WILLIAMSBURG – Curt Cignetti pointed it out afterward.
“Between the defense and the punt returns,” the first-year James Madison coach said, “the offense had some great field position.”
On an evening the Dukes were held to their lowest rushing output (126 yards) of the season, it didn’t matter because their special teams and defense dominated for a 38-10 win over William & Mary on Saturday in Williamsburg.
JMU’s average starting field position was its own 47-yard line while William & Mary started drives on average at its own 20.
The Dukes’ scoring drives went 13 yards, 14 yards, 36 yards, 57 yards and 21 yards.
“We had consistent good field position offensively,” Cignetti said.
Three interceptions for JMU’s defense and 125 punt-return yards for D’Angelo Amos swayed the field position in the Dukes’ favor.
The 125 return yards for Amos were the most he’s had in a game this year and the most he’s had since his 183 last season in a game against Villanova. It was Amos’ 49-yard return that setup JMU’s first touchdown on Saturday.
“When you have a game like this for any returner,” Amos said, “no matter how you start off or move on, it just builds confidence.”
William & Mary coach Mike London said those factors played a role in how the game was won by JMU.
“The average-starting field position was something they capitalized on,” London said.
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- The win for James Madison was its fourth straight over William & Mary in a series that the Dukes lead 25-17 all time. JMU has also won 13 of its last 16 against the Tribe dating back to its victory in the 2004 I-AA national semifinals.
- The last three wins for JMU over William & Mary have all been lopsided with the average margin of victory by 37 points.
- JMU’s 7-1 overall start and 4-0 league start marks the 10th time it’s been done in school history. The Dukes made the postseason on all nine previous occasions.
- JMU defensive end Ron’Dell Carter set a new career high for tackles for loss in a game with six tackles for loss on Saturday.
- Dukes tight end Dylan Stapleton had a career-best 54 receiving yards in the win. DiNucci said, “Huge day for [Stapleton]. Just being able to have that security blanket underneath when stuff breaks down, he did a good job today.”
- DiNucci threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns. “It’s kind of weird,” DiNucci said. “It’s probably the most yards I’ve thrown for in a while and I feel like it was probably one of my sloppier games in terms of getting the ball where it needed to be.”
- London said William & Mary freshman quarterback Hollis Mathis has an injury that allows him to play, but not play quarterback, which is why Mathis was lined up at receiver during the game on Saturday.
- Dukes freshman running back Latrele Palmer had a 1-yard rushing touchdown with less than a minute to play. Saturday was the fifth game Palmer appeared in, so redshirting is no longer an option for him.
