Run Game Key For Dukes, Hens

HARRISONBURG — Mike Houston has already identified the key to Saturday’s game between James Madison and Delaware.

“The ability to drive the football Saturday is going to be key because you may not have as many possessions,” Houston said during his weekly press conference Tuesday. “You have to take advantage of the ones you have.”

The Dukes and Blue Hens rank No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in the Colonial Athletic Association for average time of possession. JMU averages about 33 minutes per game with the ball while Delaware averages about 31 minutes.

Both teams typically win the time of possession battle because of their strong running games. The two offenses have similar and unbalanced run-to-pass ratios. JMU offensive coordinator Donnie Kirkpatrick calls run plays on 70 percent of his unit’s snaps. Delaware coach Dave Brock uses run plays on 74 percent of his offense’s plays.

JMU has the second-best rushing offense nationally, averaging 328 yards per game on the ground while Delaware has the 15th-best rushing offense, averaging 242.

“I don’t think you’ll necessarily stop them, but you have to slow them down and get them off schedule,” Brock said. “It’s a tough task for us on defense.”

Where JMU and Delaware differ is how each offense runs the football.

Houston’s team features a repeated effort to hand the ball to either co-starter, Khalid Abdullah or Cardon Johnson. Delaware mixes a rotation of three running backs — Thomas Jefferson, Wes Hills and Jalen Randolph — with different styles to carry the football.

“Randolph is about 230 pounds, [Hills] has top-end speed and [Jefferson] is a physical runner,” Houston said. “You can’t sit there and say ‘if we can get this kid out of the game or slow this guy down,’ because they’ll just keep coming at you.”

Jefferson leads Delaware in yards with 244 and Randolph leads the team with four rushing touchdowns.

For JMU, Abdullah and Johnson have eclipsed the 100-yard mark in every game this season. Abdullah rushed for a career-high 172 yards and two touchdowns to help the Dukes beat Maine 31-20 last weekend. He was named CAA Offensive Player of the Week for his effort.

“I’ve heard them be referred to a one-two punch, but they look like on film that they’re a one-one punch,” Brock said. “They’re both physical tackle-breakers. They both have speed to change the game with explosive plays. They’ve both come up huge at certain times in certain games, so we see them as similar, high-level players.”

The final piece for both JMU’s and Delaware’s run games are the quarterbacks.

JMU signal-caller Bryan Schor tallied three rushing touchdowns in JMU’s season-opening win over Morehead State. Prior to each snap, he also is responsible for getting his offense into the right run check at the line of scrimmage.

Houston said, at Maine, Schor checked into the right run call to set up Abdullah’s game-changing 85-yard touchdown run.

Delaware quarterback Joe Walker didn’t play in his team’s loss at FBS Wake Forest, but averaged 44.5 rushing yards per game in the Blue Hens’ wins over Delaware State and Lafayette.

Brock said Walker would play this weekend in Harrisonburg.

“You factor in the quarterback, Walker, it’s nothing for him to run a draw or take off scrambling,” Houston said. “They are a quality running football team. It’ll take a great effort by our defense.”

JMU’s run defense ranks No. 1 in the CAA, allowing 100 yards per game, and Delaware’s run defense ranks No. 6 in CAA, yielding 138 yards per game.