Strong WCAC Connections Led Holmes To JMU

He didn’t need a grand introduction to James Madison.

Gonzaga College High School (Washington, D.C.) safety Kye Holmes already had the best access to insight about the Dukes a prospect could have, thanks to the current players he knows well.

Holmes committed to JMU late last month.

“I talked to one of the captains on my team from last year,” Holmes said. “Sean Johns plays there and I know some of the [former] Good Counsel players who go there like Julio [Ayamel] and Latrele [Palmer].”

Gonzaga and Good Counsel reside in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, and Holmes is a Maryland native like Ayamel and Palmer.

Holmes said he remembers playing alongside Johns, a defensive end, and against linebacker Ayamel, running back Palmer and defensive end Jalen Green, another current JMU players and Good Counsel alum. The last time all of those players would’ve last suited up for a Gonzaga-Good Counsel matchup came when Good Counsel won 38-31 in 2018 before both reached the postseason and Gonzaga ended up winning the WCAC title game.

“They were tough players,” Holmes said, “especially Latrele because he’s a running back and he’s a hard guy to bring down. But, oh yeah, I tackled him.”

Last fall, Holmes was a first-team All-WCAC choice at defensive back for his 94 tackles, four tackles for loss, four sacks, interception and two pass breakups.

His success earned him scholarship offers from a mix of 14 different FBS and FCS schools, prior to ultimately choosing James Madison’s offer from a group of finalists that included Army, Buffalo and Kent State.

“It’s just the winning culture over at JMU,” Holmes said. “I’ve always been a big competitive guy, so it helps to go to a program that’s been winning a lot. And then coaching staff is great and they were very helpful during my entire recruiting process.”

Holmes said he likes that the Dukes run their program with the same lofty standards that Gonzaga College High School does.

JMU first-year safeties coach Eddie Whitley and second-year offensive line coach Damian Wroblewski were the lead recruiters on Holmes, he said. The Rivals.com two-star prospect has a strong connection with Whitley, the former Bridgewater College assistant who played at Virginia Tech and in the NFL.

“That’s definitely helpful that he can still show me what to do,” Holmes said of Whitley. “He’s still active. He understands what we’re doing as players and the daily process of it, so that helps to have that in a position coach.”

Holmes said he also spoke with JMU coach Curt Cignetti on a few occasions.

“And the defense they run is very similar to my high school defense,” Holmes said. “And just seeing the highlights all across different social medias, it’s clear the defense is run correctly and it’s run well.”

The Dukes are scheduled to graduate three safeties – D’Angelo Amos, Wayne Davis and MJ Hampton – after the 2020 campaign, so it’s possible Holmes could compete for playing time right away during August training camp of 2021.

“That persuaded my decision a little bit,” he said.