James Madison held its final full-padded practice of preseason at the team’s practice fields in Harrisonburg on Thursday morning. In a few days, the Dukes begin their first game-week of the year in preparation for the Sept. 3 opener against Morehead State.
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- Coach Mike Houston said he isn’t ready to name a starting quarterback “at this moment.” Junior Bryan Schor entered camp with an understanding of the offense and an advantage in the competition over South Carolina transfer Connor Mitch. The ex-Gamecock had to learn the offense in just three weeks.
- During drills Thursday morning, Mitch might have made his best throw of the preseason when he fit a pass in a tight window on a seam route to Rashard Davis for a touchdown.
- The first-year head coach said that Mitch has “continued to progress,” but that there’s nothing that Schor has done “negatively” either. Both quarterbacks are simply still playing well, according to Houston, but the gap that was once wide between Schor and Mitch has narrowed. Houston said he expected that to happen.
- While Houston “wouldn’t hesitate” to play either Schor or Mitch in a game, he did say that whoever is the No. 1 guy for the game against Morehead State will have a chance to get rhythm with the offense.
- Aside from the quarterback competition, there were a few other notable position battles at JMU camp over the last few weeks. Sophomore Dimitri Holloway has earned the “WILL” linebacker position over junior Brandon Hereford, Houston said.
- Decisions regarding the starters on the defensive line are still being sorted out. Preseason All-American Andrew Ankrah holds one of the defensive end spots, but true freshman John Daka has impressed too. Houston said he is surprised by how far along Daka is and that despite a lack of size,Daka could play against the run, too. Earlier in preseason camp, Daka was thought of as only a potential pass rusher. Junior Brandon Brown, sophomore Darrious Carter, senior Simeyon Robinson, senior Martez Stone and junior Cornell Urquhart are also fighting for positions across the front.
- Throughout the morning, the offense, defense and special teams worked against scout teams running the basics of what Morehead State looks like. In the final team period, the first-team defense actually ran something within JMU’s defensive package that Morehead State runs in order for the first-team offense to get a good look at what the Eagles use.
- Houston said coaches broke down Morehead State and Central Connecticut State earlier in the summer, so that they could incorporate some of the game plan for the FCS nonconference opponents throughout preseason camp.
- One player to come on strong over the last week has been sophomore cornerback Charles Tutt. The Centreville native said he didn’t feel like himself during the spring after breaking his left leg against Richmond last season. He said he practiced during the spring with a metal plate and six screws in his leg and didn’t get the plate and screws taken out until the last two weeks of the spring.
- Tutt said his goal for preseason camp was to prove to the coaches that he could contribute to the team. Right now, Tutt is on the two-deep at corner and is catching kicks and punts too.
