army of all places. But know um but then you do get later down the depth chart, you look at Landon Ellis, who was also part of Richmond last year. So they're going to the same spot. they They've got a quarterback and two receivers. There's something there, certainly. And um At some point, we'll see those guys play together.
00:16:54
Speaker
Even if it's not week one, we'll see them in garbage time or in a bowl game. If Barnett's not healthy that time, or you know, at some point we're going see that. And I think that could be three guys that, you know, maybe that connection still there. And shoot, I mean, Barnett's a junior. So Coleman, hey, man, show that you can do it here and move on somewhere else.
00:17:15
Speaker
Yeah, Barnett may get a ah ah medical redshirt before all is said and done. So he might still have two more seasons ahead of him based on... i can't imagine if he's not 100% that they're going to rush him back given the depth that they have with like some of the other guys that we mentioned, plus Sluka, ah who who played for Chesney. So Chesney kind of knows what he's getting.
00:17:37
Speaker
Yeah. The one thing I will say is I remember a couple of games last year, and this is before we get to the offensive line, where JMU fans, I felt like wanted to... ah start a GoFundMe to buy out their offensive coordinator, Dean Kennedy, um where there were games specifically like the Georgia Southern game comes to mind.
00:17:58
Speaker
I think ULM was another one that comes to mind where it was like their fades online were just, what are we doing? Like, what in what is this? So I think a lot of ah lot My concern comes from, are they going to stop themselves or are they going to figure out what went wrong at points last year?
00:18:20
Speaker
you know Obviously, the the Marshall comeback is is its own thing with with the Barnett tearing his ACL in that game. but there are other games where it's just like, they just didn't show up.
00:18:31
Speaker
And I know that them in Georgia Southern have this like trade-off where it's whoever plays at home seems to win by double digits and it's not even really close. So they do get them in Virginia this year. So that's a plus, but I think the big key is, are, are they going to be able to get out of their own way and, and kind of find a game plan that works for Sluka?
00:18:51
Speaker
And because, like I said, you've got that continuity with the, the ex coach and and him, i I have a feeling Chesney knows the best way to deploy him. so yeah they were like I remember getting really frustrated with James Madison last year because obviously they had the the UNC game where that's like 70-50, right?
00:19:10
Speaker
yeah And then the next week they dropped like 60-something on Ball State. um But then you can only put up 19 against ULM. Like, that's a that's a that should be a conference layup. Same thing. I know there's the rivalry there, but, like, 14 against Georgia Southern ain't going to cut it.
00:19:25
Speaker
um 20 against App State, again, that's, like, i think there's some, like, light rivalry stuff there, and, like, that ain't going to cut it. 20 against App State, that. So I really need to see...
00:19:40
Speaker
UNC and c in Ball State, it was easy to dismiss those very early on as empty numbers. um and like i know't i don't But the we get removed from them, those feel so empty.
00:19:52
Speaker
because when Again, like the ULM game is really one that sticks out. 19 against that that team, you're it that that was just a really, really poor showing. Yeah. like that of of their games last year, excluding the Marshall game, obviously, and the UNC game because that 70-50, you don't forget that.
00:20:10
Speaker
That ULM loss is one that like really, really still sticks with me. I think last year, if I remember correctly, and I have to go back and listen, we pretty much were, we didn't know what kind of UNC team we were getting, but I think we pretty much were like, this is a very good win for them to kind of pave their road throughout the season.
00:20:33
Speaker
And what we found out is a UNC wasn't very good because obviously they canned Matt Brown. ah But B, it was also like what you said, the two teams you beat,
00:20:44
Speaker
are UNC who canned their head coach and Ball State who, to my recollections, never had a competitive football program. I mean, I don't follow the Mac, so I could be wrong on that, but that's that's the way I saw it.
00:20:56
Speaker
And then, like you said, you know, i think... with the circumstances, you could dismiss the Georgia Southern loss in theory because it's in Statesboro. Like I said, it seems to be who whichever team plays at home wins by double digits. So it's just kind of a wash at that point. um But yeah, the ULM loss was bad, especially with the way that ULM got figured out and and had like a real, real backslide at the end of last season.
