Dukes Enter Stretch Run

The first-year James Madison coach has his team in a favorable position for a run toward the Colonial Athletic Association crown and a prime seed for the FCS playoffs.

Off their bye week, the Dukes are 6-1 overall and without a loss at 4-0 in the CAA.

JMU sits tied atop the league with Stony Brook, but Richmond, Villanova and New Hampshire are all only one game behind the Dukes and Seawolves, giving the conference a logjam of teams near the top of the standings.

With four games left, Houston said his team will continue its game-by-game approach, which has worked all season long.

“Our focus is purely on one week at a time,” Houston said Monday during the CAA coaches teleconference. “Any game for us is the biggest game of the year because it’s the only one we can control. We really are trying to keep our focus dialed in on one game.”

Last season JMU catapulted to as high as No. 4 in the polls after a 7-0 start under former coach Everett Withers, but the team lost its then-starting quarterback Vad Lee to injury in a Week 8 setback against Richmond. The Dukes lost the following week at William & Mary, too, which cost the program a shot at sole possession of the CAA title.

“I think with all the older players, they understand what the CAA is,” Houston said. “Even though it’s my first year in the league, they’ve been in this league for several years. They know each week is its own challenge because anybody can beat anybody.”

Senior cornerback Taylor Reynolds started for last year’s team, and said Houston and the rest of the coaching staff have made it easier to concentrate on each week’s task.

“I definitely feel something special with this team and this coaching staff,” Reynolds said last week. “This staff has a lot of experience and they’ve come in and adapted to their players.

“It’s a unique mix of older and younger coaches that bring a lot of wisdom to the game. There is also a great deal of good player-coach relationships going on, so I’d say our coaching staff has gotten to know their players and we’re growing as players. We’re learning to trust each other, and that is the big step that I think this team has had this year.”

Here’s what lies ahead during the stretch run for JMU:

Saturday: vs. Rhode Island

Rhode Island (1-7, 0-5) is one of three CAA squads without a league win this season, but over the last month the Rams have played their most competitive football.

In its last two games, against Stony Brook and Maine, Rhode Island either held a lead or was playing in a tie game during the fourth quarter. The Rams lost the games by an average of eight points.

“It’s exactly what I’ve talked about,” Houston said of this Saturday’s tilt with URI. “They’re a very dangerous team. In this league, you have to be able to play your best or you’ll end up taking a loss.”

Third-year Rhode Island coach Jim Fleming has also recently put his offense in the hands of freshman quarterback Jordan Vazzano. Against Maine, Vazzano threw three touchdowns, including a 65-yard pass in the fourth quarter to knot the game at 21.

Nov. 5: at Richmond

Next Saturday, JMU defensive coordinator Bob Trott makes his return to Robins Stadium, where he spent the past six years in the same role with the Spiders.

Richmond (7-1, 4-1) was the preseason choice to win the league and quarterback Kyle Lauletta was the CAA’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

The Spiders had a bad loss at Stony Brook just two weeks after beating FBS Virginia in September, but since have continued to win with Lauletta putting together a strong junior campaign.

He leads the league in passing, averaging 274 yards per game, and passing touchdowns with 16.

Trott, who used to coach agaisnt Lauletta at practice daily, is responsible for game-planning to slow the talented signal-caller.

Nov. 12: at Villanova

In the second of back-to-back road tests, JMU visits Villanova in what stands as longtime coach Andy Talley’s final regular-season home game at the school.

Talley, who is in his 32nd year as the head coach at Villanova, announced his plan to retire last winter.

Villanova (6-2, 4-1) has been dominant in its league games aside from the lone blemish when the Wildcats were shut out at Richmond earlier this month.

Boasting the CAA’s top-ranked defense, Villanova will try to slow JMU’s top-ranked offense.

Nov. 19: vs. Elon

Elon’s one league win of the year came on Sept. 24 over William & Mary when the Tribe were ranked No. 8 in the STATS FCS Poll.

In the win, the Phoenix (2-5, 1-4) showed it could rattle the opposing quarterback with good pressure. Elon registered two sacks and forced William & Mary quarterback Steve Cluley to throw three interceptions.

Elon is second in the league with nine interceptions as a team, but sits second-worst in the CAA for scoring offense, total offense and rushing offense. Elon has scored fewer than 20 points in five of its seven games this season.