Aggressively Recruiting

HARRISONBURG — The philosophy James Madison instills in its players is very much like the one it uses to get those athletes to Harrisonburg.

“We play aggressive and we recruit aggressive,” said Fontel Mines, the Dukes’ recruiting coordinator and inside receivers coach. “And that’s something that stems from top to bottom.

“We always want to recruit the top talent. We want to sign and recruit the same kids that Virginia and Virginia Tech are bringing in, and that’s been our mindset.”

With about two months to go until the early signing period begins on Dec. 19, JMU has 11 verbal commitments. Mount Vernon (Atlanta) running back Austin Douglas was the latest to join the class when he pledged earlier this week.

Mines nor Dukes coach Mike Houston can comment on any prospect until the athlete signs per NCAA rules, but they both said the recruiting class of 2019 is nearly complete.

JMU is scheduled to graduate 11 players off this year’s team.

“We feel really solid with the class that we’ve got,” Houston said. “I know that we’re going to have to fight to hold onto ‘em because they’re good players and everyone is coming in, trying to snatch them away.”

And until all the Letters of Intent have reached JMU’s staff, that’s the primary concentration of Houston and Mines.

The Dukes want to keep this class intact.

Of the 11 commitments, 10 have offers from FBS programs and four – Hermitage (Richmond) running back CJ Jackson, Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) linebacker Julio Ayamel, Good Counsel defensive end Jalen Green and West Orange (N.J.) safety Jordan White – have at least one Power Five offer. In July, Northwest (Germantown, Md.) cornerback AJ Woods flipped his pledge from JMU to ACC member Pittsburgh.

Mines said with JMU idle this week, assistant coaches will visit committed members of the class and the few top uncommitted targets.

“I think our assistant coaches have done a marvelous job of being active,” Mines said. “We talk to these guys weekly. We do a good job of staying in communication with them and the bye week is a great opportunity for us to get out and be a presence.

“… Our main focus this week is to just visit and stay in communication with the guys that are committed to us and show our support to them at their games.”

One reason the class has stuck with JMU to this point is because of Mines’ work, according to Houston.

Mines was on staff last year, but didn’t add the role of recruiting coordinator until this past offseason when he stepped in for former cornerbacks coach Tripp Weaver, who left for Western Carolina.

Before getting to JMU, Mines had served as Richmond’s director of high school relations for five seasons while coaching receivers and tight ends. He followed ex-Richmond coach Danny Rocco to Delaware, where Mines was named recruiting coordinator ahead of joining the Dukes in the spring of 2017.

“He’s done a real good job of taking what we’ve done already, building on that and being very organized with it,” Houston said. “He understands what’s important.

“When we have official visits, he does a great job with the families, great job with the moms. Mom has to feel good about the school and dad has to feel good about the program, and so he does a real good job of organizing all that stuff, so I’ve been really pleased.”

Mines is also responsible for sorting through the 20 to 30 highlight tapes he receives from high school players per day. He has to differentiate which ones can play at JMU and which ones can’t.

And maybe most importantly, he has to know the program’s scholarship numbers and how many his staff can offer on a given day, within a week or a full recruiting cycle.

“Needs versus wants,” Mines said. “And I think that’s the big one, needs versus wants. Everybody wants the great player, but you’ve got to make sure class-by-class that we’re putting ourselves in the best position to continue to be successful over the years.”

He said this year’s needs are primarily on defense.

Currently, seven of the 11 pledges will play defense when they arrive on campus.

Another factor aiding the Dukes’ recruiting efforts is the stability the program has gained since Houston signed his 10-year extension late last season.

“The contract helps,” Houston said. “Because that was the question I got with every visit last year. I sat down with mom and dad and they ask, ‘How long are you going to be here?’

“At least this year you can say, ‘The school has made a commitment to us. We’ve made a commitment to school.’ That helps ease the mind of the parents.”