00:21:23
Speaker
And yeah, it was just, they, they seem to be, you know, getting to the peak of like how they were going to perform. And then it just never, it never happened.
00:21:33
Speaker
So yeah um let's talk about the offensive line a little bit. So they return ah two starters and Carter Sweezy, the left guard who started 10 games or eight games last year, played in 10. And then Pat McMurtry, who was first team Sunbelt right tackle ah for them.
00:21:51
Speaker
Um, you do, uh, you do have Joseph Simmons on the line. You have Riley Robel. Uh, some of these guys have had, uh, limited playing time.
00:22:03
Speaker
And then you've got, ah the center Zach Greenberg, who, ah you know i guess he only started one game for UNC last year, but I guess from the sideline, he looked and liked what he saw from JMU when they were shellacking the Tar Heels. so you've got You've got that going for you.
00:22:19
Speaker
um Like I said, until I have a reason not to, I know that they have the two returning starters, but I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt on the line until have a reason not to. I want to see it, obviously, on Saturday before I crown them East champs, but but I feel pretty good about where the offense is as ah as a whole.
00:22:42
Speaker
Yeah, it's a solid group. um I think the fresh center is definitely concerning. um ah Per Phil Steele, this is a guy that two years ago was first team all-conference in Division III.
00:22:55
Speaker
um So, you know, up to you on how much that matters. and That's going to be a person-by-person thing. um But it's a pretty fresh offensive line, things considered. But I completely agree with you. I think you're returning an all-sunbelt guy.
00:23:09
Speaker
um and it like it pains me because it feels a little lazy, but yeah, like I have had no qualms with this offensive line previously, um so I see no reason to start now, especially when you're returning guys on either side of the line, left and right.
00:23:27
Speaker
Yeah, um... I will say last year they did allow 34 sacks as a unit, um which wasn't great. And I think that obviously that needs to improve.
00:23:39
Speaker
But I think, you know, you get McMurtry back again, first team all conference, who was like a real bedrock for them on the right side. And I also think, you know, if Sluka...
00:23:51
Speaker
yeah the the The qualm that I had with Barnett last season was his decision-making. It seemed to come in and out at spurts. like He seemed like... you know The UNC game, great.
00:24:04
Speaker
Every decision felt like it was the right one, made the right reads through the ball where it needed to be, things like that. And then... You know, you had games like, again, ULM, Georgia Southern, where the offensive line doesn't hold up.
00:24:17
Speaker
And when he was taken off schedule, it felt like he he was he was just not ready to kind of cope with that. So... We'll see how Sluka responds because he's now at his third school in three years.
00:24:32
Speaker
um But yeah, I mean, you know, I think the amount of scrambling ability he has, if the offensive line still has issues, I feel better about him being able to get out of it than I did Barnett, who I felt like sometimes would even run into
Running Game and Defensive Changes
00:24:47
Speaker
trouble.
00:24:47
Speaker
So. Yeah, that was a situation that we saw, again, just drawing comparisons to so teams we've already previewed with Old Dominion. Their offensive line numbers were inflated or, I guess, deflated because it made them look worse.
00:25:02
Speaker
And that's just because you've got Colton Joseph running behind there. And we're still playing by the stupid rule that any quarterback tackle behind the line is a sack. um So when you have a mobile guy, it's going to really artificially inflate those sacks.
00:25:16
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, look at the rush game. James Madison's rush game is exceptional and has been. um It's a good group. Yeah. um All right.
00:25:27
Speaker
Transitioning to the the defensive side of the ball, they do have a new defensive coordinator in Colin Hitchler, um who coached at Cincinnati, Wisconsin, and Alabama over the last three seasons.
00:25:39
Speaker
Yeah. So here's the thing. So you get four starters back on defense. um You get basically a couple, at you get at least one at each level. So you've got Emmanuel Bush, the nose guard is back 6'1", 320.
