Rude awakening
JMU’s offense stays off field, defense saves day
By John Galle, sports editor
Posted on September 5, 2006

Never trust the line score.

The JMU football team’s defense bailed out the offense Saturday in their opening game at Bridgeforth Stadium. Added with moments of brilliance from junior wide receiver L. C. Baker, junior free safety Tony LeZotte and solid special teams play throughout the game, JMU managed a fourth-quarter comeback.

“We were so bad on offense,” JMU coach Mickey Matthews said. “We probably dropped more passes today than we’ve dropped since we’ve been here. I thought we blocked very poorly and our backs played very bad.”

Senior quarterback Justin Rascati completed 9 of 14 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. Four of his five incompletions were drops.

Perhaps the only saving grace for the Dukes was their kicking game.

“We returned kickoffs well [and] punted the ball well,” Matthews said. “Had we not done that, we would’ve been in trouble.”

Both of JMU’s touchdowns came off of excellent field position.

On their first scoring drive, which came in the fourth quarter, the Dukes started at Bloomsburg’s 48-yard line. There, Rascati hooked up with Baker on a bubble screen pass that went the distance.

The Dukes put their second touchdown up courtesy of a late, fourth-quarter interception by LeZotte at Bloomsburg’s 30-yard line. Senior running back Maurice Fenner rumbled in eight carries later. JMU’s running game averaged just 3.3 yards per carry behind an offensive line that had trouble moving Bloomsburg’s Division II defensive line.

The JMU defense was out on the field for 64 plays and outplayed Bloomsburg offense. At halftime, the Huskies’ offense led in rushing yards, passing yards and possession. By the end of the game, the Dukes were able to eclipse the Huskies in rushing yards by tallying six sacks and two other tackles for loss, which accounted for 63 yards lost rushing.

“Our defense was dying out there in the fourth quarter,” Matthews said. “[Our offense wasn’t] out there long enough. Our third down conversions were so poor that we weren’t out there long enough to do anything.”

The Dukes ran only 18 offensive plays in the second half, finished with 44 total plays and converted only three of 11 on third down.

“I’m sure our offense [could’ve played] another game,” Matthews said. “None of those guys [were] tired.”

Rascati said, “It was frustrating, but you have to learn from your mistakes. We just have to get ready [for Appalachian State] in a hurry.”

The last time the Dukes were shut out offensively at halftime was two years ago against the University of Massachusetts.

“It was a surprise, but in the same token we were shooting ourselves in the foot,” Rascati said. “On offense you have to make plays, and we weren’t doing that. We probably had two or three plays we made on offense all game and we can’t win games — especially in the A-10 — doing that.”

Said Matthews, “If we don’t block some people or run better and play better [at wide receiver], it’s going to be a long year. We’re going to get beat.”

Whether or not anyone was looking past Bloomsburg to Appalachian State remains anyone’s guess. The bottom line is that the Dukes’ defense will need more support from their offense if they want to beat the Mountaineers on the road next weekend.

Bloomsburg, who went 11-1 last season on their way to a Division II crown, were used to winning and came into a hostile JMU environment ready to do so. The Dukes consider the game a wake-up call.

“Luckily, we still won,” Baker said. “Last year, we had a rude awakening in our second game against Coastal [Carolina], which hurt us in the long run. This game, [it happened] right here. Like they say, you make your best improvements from week one to week two.”