Dukes to take on Keydets this weekend in Lexington
JMU closes out non-conference schedule vs. VMI
By Brian Hansen, sports editor
Posted on September 28, 2006

The JMU football team will look to build off the momentum of last week’s 52-14 win over Northeastern as they travel to Virginia Military Institute  Saturday.

The Keydets are coming off a 38-6 loss to William & Mary and stand at 1-3 overall. They have been abused so far this season in their Atlantic 10 matchups, also losing to Richmond 58-7. VMI has been outscored 147-52 this season giving up an average of 36.8 points per game.

“We still need to concentrate on executing and doing our jobs,” JMU senior offensive tackle Corey Davis said. “We have to worry about every game and focus on being 1-0 for that week.”

Defensively, the Keydets are giving up an average of over 227 yards per game on the ground, which bodes well for a JMU team that gained 335 rushing yards last week against the Huskies.

“Everything has just come together for us,” Davis said about the Madison running game. “We’ve been working so hard and we had that bye week to get better. Now, we have our execution down and we should be tough to stop.”

JMU will also look to continue to use the run to set up their big pass plays. So far, senior quarterback Justin Rascati and the Dukes have four touchdown passes of 35 yards or more, three of which saw L.C. Baker on the receiving end of the pass. However, coach Mickey Matthews said the Dukes are looking to get more production from the receiver opposite Baker.

“As a football team, we need more productivity out of that position,” Matthews said. “[Baker’s] running 20 to 30 yard sprints on every play; that gets tiring.”

One of the guys the Dukes expected to be making those plays, senior D.D. Boxley, will be back in the lineup after sitting out the last game with an injury.

“Our injury list is as small as it’s been in years after the forth week of the season,” Matthews said. “We have three or four guys hurting, but not many.”

Two offensive players hurting for Madison include freshman tight end Mike Caussin, who is doubtful with a muscle pull, and junior running back Eugene Holloman, who is questionable with a leg injury.

Holloman had a big game against Northeastern, running for 137 yards and one touchdown on just 10 carries. Seniors Alvin Banks and Maurice Fenner will continue to get most of the carries if
Holloman can’t go.

On defense, Dukes senior linebacker Akeem Jordan is probable after developing a small stress fracture in his foot last week. It is the same foot Jordan had a pin put in last summer.
           
The Dukes will want Jordan’s run stuffing ability as they face a VMI team averaging 193 rushing yards per game. They run an untraditional triple-option offense the Dukes have yet to see this season.

“It’s all about assignments,” JMU junior safety Tony LeZotte said. “Everyone has to do their job and not worry about doing someone else job. That’s when they hit the big play.”
           
The Keydets are led by running back Sean Mizzer, who has 417 yards and two touchdowns this season. Freshman Joey Robinson has added 145 yards and one touchdown.
           
“We don’t see it too much,” LeZotte said. “Everyone needs to play assignment football and that’s the key to stopping the triple option.”
           
Starting quarterback Jonathan Wilson has completed 16 passes this year for 310 yards and three touchdowns for the run-dominate Keydets.

JMU last faced VMI in their 2004 national championship season beating them 41-10 in Harrisonburg. The last time the two teams met in Lexington was 1994 where they JMU won 38-15.

“They can make big plays and we need to be ready for them,” LeZotte said. “We need to work hard this week and be prepared to play.”

A good omen for the Dukes is that the last two times that JMU has faced VMI, they have gone on to make the Division I-AA playoffs going a combined 23-5 in those seasons.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Alumni Memorial Stadium this Saturday in Lexington, Va.