HARRISONBURG — When Nick Carlton trotted off the field toward the sideline, coaches and teammates were waiting there to meet him.

“I said to him, ‘You’re going to make a big play in this game,’” James Madison quarterback Bryan Schor said.

In his first career start at JMU, Carlton, a sophomore tight end, had just fumbled and given East Carolina some momentum.

With the Dukes leading 14-7 midway through the third quarter, the home crowd at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium was rejuvenated after the Pirates regained possession on Carlton’s giveaway.

Carlton, who is filling in for the suspended senior tight end Jonathan Kloosterman, said his miscue might have turned into disaster for the Dukes.

“I was very down, but my teammates picked me up really well,” Carlton said. “The coaches also said just bounce back, don’t worry about it and just let it go. But it was hard for me to shake it out of my head.

“That could have been the game.”

When JMU strength coach John Williams approached Carlton with words of encouragement, he was able to wait patiently for the next opportunity.

“Big John told me to shake it and act like it never happened,” Carlton said.

So that’s what he did.

And when Schor saw his tight end open a few series later, Carlton was ready.

He hauled in a 17-yard touchdown reception that gave JMU a critical two-score lead heading into the fourth quarter of the Dukes’ 34-14 win.

“I didn’t know it was going to happen that fast, but it’s a credit to him and how he stayed focused,” Schor said. “He came out and made a big play.”

Carlton said based on how the defense was lined up, he knew the ball was likely coming his way. He was matched up against a slower ECU linebacker.

Before Saturday, Carlton had only two catches in his career.

“I kind of figured it was because the safety was over in the middle of the field, so it was open,” Carlton said. “It was man-on-man.”

The catch Carlton made flashed the potential he has, according to Dukes second-year coach Mike Houston.

“Fortunately, our defense had his back and got the ball back for our offense,” Houston said. “Really quickly there after is when he made the great catch for the touchdown.

“I think that shows a lot of resiliency in a young player and that it’s a great learning experience for Nick. I hope I continue to see him improve just like our football team from Week 1 to Week 2 because I do think he has a chance to be a really solid football player for us.”

That’s been the thought from the coaching staff about Carlton since the spring.

JMU graduated three of its top four pass-catchers from 2016 and one way to replace their production was finding a way to incorporate Carlton into the offense.

Carlton played wide receiver at Alpharetta High School in Georgia, so as polished as he was hauling in passes, he’s had to adapt to blocking at the collegiate level.

“Blocking cornerbacks and being in the trenches is way different,” Carlton said.

As he’s worked to improve, the spring addition of inside receivers and tight ends coach Fontel Mines has accelerated Carlton’s development.

Mines was a receiver at Virginia and played tight end in the NFL with the Chicago Bears.

“He’s a great coach and a great mentor, especially with him having switched from the receiver position to the tight end position,” Carlton said. “That’s exactly what I came from and what I’m doing. I’m learning a lot.”

Carlton has changed his preparation since being elevated to starter. There are more snaps for him in practice and he’s spent more time studying plays, which includes watching film from last year of Kloosterman running the same routes and executing the same blocks Carlton has to.

Carlton will start again this Saturday against East Tennessee State in JMU’s home opener.

Kloosterman is slated to return on Sept. 16 against Norfolk State.