Sun Belt 2024 Thread

[BDKJMU]

4 day old news.

Now JMU has had both their football and basketball HCs poached by P2s in a 4 months period. Plus the AD is retiring and president leaving for American U in DC.

[BDKJMU]

James Madison hires Morehead State's Preston Spradlin as coach
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... dlin-coach

Meanwhile:
JMU football loses around 15 to the portal, including 11 of 17 returning starters to (I think 9 followed Cignetti to IU)

JMU basketball: Hold my beer, as almost all the non senior players enter the portal, with only 2 scholly players left.

Man, this portal/NIL sucks.

[AshevilleApp]

The portal can take a toll. App lost 7 players from the basketball team. I hope our coaches can adjust accordingly.

[AshevilleApp]

NC State has opted out of a scheduled game in Boone in (I think) 2025. They claim that the ACC requested no more away games at G5 stadiums.

[BDKJMU]

NC State has opted out of a scheduled game in Boone in (I think) 2025. They claim that the ACC requested no more away games at G5 stadiums.

Just more widening of the gap between G5 and P4.

[AshevilleApp]

A beat down at Clemson. The next two games are East Carolina at Greenville and Liberty in Boone. App could be 1-3 heading into conference play based on how we've looked the first two games.

[AshevilleApp]

The previous post was incorrect, as I omitted South Alabama last night. They kicked our ass 48-14. This may be a long season.

[BDKJMU]

Meanwhile JMU:
-Only 4 starters from last season started 1st 2 games (5th injured). Throttled a shitty UNCC team, sucked big time vs G Webb (only won 13-7) and likely going to get ass kicked @ UNC starting in under an hr.

Meanwhile JMU West in Bloomington (13 JMU transfers, 8 started opener (a 9th would have but season ending injury summer camp)) is 3-0 and won handily @ UCLA last week.

From last yr’s 11-2 team:
Offense: Downgrade at QB, downgrade at OL, downgrade at TE, downgrade at WR, RBs a push.
Defense: Downgrade at DL, LBs a push, secondary a push.

At least upgraded at kicker, have a returning AA punter.
Going to be a long season. Damn the portal and. NIL..

[AshevilleApp]

Meanwhile JMU:
-Only 4 starters from last season started 1st 2 games (th injured). Throttled a shitty UNCC team, sucked big time vs G Webb (only won 13-7) and likely going to get ass kicked @ UNC starting in under an hr.

Meanwhile JMU West in Bloomington (13 JMU transfers, 8 started opener (a 9th would have but season ending injury summer camp)) is 3-0 and won handily @ UCLA last week.

From last he’s 11-2 team:
Offense: Downgrade at QB, downgrade at OL, downgrade at TE, downgrade at WR, RBs a push.
Defense: Downgrade at DL, LBs a push, secondary a push.

At least upgraded at kicker, have a returning AA punter.
Going to be a long season. Damn the portal and. NIL..

And for all that they've hung 70 points on previously unbeaten UNC today. With 4 minutes left to play.

[BDKJMU]

Meanwhile JMU:
-Only 4 starters from last season started 1st 2 games (th injured). Throttled a shitty UNCC team, sucked big time vs G Webb (only won 13-7) and likely going to get ass kicked @ UNC starting in under an hr.

Meanwhile JMU West in Bloomington (13 JMU transfers, 8 started opener (a 9th would have but season ending injury summer camp)) is 3-0 and won handily @ UCLA last week.

From last he’s 11-2 team:
Offense: Downgrade at QB, downgrade at OL, downgrade at TE, downgrade at WR, RBs a push.
Defense: Downgrade at DL, LBs a push, secondary a push.

At least upgraded at kicker, have a returning AA punter.
Going to be a long season. Damn the portal and. NIL..

And for all that they've hung 70 points on previously unbeaten UNC today. With 4 minutes left to play.

I cannot explain it.
Vs UNCC and G Webb 9 1st half points- COMBINED.
vs UNC 53, most 1st half points in program history.

I have never seen a game to game contrast like G Webb to UNC in 40+ years of watching football. At any level. If I hadn’t seen it I wouldn’t have believed it.

