JMU needs to ‘Cuff’ Delaware

By Tim Chapman, sports editor
Posted on November 1, 2007

JMU coach Mickey Matthews, his staff and players have downplayed the importance of Saturday's game at No. 7 Delaware, putting it on the level of any regular season game.

Yet after losing to Richmond, the Dukes (6-2 overall, 4-1 in the conference) are in a three-way tie atop the Colonial Athletic Association South Division with the Spiders and Blue Hens.

"Every game is a must win, but if we just want to keep this program at the level that it's at then [this] is definitely a must-win," JMU junior center Scott Lemn said.

A loss at the 22,000-seat Delaware Stadium would put the Dukes on the losing end of the tie-break. On the other hand, a win would put pressure on Delaware (7-1, 4-1), which would have to beat Richmond the following weekend to keep their playoff hopes alive.

A win won't come easy as the No. 12 Dukes face the conference's top offense headed by a senior tandem at quarterback and running back in Joe Flacco and Omar Cuff. The two seniors accounted for all eight of Delaware's touchdowns in last week's 59-52 upset victory over BCS opponent Navy.

"They just totally dismantled the Naval Academy's defense and scored in [seven] straight possessions," Matthews said. "I would think [Flacco] and Omar would both be first day draft picks."

Flacco leads the league in passing with 2,408 yards and a first-place average of 301 yards a game to go with his 13 touchdowns. Cuff is second in the CAA with 1,004 yards rushing, only behind Richmond's Tim Hightower with 1,201 yards. Hightower ran for 105 yards and one touchdown in the Spiders' win over JMU Saturday, but Cuff's ability to find the end zone sets him apart.

Cuff has 28 touchdowns to Hightower's 18, and in the season opener against William & Mary he tied a Football Championship Subdivision (Formerly 1-AA) record with seven touchdowns in the game.

"I think Cuff's the best back in the league, I don't think there's anyone who will argue with that," Matthew's said. "He's a fifth-year senior, he blocks good, catches the ball out of the backfield."

JMU junior quarterback Rodney Landers is coming off an uncharacteristic game against Richmond in which he threw an interception late in the game and lacked the ability to lead the Dukes down field. Landers will need to return to top form if Matthews expects to notch his first win Newark. The ninth-year head coach is 0-3 in games at Delaware.

The game is scheduled for a noon kickoff and will be televised on Comcast Sports.