They’re the only team in the country that can say this.

James Madison is the lone squad in the FCS sitting in the top ten nationally for third-down conversion percentage on offense and stopping third-down conversion attempts on defense.

The Dukes are second for both with a conversion rate of 54 percent on offense while limiting opponents to a 29-percent clip on defense.

“It all starts with being able to stop the run in those short-yardage and medium-yardage situations,” JMU coach Curt Cignetti said Monday during the Colonial Athletic Association coaches teleconference about his defense’s success on third down. “And making the [opponent’s offense] one-dimensional.”

JMU has the second-best run defense (69.1 rush yards per game allowed) in the country and the two correlate.

This past Saturday, the Dukes held Richmond to 61 rushing yards and only three third-down conversions on 11 tries. Of the 11 tries the Spiders had on third down, eight came in third-and-10 or worse scenarios after JMU limited Richmond to no rushing yards or forced UR backward with a tackle for loss on first- or second-down snaps.

“When we do that, we have the ability to put good pressure on the quarterback,” Cignetti said, “so we don’t have to cover quite as long and our coverage has tightened up here the last four or five games pretty good. So I think it has to do with that – putting pressure on the quarterback and the tight coverage.

“Of course, we’re like everyone else and we’ll mix the calls up as much as we can, so we’ve been good on offense and good on defense and it’s a key down, so it’s got to keep going.”

Cignetti also said quarterback Ben DiNucci has aided the offense when the Dukes need to keep drives alive.

“The plays he makes with his legs,” Cignetti said. “I can’t tell you how many first downs he’s run for on third down.”

*****

- Dukes senior linebacker Dimitri Holloway was named CAA Defensive Player of the Week by the conference on Monday. Holloway had 15 tackles, a tackle for loss, a fumble recovery and half a sack in JMU’s win over Richmond on Saturday. “He’s maybe the one guy when maybe it’s not going quite right,” Cignetti said, “will rally everyone defensively. His voice means a lot and he’s been a very consistent player throughout his career.”

- JMU senior Bryce Maginley got credit for a forced fumble on a kickoff and blocked punt on Saturday in the Dukes’ win over Richmond. “He’s the guy also that two weeks ago stopped a fake punt,” Cignetti said, “so Bryce is a guy that is a good football player.”

- Cignetti said this Saturday’s opponent, Rhode Island, is better than its 2-9 overall (0-7 CAA) record. Cignetti said: “They’ve got dangerous receivers, a good offensive line and they’ve played two FBS opponents. They played Virginia Tech really well.”

- About JMU, Rhode Island coach Jim Fleming said, “What jumps out about ‘em, is they’ve really had their way with everyone they’ve played in the conference.”

- During his press conference on Monday afternoon, Cignetti said freshman running back Latrele Palmer could return during the postseason. Palmer suffered an ankle injury in JMU’s 54-16 win over New Hampshire on Nov. 9. “Latrele, I think, will be available later in the playoffs,” Cignetti said. “He had a very similar procedure done that Tua [Tagovailoa] had done at Alabama. And if we play well, we take care of business and we’re playing some games, he could be available there near the tail end.”