They found different ways aside from rehab and weightlifting to handle their lost season.

Defensive end Isaac Ukwu missed his second straight entire campaign this past spring after suffering a second devastating knee injury in as many years. Offensive tackle Liam Fornadel was sidelined for the final six games with shoulder issues, leaving James Madison without their All-American for the stretch run and postseason.

“I just tried to keep my mind right and stay tuned,” Ukwu said, “and live vicariously through some of my teammates like [Mike] Wilcox and Mikail [Kamara] last spring.”

Said Fornadel: “It was fun to sort of have a leadership role even though it wasn’t on the field. You’re sort of helping young guys who need to step up and play and just help them through the little things like assignments, fundamentals and all that sort of stuff. … Watching those games, though, I’ll tell you what, I was more nervous watching those games than I was playing.”

Fornadel, now a fifth-year senior, and Ukwu, a fifth-year junior, are on track to not have to worry from afar about how the Dukes fare. They’re two of a few JMU players returning from injury – along with defensive end Jalen Green, safety Sam Kidd and linebacker Taurus Jones – practicing again and preparing to be ready for JMU’s Sept. 4 opener against Morehead State. Only cornerback Wesley McCormick, who had sports hernia surgery, according to Dukes coach Curt Cignetti, is a few weeks from being back at practice.

“I missed this stuff,” Fornadel said. “Being out here with the guys, working and competing, you know, just trying to get each other better is awesome.”

For Fornadel and Ukwu, the preseason delivers them separate tasks.

The 6-foot-5 Fornadel is a lock to start, but he’s adjusting to the opposite side of the offensive line.

He started the last 31 games of his career at right tackle, and all 33 of his starts have come on the right side, but he’s taking reps at left tackle during this training camp while trying to fill the void left behind by former starter Raymond Gillespie, who stepped away from football last month.

“It’s a little interesting and really, the only big issue I have is the stance,” Fornadel said. “It’s a lot harder than people think, trying to switch that whole aspect up. But assignment-wise, nothing changes. It just flips.”

Fornadel played some on the left side as a freshman, and he noted he played three positions – left guard, right guard and one of the tackle spots – in a 2017 game against Norfolk State. He said he also had experience on the left side at Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey before getting to JMU.

“So, when you’re out at right tackle for so long, you get in a mindset of when the quarterback says one thing that, ‘I do this,’” Fornadel explained. “But mentally, now, I got to double check. ‘Are you sure?’ But it’s been great so far. It’s a challenge, and I love it.”

Ukwu is competing for playing time, and he said he knows he’ll have to earn it.

He was projected to start for the first time in his career prior to the second knee injury, but he’s only played in three games during his stay in Harrisonburg and JMU has more ready-to-play defensive linemen then it did when Ukwu got hurt during fall practices ahead of the spring slate.

JMU has added transfers to the position group since then, and younger players like Wilcox and Kamara were forced into action earlier than anticipated this past spring because of injuries to Ukwu and Green. Ukwu said the Dukes have nine other defensive ends on the roster, which the team splits into two groups – ends and studs.

He is one of five taking reps as a stud. He said the stud usually lines up on the inside of the opposing tight end.

“Everyone is fighting for a spot,” Ukwu said. “And if you aren’t on your Ps and Qs, you might not travel. And that’s even for someone who played last season. They might not travel this season with the depth we have, so you have to be on it every day.”

And Ukwu said he doesn’t have any distractions that’ll pull him away from concentrating on earning game reps. He finished his undergrad, graduated this past May and is now enrolled in continuing education classes.

“I’m really focused on football, football, football,” Ukwu said. “I’m locked in and always getting treatment after and I’m always making sure I keep my legs fresh. When I was younger, I’d neglect some of these things and now I’m locked in and ready to go.”

Fornadel said he’s already witnessed how focused Ukwu is. And that is not just because, they occasionally line up against each other during workouts.

“We came in with the same [recruiting] class and we’re pretty close,” Fornadel said, “and he’s gone through a lot these past couple of years and it’s awesome to see him out here. I know he loves to compete, and he loves playing football and I love competing with him. … And yesterday after lunch he comes up to me and asks, ‘What’d you see here? What’d you think?’ Just trying to go through what I see from him and it’s awesome to play with guys like that, because all they’re going to do is get better.”