[AshevilleApp]

And for all that they've hung 70 points on previously unbeaten UNC today. With 4 minutes left to play.

I cannot explain it.
Vs UNCC and G Webb 9 1st half points- COMBINED.
vs UNC 53, most 1st half points in program history.

I have never seen a game to game contrast like G Webb to UNC in 40+ years of watching football. At any level. If I hadn’t seen it I wouldn’t have believed it.

I agree the extent of the win was a surprise. It's always nice to see the Tar Holes lose though. I read that the JMU quarterback played at my old high school in Greensboro.

[BDKJMU]

I cannot explain it.
Vs UNCC and G Webb 9 1st half points- COMBINED.
vs UNC 53, most 1st half points in program history.

I have never seen a game to game contrast like G Webb to UNC in 40+ years of watching football. At any level. If I hadn’t seen it I wouldn’t have believed it.

I agree the extent of the win was a surprise. It's always nice to see the Tar Holes lose though. I read that the JMU quarterback played at my old high school in Greensboro.

Last yr Barnett as an rFr during summer camp beat out the USF/AZ transfer McCloud, whom everyone assumed would be the starter. Opener vs BUCKNELL Barnett sucked so bad got yanked early 3rd quarter for McCloud. McCloud went on to win the SBC Offensive POTY.

This summer Barnett camp beat out the WA transfer Morris, whom everyone assumed would be the starter. (Morris started for the Huskies a couple years ago). 1st half of the opener @ UNCC was like de ja vu. Barnett sucked so bad the pitchforks were out on the JMU board for Morris to start the 2nd half. Barnett stayed in and had a good 2nd half, and the pitchforks got put away.

Game 2 vs GARDNER WEBB (I didn’t watch) by all accounts & stats Barnett again sucked, and the pitchforks were back out. Out of 5 halves of football going back to last season, he had sucked in 4 of them, 3 of them vs FCS.

vs UNC:
Passing: 22 of 34, 388 yds, 5 TD, 0 INT.
Rushing: 99 yds, 2 TDs

How do you suck so bad vs FCS Bucknell and Gardner Webb, then vs UNC who has a bunch of 3, 4, 5 star players you are FBS Nat POTW? Truly bizarre.

[BDKJMU]

After putting up 13 vs Gardner Webb

[BDKJMU]

Halftime of tonight’s ESPN game JMU and former HC Cignetti getting props.

[BDKJMU]

FWIW CCU came into Thur nights game at 4-1, so it’s not like they sucked.

[BDKJMU]

JMU gets 1st home game vs a (sort of) P4/5..

[SuperHornet]

JMU gets 1st home game vs a (sort of) P4/5..

Given the way JMU has played the last few years (following the Liberty/Coastal model of FCS-FBS jumpers, not the "average" jumper) and the way WA State and OR State have of playing to the perceived level of the opponent, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Dukes win this game....

[BDKJMU]

JMU gets 1st home game vs a (sort of) P4/5..

Given the way JMU has played the last few years (following the Liberty/Coastal model of FCS-FBS jumpers, not the "average" jumper) and the way WA State and OR State have of playing to the perceived level of the opponent, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Dukes win this game....

Will be JMU’s 3rd OOC opponent out west over 5 seasons.
2021 (last yr FCS): W @ Weber St.
2022 (1st yr FBS): home Week 1 vs Weber St cancelled, replaced by Mid Tenn St whom JMU paid $700k for a one and done in order to have 5 FBS home games to try to be bowl eligible 2023.
2023: W @ Utah St
2024: ——-
2025: home vs Utah St cancelled, replaced by Washington St. No return game. Not sure of the how or why, but guessing some type of 3 way thing between JMU, Utah St and Wash St.

[AshevilleApp]

I haven't checked the standings often this season and didn't notice until yesterday that Marshall is in first place in the east. The last time I looked GSU was in first. Still some drama with one regular season game to go. If App can steal a win at GSU, we would be bowl eligible in an overall down season. GSU needs to beat App and hope JMU beats Marshall.