In advance of Saturday’s game between James Madison and Central Connecticut State, Dukes coach Mike Houston held his weekly press conference Tuesday at O’Neill’s Grill in Harrisonburg. Players also spoke with media members following the team’s practice.

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- Houston started his press conference reflecting on JMU’s dominating win over Morehead State. "It was an outstanding weekend” for the program, he said. He added from first-team players to third-string players that he was excited about the effort level that the team maintained throughout the game.

- The 80 points that JMU scored on Saturday set a school record. After the game, Houston said he took time to talk briefly with Morehead State coach Rob Tenyer on the field about what happened. Houston said he told Tenyer that JMU wasn’t trying put 80 points on the board or run up the score. The first-year Dukes coach said that Tenyer said he understood. Houston also told Tenyer that he thought Morehead State is a better team than what they appeared to be Saturday.

- Houston put all the JMU backups into the game after only one series in the second half. He said was pleased with most of the reserves and pointed out a few individuals. The first-year coach said he thought the second-team offensive line was “fantastic.” True freshman guard Mac Patrick “confirmed” Houston’s thoughts on Patrick's ability to play early in his career. Redshirt freshman tackle Tyree Chavious “is going to be a good one,” Houston added.

- Another true freshman to see significant action was safety Adam Smith. Houston said he thought Smith “played great” on special teams and played well on defense until he got called for targeting in the second half. Because of the penalty, Smith must sit out the first half of JMU’s game against Central Connecticut State.

- Backup quarterback Connor Mitch also saw his first action as a member of the Dukes. Houston said he thought it was good for Mitch to get in the game and play at Bridgeforth Stadium for the first time.

- When asked how Mitch is handling the role of backup after losing the starting role to junior Bryan Schor, Houston said, “Connor’s been great and has had a positive attitude.” Houston said Mitch has been very supportive of Schor.

- After rushing for 498 yards on Saturday, Houston said he is pleased with the play of JMU’s offensive line. Since Houston took over in January, he wanted the offensive line to change its attitude. The former Citadel coach said that the transformation has happened. He added that JMU has gone from a finesse attack to a physical attack.

- The biggest test for JMU this weekend falls in the lap of that same offensive line. CCSU yielded just 22 rushing yards in its opener against Lafayette last week. Houston said CCSU’s 3-4 scheme would bring pressure from different levels of the defense.

- Junior left tackle Aaron Stinnie said facing the three-man front of CCSU would be the toughest task. Against a three-man front, Stinnie said JMU must account for which offensive linemen would block against the first level of the defense and which players on the offensive line would have to move up to block the second level of the defense.

- Stinnie also said CCSU is a much bigger defensive line than what Morehead State showed on Saturday. Typically when a team uses a three-man front, the defensive linemen are bigger in size, Stinnie added.

- While the “confidence is high” for the offensive line after paving the way for the record-setting rushing performance, the entire unit is making it a point to stay level-headed, Stinnie said.

- Madison senior running back Khalid Abdullah said the running back group is in a good place. He said one of the goals for the position group entering the season was for every back to score a rushing touchdown in a game this year. Abdullah said the four running backs achieving the goal in Week 1 was “pretty encouraging.” Abdullah, Cardon Johnson, Trai Sharp and Taylor Woods all scored at least one touchdown.

- JMU offensive coordinator Donnie Kirkpatrick came from an coaching in an air- raid offense, so for the Dukes to run the ball 74 times in the first game of the season could have been viewed as a bit surprising, but Abdullah said from the start of the spring that Kirkpatrick has adapted his scheme to match the strength of JMU’s personnel.

- Sophomore linebacker Dimitri Holloway forced a fumble Saturday against Morehead State. He said he didn’t even realize that he forced the fumble. Holloway said he simply was filling a gap and hit the ball carrier after defensive tackle Simeyon Robinson took on an offensive lineman, which allowed Holloway’s gap to open up.