[ad_1]
Main into James Madison’s sport with Marshall, the Dukes weren’t certain which quarterback would begin, graduate scholar Todd Centeio or redshirt freshman Billy Atkins IV.
Centeio had pulled his indirect muscle on Thursday and JMU head coach Curt Cignetti didn’t know whether or not or not he’d have the ability to go towards the Thundering Herd. The signal-caller was a game-time determination, however Cignetti opted to carry him out and begin Atkins.
“After I went to mattress Thursday evening, I used to be considering he’ll be OK, he’ll most likely have the ability to play,” Cignetti stated of Centeio. “By Friday morning, I wasn’t feeling excellent about his prognosis, and likewise did not need to put him ready the place he may injure it worse.”
Cignetti stated that Centeio’s timetable to return is unsure.
However with out the Colorado State switch, it was Atkins’ present. His first-career begin at first regarded promising, finishing 5-of-11 passes for 121 yards and a landing within the opening body, nevertheless it went downhill moderately rapidly.
The Dukes weren’t capable of convert on third down, ending 0-for-17, as Marshall handed JMU a 26-12 loss, its second straight defeat in Solar Belt Convention play, on Saturday afternoonat Bridgeforth Stadium.
The loss marked the primary back-to-back defeats since 2015 when the Dukes misplaced to Richmond and William and Mary in consecutive weeks.
JMU’s offense wasn’t capable of transfer the ball for a majority of the sport, and a part of that was as a consequence of accidents. Exterior of lacking Centeio, the Dukes had been with out beginning proper deal with Nick Kidwell, who left the Georgia Southern sport early with an ankle damage, after which misplaced left deal with Tyshawn Wyatt to damage midgame towards the Thundering Herd.
However early within the sport, JMU’s offense was capable of transfer the ball into scoring vary. Atkins focused broad receiver Terrance Greene Jr. on 4 of his first six go makes an attempt and accomplished three of them to maneuver the ball 66 yards.
That drive led to kicker Camden Clever booting a 35-yard discipline aim, a career-long, and allowed the Dukes to strike first.
After back-and-forth three-and-outs, JMU’s offense was given a brief discipline on an unlawful kick from Marshall on a punt try. It arrange the Dukes on the 17-yard line, permitting Atkins to search out tight finish Zach Horton for a fast landing.
On the additional level, Marshall blocked the kick and returned it for a security to get on the board.
Quickly after, JMU’s protection bought the ball again after cornerback Chauncey Logan logged his first-career interception, and it led to a different Clever discipline aim, this time from 25 yards and the Dukes took a 10-point lead.
However after that, JMU’s offense couldn’t discover a rhythm.
“We made some performs early,however we could not get something going,” Cignetti stated. “It was disappointing.”
The Dukes went three-and-out on 9 of their ultimate 16 drives and had a turnover on 4 others throughout that stretch. JMU’s 12 punts set a program file, surpassing 11, which occurred thrice earlier than and most just lately in 2000.
JMU gained 129 yards within the first quarter and solely managed to build up 118 within the ultimate three quarters mixed.
“Offensively, we made a pair performs early, however I imply, we had been abysmal,” Cignetti stated. “We couldn’t get something going, could not maintain something.”
However though the Dukes’ offense was stale, the protection stored JMU within the sport. The purple and gold’s protection, led by linebacker Taurus Jones’ 13 tackles, pressured 4 punts earlier than the Thundering Herd put the sport out of attain with a late fourth quarter landing.
Marshall used a pair of touchdowns from working again Khalan Laborn, a 61-yard rating and an 18-yard run.
Laborn completed with 151 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries to turn into the primary working again to eclipse 100 yards towards JMU this season.
Jones stated the protection’s mindset was to make stops and get the ball again for the offense.
“Gotta get a cease. It was crunch time,” Jones stated. “Time was winding down, each groups wasn’t actually transferring the ball a lot. They usually needed to run the ball, attempt to run some clock. So we needed to actually strike down and actually not enable something.”
Atkins completed the afternoon 13-of-35 for 164 yards, a landing and 4 interceptions. He was additionally sacked seven occasions, a season-high for JMU, which was taking part in with a depleted offensive line late within the sport.
Cignetti pointed to the accidents on the offensive line which will have hindered Atkins when he dropped again within the pocket.
“Billy didn’t have all day to throw the ball,” Cignetti stated. “Billy bought popped a number of occasions. So all of it begins to come back collectively. You lose your greatest offensive lineman, this and that, all of them sort of play off each other.”
However when JMU’s offense was struggling, the brilliant spot appeared to be working again Percy Agyei-Overweight.
The redshirt senior broke off a number of carries, the place it regarded like at first he was going to be stopped quick, however he discovered a option to make one thing out of it.
“Simply working arduous on them,” Agyei-Overweight stated. “With a staff like them, they’ll blitz and so they’ll hit the road of scrimmage quick. You bought to hit no matter gap you see actual fast. … You bought to hit the outlet, run quick and run arduous.”
Agyei-Overweight completed with 20 carries for 96 yards.
For Cignetti, the loss to the Thundering Herd is a rising ache of the transition to the FBS.
The Dukes (5-2, 3-2) began on a five-game tear en path to a No. 25 rating, however have dropped their final two. JMU is off subsequent weekend earlier than hitting the highway for a contest at Louisville.
However though the accidents and depth points performed an element within the Dukes’ loss, Cignetti was nonetheless optimistic that his staff may proper the ship.
“I’m happy with our staff and what we’ve completed up thus far,” Cignetti stated. “The off week will come at a very good time. And, you already know, we’ll regroup and are available again. So it was a disappointing evening. I felt very assured going into this sport that we might achieve success.”
[ad_2]
Source link
