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Search For Dukes New CBs Coach Begins

Weaver Departs JMU After Two Seasons In Harrisonburg

James Madison cornerbacks coach Tripp Weaver (shown this past fall) is leaving for Western Carolina.
James Madison cornerbacks coach Tripp Weaver (shown this past fall) is leaving for Western Carolina. (Daniel Lin/DN-R)
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HARRISONBURG – For the third time this offseason, James Madison coach Mike Houston will be searching for a new assistant.

Dukes cornerbacks coach and recruiting coordinator Tripp Weaver is leaving for Western Carolina, sources said Tuesday.

Weaver confirmed in a Tweet that he was leaving JMU later Tuesday afternoon, but did not specify his destination.

“I would like to thank Coach Houston, [athletic director] Jeff Bourne along with the JMU administration and faculty,” Weaver’s Tweet read, “for the opportunity to coach at such a prestigious university and program.”

Sources said Weaver will be the Catamounts new defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach.

Houston, who coached Weaver at T.C. Roberson High School, brought Weaver with him to JMU from The Citadel ahead of the 2016 season.

In addition to helping the Dukes win a national title in 2016, Weaver guided JMU cornerback Rashad Robinson to All-American honors this past fall. Robinson ranked third in the country with seven interceptions. Fellow Dukes cornerback Jimmy Moreland was second nationally with eight.

JMU cornerbacks picked off a total of 16 passes this past fall under Weaver’s watch.

“Tripp is a bright young coach who has been with me his entire college coaching career since he finished as a [graduate assistant] at East Carolina,” Houston said when reached by phone on Tuesday. “He’s going to do a great job wherever he is.

“He’s always brought a lot of energy. He’s learned a lot, having the opportunity to be with my staffs at The Citadel and my staff here at JMU. I think he’s been prepared to be on his own a little bit, so we’re excited for him in his next opportunity in his coaching career.”

The Dukes return Robinson, Moreland and Curtis Oliver at the position for their senior seasons. Charles Tutt, who is expected back after sitting out 2017 with an ACL injury, will be a redshirt junior.

Houston said he’s already started gathering résumés of candidates to fill the vacant spot on staff. JMU opens spring practice on March 13.

“I’m talking to coaches now and we’re going to evaluate the pool of applicants we have,” Houston said. “We’re going to interview the top applicants from the pool and we’ll make a decision from that.

“If that’s in three weeks, fine. If that’s in four weeks, fine, but I’m not going to be in such a hurry to get this done before the first practice because I want to make sure we have the right person for this position.”

Houston said current JMU inside receivers and tight ends coach Fontel Mines will add the responsibility of recruiting coordinator to his duties with Weaver departing.

“He and I finalized that talk this morning,” Houston said. “And I’m excited for Fontel because he held this [recruiting coordinator] position for a little while at Delaware and it’s obvious to me why he had been slated for that position there.

“He has all the attributes you’d want for someone in that position.”

What Houston said he’s looking for in his next cornerbacks coach is someone that fits well with defensive coordinator Bob Trott and the rest of the defensive staff.

Since JMU’s 17-13 loss to North Dakota State in the FCS national championship game in January, Houston has hired Steve Shankweiler to coach the offensive line and Warren Belin to coach inside linebackers.

Shankweiler replaced Bryan Stinespring, who left for the same job at Maryland and Belin stepped in for Byron Thweatt, who took the same role at Marshall.

“The reality is with the level our program plays at and how much we win, whether it’s me or other coaches, there are going to be other schools expressing interest,” Houston said. “A lot of our guys that are still here and myself, we’ve had opportunities, but everyone has to make the decision that’s best for their family and the best for their career.”

Houston signed a 10-year contract extension in December.

At Western Carolina, Weaver will reunite with John Wiley, the defensive coordinator at the school. Weaver previously worked alongside Wiley at East Carolina in 2012 and 2013.

Weaver, a native of Asheville, N.C., will also relocate to the campus in Cullowhee, N.C., which is less than 60 miles to his hometown.

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