HARRISONBURG — All Matt Frank had to do was look to either side.

Things were different on the offensive line.

Frank, James Madison’s two-year starter at right guard, was without fellow seniors Mitchell Kirsch (right tackle) and center Kyle Rigney during the Dukes’ 27-17 FCS semifinal win over North Dakota State last week.

The trio started every game together during the regular season.

Kirsch was injured in the regular-season finale against Elon and attempted to return to action in the playoffs, but reinjured himself on the first series of the team’s second-round playoff win over New Hampshire.

Rigney hobbled off the field during the game inside the FargoDome, leaving Frank with some of the center’s responsibilities while facing a Bison run defense that yielded less than 100 yards per game.

“I think Frank was physically and mentally wore out after that game,” JMU run-game coordinator Bryan Stinespring said. “But that’s part of his job. Matt, of course likes to have Rigney beside him, but with Mac [Patrick] out there, Matt had to adjust his role a little bit. He had to be the centerpiece in order to keep everyone calm.”

Frank, who has been a game captain throughout the playoffs for JMU, said it was his duty to help true freshman center Mac Patrick, who stepped in for Rigney, and redshirt freshman right tackle Tyree Chavious, who replaced Kirsch.

Chavious made his first-career start the week before in the quarterfinals against Sam Houston State, but Patrick had yet to take meaningful snaps in the postseason.

No player on the entire Madison roster had ever played in an environment as loud as the FargoDome.

“I had to be a little bit more vocal than I usually am because I had to help Mac out at center and make sure Tyree could hear what was going on,” Frank said. “The biggest thing for me was to be that confidence booster for them.

“I didn’t want them to second guess themselves, so I kept saying, ‘You can do it.’ I made sure Mac was good with the calls and then with Tyree, I just I wanted him to trust me with the snap count.”

At times throughout the battle with the Bison, the Madison offensive line struggled. Chavious was flagged five times for false starts in the first three quarters.

“I know there were a lot of people going up to Tyree and trying to calm him down, but I think the biggest thing that I said was ‘Tyree, just play your game,’” Frank said. “I told him if the noise was getting to him, just to block it out and to trust my hand for the snap count. I kept telling him to trust my hand, and toward the end he was doing that and we were fine. He just needed to relax and trust his own game.”

During North Dakota State’s stretch of 17 straight points to tie the game, JMU had only 26 rushing yards on six attempts.

In the fourth quarter as JMU regained a lead at 20-17 and then extended it to 27-17, the Dukes offensive line paved the way for running backs Khalid Abdullah and Trai Sharp to gain 57 yards on seven carries.

Stinespring said Abdullah’s 55-yard run in the fourth quarter, which setup the decisive touchdown pass from quarterback Bryan Schor to wide receiver John Miller, stemmed from a coaching adjustment to help the Dukes’ young personnel on the offensive line.

“We went to more of a gap-scheme up front,” Stinespring said. “They were moving around a lot and if you block a gap, it’s a little simpler, especially with being able to communicate. It enabled us to get a few more double teams, too.

“The long run that Khalid had in the fourth quarter is an example of one. It was a counter-gap scheme and I think that as much as anything helped us out.”

JMU could have used a gap-, zone- or man-blocking scheme.

JMU coach Mike Houston said he thought Chavious and Patrick responded well. He also said Schor did a good job of managing the group.

“For our offensive line to be able to function in that environment is a credit to them,” Houston said. “The biggest thing Kyle has on Mac is that Kyle is a fifth-year senior with tremendous experience. But Mac and Tyree had prepared all year for those opportunities.”

Houston said he anticipates having Rigney back against Youngstown State for the Jan. 7 national championship game in Frisco, Texas.