00:25:56
Speaker
ah He projects again as a guy who's just going to eat up space. Like we've talked about with a lot of these nose tackles. Um, what How do you feel about this defensive line? Because typically, you know, when we go back to the Signetti years, I mean, they were an absolute monster with the defensive line. I mean, they had two of the top sack getters in the conference.
00:26:19
Speaker
I think they had two or three ah first team all conference defensive tackle slash defensive ends. So how do you feel about this this front for them?
00:26:29
Speaker
I'm in a real wait-and-see mode um because because my initial reaction to looking at this group and understanding this group really differs then from what Phil Steele projects, ah which makes me—we respect what he thinks a lot ah here, so i it gives me a lot of pause because he has this defensive line as the best in the conference.
00:26:51
Speaker
um And Emmanuel Bush was really good. Again, he's yeah space eater, so his counting stats are not supposed to be exceptional. um Phil Steele has Aiden Gobaria, who was a Notre Dame transfer, who hasn't played. But again, per Phil Steele was his 30th ranked transfer. So he really highly rates this group.
00:27:09
Speaker
But, um you know, we're seeing a lot of guys in this rotation that, you know, at all levels of the depth chart are just guys that have played sparingly You know, they're 15, 20 tackle a game or season guys, sack and a half type guys. um So, ah you know, ah my personal thought is I'm worried. I don't see where the sack production is really going to come.
00:27:32
Speaker
i I've got at this point no real reason to fear any guys coming off of the edge at this point. Um, but I, I was really perplexed to see that Phil Steele has them ranked so highly.
00:27:46
Speaker
And that gives me a lot of reason to sit and think like I'm clearly missing something. Um, so it's a wait and see and figure out what it is I'm missing on that front.
00:27:58
Speaker
Yeah, i mean, maybe maybe he's giving them a little bit too much of benefit of the doubt. ah They do add 29 transfers as a team this season, and you see ah some of that, like you said, on the defensive side of the ball with Gobera, Andrew Taddeo from Colgate. There's just a lot of these guys that are will be like rotational pieces slash starting who come from other places and didn't.
00:28:28
Speaker
Either didn't play like super high level football or didn't um didn't really produce at those levels. yeah So we'll see as a unit if they can bring them together. I'm going to be interested to see what this new defensive coordinator does.
00:28:40
Speaker
um They seem to be running kind of a four to five ah defense, which aligns with what they've done in the past. So if it ain't broke, don't fix it. um And then at the linebacker spot, you've got Trent Hendrick, who returns from last year, made 12 starts, 54 tackles, three sacks, six tackles for a loss.
00:29:01
Speaker
um And then you've also got Gannon Weathersby, ah who played very sparingly or produced sparingly last year, 21 tackles. So... um I think those tackle numbers, Zeke, I know tackle's favorite stat for you, but um I think both of those tackle numbers for both Weathersby and Hendrick have to go way, way up ah because this defensive line, you know other than Bush, doesn't project to have a ton ah of experience.
00:29:28
Speaker
um at least for the guys with Gobera, McMullen, Thomas, who are starting outside of Bush. So I think that the linebackers are really going to have to come up and and make some serious tackles in the run game, especially.
00:29:42
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, as we understand it today, they are going to run like a 4-2-5 type front or type defense, and that's really, really demanding on your linebackers. I mean, just because there's no one else in that space.
00:29:54
Speaker
um It brings me comfort to see that they bring ah back a lot more production in their back in the defensive backs. They've got three or four different guys coming back um from that front, and obviously those become even more important, especially the run-stopping ability when you're only playing two two traditional linebackers.
00:30:14
Speaker
But yeah, those guys are just going to have to improve on getting into the spots. Hendrick, as you said, 54 tackles, I don't care about tackles, but you need more if you're playing in a 4-2-5, right? If you're going to be one of those inside guys.
