Dukes Start Spring Practice

HARRISONBURG — The gang was back together Thursday for the first time since winning the FCS national championship in January.

Bryan Schor threw passes. John Miller caught them. Andrew Ankrah worked on his pass rush.

James Madison began spring football at Bridgeforth Stadium with the first of 15 practices. The team was supposed to start Tuesday, but rained pushed the first day back.

With no introductions necessary between the coaching staff and their players, second-year coach Mike Houston said the practice went smooth — a much different assessment than he said he had following Madison’s first practice last spring, which was his first leading the team after taking over the program.

“Last year, I was ready to slit my wrists,” Houston said. “Today, we looked like a good college football team.

“We had great tempo. We had great energy. We had guys running around making plays.”

On a blistery afternoon, JMU players went through individual drills, team periods and a friendly competition between the offense and defense to close the session.

Offensive tackle Aaron Stinnie said there wasn’t enough time between the championship game, the start of winter workouts and the start of practice to fall out of sync.

“We’re returning a lot of the same faces,” Stinnie said. “Coming out of practice today, it’s the same deal really. We’ve got the same chemistry on offense and on defense.

“We know how each other play, so it’s just about going out there to compete.”

The practice-ending competition pitted an offensive player against a defensive player. Facing opposite directions, the two were attached by rope and harnesses. Once Houston blew the whistle to start, the players took off out of a four-point stance. Whichever player had the strength to pull the other won. With strong efforts from defensive end John Daka, defensive tackle Marcus Hawkins and safety Jordan Brown, the defense took the win.

The day also signified to players that there are starting jobs to be won.

Despite bringing back key pieces from last year’s championship-winning squad such as quarterback Schor, Stinnie, Ankrah and safety Raven Greene, JMU has to replace graduated standouts such as running back Khalid Abdullah, right tackle Mitchell Kirsch, linebacker Gage Steele and cornerback Taylor Reynolds.

“Who is going to be on that starting offensive line? That’s a big thing,” Houston said.

Houston said right tackle Tyree Chavious, who filled in for Kirsch during the playoffs, and center Mac Patrick, who also saw action in the postseason, would have the first crack to claim those jobs.

“It’s up to them to make the most of that opportunity and win the job,” he added.

At cornerback, Houston has a much different battle to begin evaluating. Rashad Robinson, Charles Tutt, Curtis Oliver and Jimmy Moreland all have game experience at the position.

“Last year in the secondary, we got roasted in the first practice,” Houston said. “Today, we’re out there battling.”

While individual fights for roles have started, coaches also plan to use the spring as time to reinforce their schemes both on offense and defense.

“The process starts over,” defensive coordinator Bob Trott said. “We lost four starters and we have some young players that have to play that we have to get better, so the process starts over.

“This is a brand new team. We’re further ahead than we were last spring, but every year you have to build that chemistry back in the younger players and move from there.”

NOTE: James Madison cornerbacks coach Tripp Weaver has added the title of recruiting coordinator. “Tripp is a bright young coach who has a very bright future and I thought this is something that I thought he would not only be good at, but would give him tremendous experience,” Houston said.