TRIBE RESPECTS DUKES BUT LOOKS TO END JMU’S STREAK
WILLIAMSBURG — In 2015, on Halloween, after nearly four hours of back-and-forth football, William and Mary pulled out a 44-41 win over James Madison. Two blocked extra points, one of which was returned for two points, proved the difference.
The reason we bring up this particular game nearly three years later? It’s the last time JMU lost a Colonial Athletic Association game. Since that night, the Dukes have won a CAA-record 18 consecutive conference games.
No one understands how hard that is to do more than William and Mary coach Jimmye Laycock, whose team will try to end JMU’s run Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium.
“I certainly respect what they’ve done,” Laycock said during his Tuesday press gathering. “They’ve built themselves into a very, very strong football program.
“I certainly don’t think it happened overnight. I mean, they’ve been pretty good for a while. Don’t forget about that. But … they’ve taken it even further.”
Since Mike Houston was hired as head coach prior to the 2016 season, the Dukes have won 30 of
33 games — 29 of 30 against fellow Championship Subdivision teams. JMU won the 2016 national championship and was the runner-up last season.
Madison (2-1, 0-0 CAA) is coming off a 73-7 win over Robert Morris last Thursday night in which the offense totaled 667 yards. Amazingly, neither the point total nor the yardage is a high during Houston’s tenure in Harrisonburg.
W&M (1-1, 0-0) didn’t play last week after its home game against Elon was postponed due to Hurricane Florence’s projected path. On the heels of a 62-17 loss at Virginia Tech, its most lopsided defeat since 2000, the Tribe didn’t mind some extra time to recharge.
“I think the break was actually beneficial for us,” center Nick Wimmer said. “We had a lot of guys who were sore and banged up. Even though we’ve only played two games, we’ve been in here since August working, and a lot of guys are sore and tired.”
Laycock said he’s noticed his players, who were off campus from Wednesday afternoon through Sunday, “have more of a bounce in their step.”
Of course, the Tribe will need more than a bounce. Forcing turnovers will be essential. That hasn’t been a strength for W&M, which has 13 takeaways in its last 13 games.
Offensively, W&M can’t be expected to generate 12-play drives against JMU’s defense. Laycock is encouraged that in two games, the Tribe already has four plays of at least 40 yards. Last season, it had only one.
“That’s what was missing last year,” Laycock said. “That’ll be big for us up there against them.”
Of JMU’s 18 consecutive CAA wins, only four ended as onepossession games. One of those was the Dukes’ 31-24 victory over William and Mary two years ago at Bridgeforth. The Dukes won 46-14 last season at W&M.
Laycock and his players know they’ll have to execute almost perfectly to have a chance to pull off the upset Saturday.
“I’m not saying they’re not beatable, but they’re a very good program,” Wimmer said. “They know what they’re doing. I think we’re the same way, but our biggest problem is that we make too many mistakes. We have one guy missing an assignment and a play doesn’t go.
“When you watch the film, it’s one block and (we’d be) 20 yards down the field. James Madison is really good at that. Their guys are all on the same page, so they’re all executing. That’s what it comes down to.”
Notes
Laycock said linebacker Josh Dulaney, who started every game last season but hasn’t played in 2018, has a back issue that will keep him out a little longer. … Wideout DeVonte Dedmon is averaging 110.5 receiving yards a game, which is 19th nationally and second in the CAA. … With last week’s home opener against Elon wiped out, W&M will start its season with three consecutive road games for the first time since 2005.