00:30:28
Speaker
Weathersby, I mean, he was here last year, so I trust that they're going to be able to figure it out, but i I'm not certain that that's going to be... Of the three units in the defense, I think this will probably be the weakest, but that's also just unfair because in a 4-2-5, it's always going to be your weakest group.
00:30:47
Speaker
Well, it's also like... I don't know if Weathersby's specific job is pass coverage, but he's he's undersized. He's listed at 5'10", 208 in Phil Steele's magazine.
00:30:58
Speaker
Now, again, maybe he's like a glorified safety rover type position where he comes down in the box and And covers tight ends and and slot receivers and things like that.
00:31:09
Speaker
um And maybe sideline to sideline tackling is not exactly his the best use of his skill set. But we'll we'll see. I mean, you know, again, Hendrick kind of needs to own the linebacking unit and really, you know, be involved in the run game.
00:31:24
Speaker
um All right. So the secondary here, you do get a little bit more production than you do from either the linebackers or the the upfront spot. So Jacob Thomas is the big one that returns from last year. He was second team all Sunbelt at the free safety spot.
00:31:40
Speaker
He's going to have to kind of be the the leader of the secondary, I think. um you get some other guys coming in, uh, you know, Elijah cult, uh, who is going to play, uh, basically the boundary, uh, transfers in from Charlotte.
00:31:56
Speaker
You've got DJ barksdale, um, who is the nickel corner, uh, last year, you know, 42 tackles, two interceptions in 13 games. So, I think it looks a little better on paper. You're still kind of leaning on some of these transfers like Curtis Harris Lopez out of Holy Cross, who obviously probably Chesney knows.
00:32:17
Speaker
um And then you got Makai Rogers, who's out of St. Francis. So, yeah, I i mean, i guess at least you've got Thomas there to kind of anchor that unit. I mean, that would be the biggest thing I guess I would take away at free safety.
00:32:30
Speaker
Yeah, I think Barksdale is going to be a real... ah His performance, assuming he starts at that nickel spot, is going to be a real... um it's It's going to depend a lot on him ah with our concerns at the linebacker. and just you know Obviously, he has to play a very tweener spot.
00:32:47
Speaker
He's really small. He's 5'9", 184, so he's not like a traditional um type of box nickel, a guy who's a little heavier, and you expect to kind of fill ah perhaps more edge run...
00:32:58
Speaker
ah run gap-filling responsibilities. um i But I think between the three groups, the defensive backs are the ones that I have most promise in. and I mean, we're obviously, Thomas, as you said, second team all-conference last year.
00:33:12
Speaker
um It seemed like... Bob Chesney's all the guys he's bringing up from Holy Cross have seemed to pan out pretty well for them. um There's not. So I trust that he liked this.
00:33:24
Speaker
He liked Harris Lopez enough to bring him back. So that's got to mean something. So I feel pretty optimistic, especially when looking at the other groups and, you know, looking at what they have.
00:33:35
Speaker
I feel pretty optimistic about the defensive backs. Plus Chesney's forte, ah at least what he played in college was defensive back. So you've got to think that he's kind of got an eye for that that position and knows kind of what it takes to to succeed there.
00:33:51
Speaker
um Last year, they were really good as a unit. They gave up 20.5 points per game and just 322 yards. They were one of the top defenses in the Sun Belt. I mean, by a yardage total.
00:34:02
Speaker
You know, 2023 was a really impressive team that they put out there. Statistically, based on yardage, their defense was even better last year than they were in 23 when they had McLeod and and all ah and all those guys under Signity in his last year. So we'll we'll see if they can continue that momentum that they kind of started from from last year when Chesney took over.
00:34:22
Speaker
So let's transition over to the the
Upcoming Schedule and Final Thoughts
00:34:24
Speaker
schedule here. Yeah. You've got Weber state in the opener. You've got to assume that's a win. Uh, we, had we actually had, uh, an FCS fan get mad in our, uh, comments, uh, on one of our videos because we underrated their FCS team and they thought they thought we should have taken their team more seriously. Sorry, Weber state fans. We just think Jamie is probably gonna be a better team.
