Dukes look for third win

Madison eager to avenge 2005 loss to Coastal Carolina in its final non-conference game of the year

By Tim Chapman, sports editor
Posted on September 20, 2007

Every week college football coaches around the country can be heard reiterating how important “this week’s” game is. And with only 11 guaranteed games in the regular season, the saying often holds true for teams with championship aspirations.

The mentality is no different in Harrisonburg, as the 2-1 Dukes will approach Saturday’s game against Coastal Carolina knowing that another loss could mean the end of postseason hopes.

“I don’t know if it’s a must win ‘cause it’s still early in the season, but it’s a big game,” JMU head coach Mickey Matthews said.

To the juniors and seniors on Matthews’ squad, it’s more than just a big game.

Despite only one previous match-up with the Chanticleers, it was one that the upperclassmen haven’t exactly forgotten.

Flashback to Sept. 10, 2005 when No. 1 ranked JMU traveled to Coastal as the reigning National Champion, only to lose in the second game of the season. The Dukes threw away a 10-point, fourth quarter lead in the game and finished the season 7-4 without a postseason bid.

The 2007 teams for both schools look considerably different than when they squared off in Conway, S.C.

JMU has the momentum of two straight wins – one coming against then-No. 5 New Hampshire – and the steady improvement of first year starting quarterback Rodney Landers.

CCU entered the season after losing 36 players to graduation, including the Minnesota Vikings’ seventh round draft in quarterback Tyler Thigpen. Thigpen threw for 6,598 yards and 53 touchdowns in the Chanticleers’ first four seasons of intercollegiate play.

Against the Dukes, Thigpen threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns. Two of his scoring strikes came in the final six minutes, the latter coming with only 30 seconds left on the clock.

Madison will look to blitz and put pressure on Coastal’s new quarterback, junior Will Richardson, while keeping the ball out of the hands of the Big South’s preseason player of year, wide-out Jerome Simpson.

“We’ve been improving on the pass [defense], working on new things and we have confidence,” sophomore cornerback Evan McCollough said. “They have two real good receivers and we’re gonna treat it like every week and play hard.”

Shutting down Simpson is a top priority for the Dukes. During defensive drills Tuesday JMU made this clear by putting a red cap on a reserve receiver’s helmet to simulate routes Simpson may run.

Offensively, Madison will need to continue running the ball effectively to open up the passing game for junior quarterback Rodney Landers.

“They use a lot of [man-to-man], a lot of in your face tactics and some blitzing,” Landers said of the CCU defense. “If we’re gonna get a lot of man-to-man concepts I think it’s gonna be a big week for our receivers.”

The Dukes will get an added boost from senior tailback Eugene Holloman who is returning after sitting out last week with a healing separated shoulder.

In three games Coastal has given up 1,079 rushing yards, a problem that bodes well for Holloman and core of running backs that have picked up 733 yards.

The Chanticleers are coming off a 42-34 loss to Georgia Southern last week after a Week Two win over Winston-Salem State. Coach Dave Bennett’s team started the season ranked No. 23 in the College Sporting News preseason poll but suffered a 23-18 loss to Delaware State in the season opener, dropping them out of the Top 25.

Kickoff is at 6:00 p.m. at Bridgeforth Stadium and the game is the final non-conference opponent for the No. 9 ranked Dukes.