Experience leads Madison
Key players on offense return from last year's team
By Whitney Proffitt, contributing writer
Posted on April 10, 2006

The JMU football team, coming off a 7-4 season, began spring practice Thursday and started preparing for Fall 2006.

“We’re good on offense and defense, and we’re coming together as a team,” rising senior quarterback Justin Rascati said. “We get better every day. I feel really good about this team; I think we have the talent to win the conference, and the ultimate goal is to win the national championship.”

Rising senior offensive guard Mike Parham, who transferred from Virginia Tech last year, said, “It’s an opportunity to put the pads back on and win positions and figure out our chemistry for the fall.”

Redshirt freshmen will be looking to win a lot of those positions.

“They’ve been working hard and they’re really hungry,” Parham said. “We don’t take it easy on them, so we’ve gotten to see them grow mentally and physically.”

The Dukes lost a big target over the middle with tight end Casime Harris (6’3, 250 pounds) graduating. Redshirt freshman tight end J.D. Skolnitsky (6’5, 235 pounds) is one of a handful of candidates looking to earn the start along with redshirt freshman Mike Caussin.

In 2006, the Dukes will have 37 lettermen and 13 starters returning, many of who were All-Atlantic 10 honorees last season.

“The returning starters play a big role,” Rascati said. “You’re always more comfortable with guys who have been out there and played before.”

Offensive returnees include rising seniors tailback Alvin Banks, wide receiver Ardon Bransford, offensive tackle Corey Davis and junior wide receiver L.C. Baker.

Banks went over the 2,000-yard mark for his career last year, placing him fourth on JMU’s all-time rushing list.

Rascati, who ranks fifth on JMU’s all-time passing list and sixth on its career total offense list, finished 2005 having thrown for 3,864 yards and a compiled 4,448 yards of total offense since transferring from Louisville two years ago. He has completed 67.2 percent of his JMU passes, which is a school record.

The defense will see the return of rising seniors like linebacker Akeem Jordan, safety Phil Minafield and defensive end Kevin Winston, along with rising juniors in linebacker Justin Barnes and free safety Tony LeZotte.

LeZotte was last year’s A-10 Defensive Player of the Year and he was a first-team selection to five All-America teams. Last season, he led JMU in tackles for the second-consecutive year, taking part in 95 stops.

“I feel really good about having a lot of returning starters,” Parham said. “We teach and play at the same time bringing the other guys up to par.”

Coach Mickey Matthews is returning for his eighth season and recently enlisted the help of new assistant coach Chris Weisman, who spent 2005 working with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“We’re really excited. He came highly recommended,” Matthews said. “As a head coach, you are always looking for guys who can bring new ideas to your program, and Chris could do that for us.”

Weisman will take over as the wide receivers’ coach to fill the hole created by the loss of JMU’s former assistant head coach Curt Newsome, who became the offensive line coach at Virginia Tech. Defensive coordinator George Barlow was promoted to Newsome’s old post and Phil Ratliff (tight ends coach) will be taking over offensive line coaching duties.

On the recruiting front, Matthews signed 24 new players.

“It’s the biggest and fastest group we’ve ever signed,” Matthews said. “And that’s always a good thing.”

The new recruits will not join the team in practice until August.

The Dukes will spend the next several weeks practicing four times a week and preparing for their spring game April 22.

JMU opens its 2006 fall season at home September 2nd against Bloomsburg of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference before heading to Boone, N.C., to face 2005’s Division I-AA National Champion Appalachian State.