00:34:50
Speaker
No, you know, no offense. Uh, Then they play Louisville on a Friday night. I actually have a friend here ah who's both a Louisville season ticket holder and went to JMU.
00:35:00
Speaker
Oh, cool. So he he's going to be at that game. And I assume he's going to be wearing like a house divided shirt like Travis Kelsey's mom ah during the Super Bowl a couple years ago.
00:35:11
Speaker
Yeah. I'm going be honest that I don't really know what Louisville is looking like this year. um Last year, they were all over the map. Tyler Shutt was like one of the the least predictable quarterbacks I've seen in a minute.
00:35:25
Speaker
So I truly have no idea what they're running out there. ah But Braum's a hell of a coach. So I'm just going to I'm going to tentatively say Jamie drops that one. i I truly don't know until I watch them play.
00:35:36
Speaker
Then you get a bye week. You play at Liberty. I'm sorry. if Ethan Vasco starting, I think that's a way I don't think the best is going to beat them. Uh, then like I said, Georgia Southern at home until both teams can break this holding pattern of whoever plays at home wins by a lot.
00:35:55
Speaker
I I'm just going to keep picking the home team and by the spread, because frankly, why, why not? Um, in the last, in the last four meetings, um, The team that is at home is 4-0 straight up and against the spread.
00:36:10
Speaker
So literally, you could probably set a line at whatever you want for that game. JMU is a favorite, and they'll probably cover. ah Then you get Georgia State. That's probably a win as well. I think the Louisiana game is going to be really fun.
00:36:22
Speaker
ah They play Louisiana at home October eleven Uh, you play old dominion on homecoming. I think old dominion or it is probably going to lose that game to James Madison. Uh, unless James Madison just, we find out that this defensive unit or or whatnot is just not, not cutting it.
00:36:39
Speaker
Uh, at Texas state three days before Halloween, Texas state's usually hit a rough patch in their schedule by this point in the season. Uh, then they play, they get a bi-week and then you get the four pack of Marshall app state, Washington state, coastal,
00:36:58
Speaker
ah kind of think they could go for it. I don't really know what to expect out of Washington State, but they play Washington State at home, which is a good get for them. I'm going to be honest. I mean, this isn't like going to make the the the monday Monday newspapers, but their their win total is seven and a half. I think they're easily going to win eight games at least.
00:37:19
Speaker
I think the schedule is pretty favorable. I think um I think their team is going to be pretty good. Now, are they going to be the monster that they were in 2023? Probably not.
00:37:31
Speaker
But i I mean, look at the teams. Like I said, they have to play Weber State, yeah Georgia State, Old Dominion, Marshall, App, who's in what we think is kind of a reload type situation, Coastal.
00:37:44
Speaker
Those are their conference games. The tough ones are Texas State, I guess Georgia Southern, if you think that they're going to break this pattern and um Louisiana, Louisiana are the three I think that are going to be really tough tests for them.
00:37:59
Speaker
Yeah, that Louisiana game is going to be a lot of fun. um They have, i think the I don't think you mentioned this, the the three days before Halloween game against Texas State is on a Tuesday. that That's kind of weird.
00:38:10
Speaker
So that gives you a 10-day break between Old Dominion and Texas State ah before then going into a bye. I'm always fascinated by scheduling decisions like that because I'm not certain why you would want that, I guess. I think it's set the conference.
00:38:26
Speaker
i think it's set by the conference I think they tell you what night you're going to play. i don't think you i don't think you can go, all right, we're going to play on Tuesday this week. Yeah. some Some of those are really weird. I'm never a fan of the week three buy. think that's funky.
00:38:41
Speaker
um No. But yeah, I think i it's crazy that This is a team that if they had drawn, let's Southern Miss and Troy as their West Conference opponents, this could be a win team instead an 8-9 win team.
00:39:03
Speaker
Uh, cause you probably drew the two hardest teams out in the West, Louisiana and Texas state, like Arkansas state might have an argument to be in that top two, um, as might Southern miss if they really pull it all together.
00:39:15
Speaker
Um, but I mean, those are the two tough, toughest teams out in the West. Um, And so it's just an unlucky draw. I think this team is good for seven or eight wins. And and I think as long as Bob Chesney's here, that's probably just going kind of hold for for, again, however long he's here, four or five years ah before he gets Kurt Signetti'd out to ah you know whatever low-tier Big Ten school wants to turn it around.
00:39:42
Speaker
Northwestern and he doesn't even have to change his wardrobe. He just continues wearing purple. um All right. So ah we're we're both pretty bullish on James Madison this year. I think things are kind of coming into play ah place.
00:39:57
Speaker
If they hadn't got Saluka as a transfer, I'd be a little more bearish on them. But Given how he's played for the coach before he's produced at his last, not his two stops ago ah at Holy Cross, ah I feel pretty good about it as as Zeke drops out there. Hopefully he hasn't gotten attacked by a bear. All right, so Zeke was not attacked by a bear. That's that's good to see.
00:40:21
Speaker
ah Zeke, any last thoughts on JMU this season before we we sign off? And if not, go ahead and give everybody your socials. Yeah, like I said, i think this team's good for seven or eight, even nine wins when you include the bowl game, ah as long as Bob Chesney's here. And, ah you know, some of these teams don't transition well. Kennesaw State was kind of the most recent.
00:40:48
Speaker
ah We're going to see it this year with Delaware and Missouri State. Is that right? ah Making the jump from FCS to FBS. Am I making that up? No, I think you're right. I was trying to... Isn't there a west Sacramento State or something, too?
00:41:02
Speaker
i No, because that's where Mike Vick is, right? No, that's Norfolk State, I think. Anyway, we're looking at... Sorry, Sacramento State, I think... I read a whole thing one time about how they were they were trying to put out there that they were spending X amount of money on their programs, but they like were fudging the numbers ah like to the public.
00:41:24
Speaker
No, but like to the public, like not not privately. but It was like... It ended up being like, oh, we're spending this, but it's actually for all athletics, not just the football program to move up. So, like...
00:41:36
Speaker
I don't know when they move up or if they have already or not, but I think they're kind of in the same boat as Missouri. No, they were. So they were rejected. any I missed this part about Sacramento State even pushing anyway.
00:41:47
Speaker
OK, the point, the real meat of this argument is we saw the Kennesaw State last year not survive the transition very well. Yeah. But JMU has done as well as anyone else could.
00:42:00
Speaker
And that's really optimistic. I hope the magic doesn't wear off because I think it's a really interesting story. um And, you know, that team and that program is forever going to be salty that they were left out of the Sunbelt Championship game that they probably should have, could have won.
00:42:17
Speaker
um so but So I like James Madison. i think I think they're good for the conference, and I think when they're good, it's it's good for the conference. Other than that, nothing really here. As you can see on the screen, you can find me on Twitter, at Zeke Palermo, Z-E-K-E-P-A-L-E-R-M-O.
00:42:34
Speaker
You can also find the show there on Twitter, at Warm Weather Fans. We're active. We're little—we bite. If you're going to come for us, look— but We bite a little bit, um but but don't be shy. We want to hear from you. We want to hear what you think.
00:42:48
Speaker
um That's what I've got. Yeah, as always, you can find me on ah Twitter at WatchTheStone. Feel free to email the show, warmweatherfans at gmail.com. Follow us on YouTube. We're actually making we're making some good headway on on YouTube subscriptions. I think we're approaching 200 last time I checked.
00:43:10
Speaker
um So yes, thank you for everybody for joining in, checking listening to us once again. ah Feel free to rate, review, subscribe on the podcast platforms in case you're not able to catch us on YouTube.
00:43:24
Speaker
ah We will be back later this week to talk about Arkansas State. This has been another edition of 4 Weather Fans.