Top-Ranked Dukes' Defense Dominates In Win Over ETSU

HARRISONBURG – James Madison’s team speed was overwhelming.

And it wasn’t any more evident than when the Dukes’ defense smothered, chased down and turned over East Tennessee State during a 52-10 win over the Buccaneers on Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg.

No. 1 JMU (2-0) limited East Tennessee State (1-1) to 175 total yards of offense while recording eight tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.

“The big thing that’s improved from last year to this year is our guys understand just fitting where they’re supposed to,” second-year JMU coach Mike Houston said of his defense. “And aggressive as we were being with our play calling and fitting where they’re supposed to, someone had to come free.”

When defenders bullied East Tennessee State’s offensive line backward, the result was a negative play for the Buccaneers.

East Tennessee State struggled to move the ball throughout and failed to convert two-thirds of its third-down conversion attempts.

Five JMU defensive linemen – senior Andrew Ankrah, junior Darrious Carter, sophomore Ron’Dell Carter, senior Simeyon Robinson and senior Cornell Urquhart – each had at least a tackle for loss. Ron’Dell Carter had two tackles for loss and Darrious Carter had 2.5 tackles for loss to go along with a sack.

“I don’t think I’ve ever played a defense that good,” East Tennessee State quarterback Austin Herink said. “There’s just a lot of team speed there.”

The athleticism of the Dukes’ defense forced Herink into a mistake, which allowed JMU to begin separating from East Tennessee State.

Under pressure on a third-and-9 during ETSU’s first offensive series, Herink rushed a throw as he moved to his left. The throw was tipped into the air and JMU junior cornerback Jimmy Moreland snagged the ball to record an interception inside ETSU territory.

Four plays later, JMU senior running back Cardon Johnson found the end zone on a five-yard touchdown carry to give the Dukes a 14-0 edge less than six minutes into the game.

“I’ve been in this business a long time,” ETSU coach Carl Torbush said. “And they can play man coverage and zone on the outside, and then they’ve got enough speed to get up on you from that front four.

“That front four runs well from the interior and from the outside, and they compete.”

Houston said JMU’s defense is faster than it was last year.

Darrious Carter added since the unit has more depth than it did a year ago, it can outlast its opponent now.

“During long drives, usually after like six or seven plays you feel a little fatigued,” Carter said. “But today, I felt like as a defensive line, we felt really good and really fresh upfront.

“Most of us went the entire game as a result.”

While Madison’s defense held East Tennessee to only three points, JMU senior quarterback Bryan Schor ignited the offense.

The senior signal-caller was 25-of-33 for 304 yards and five touchdowns in the win.

He completed passes to six different receivers including senior Ishmael Hyman, sophomore Riley Stapleton and junior David Eldridge, all who each caught touchdown passes.

Hyman hauled in the game’s opening score on a 17-yard pass from Schor and then extended the team’s lead to 21-0 on a six-yard catch.

Stapleton recorded his first-career touchdown catch in the second quarter and added another in the third.

In the fourth quarter, Eldridge, a Virginia transfer, made his first touchdown catch as a Duke.

“I think when you see a team stack the box like they did,” Schor said. “And add more people to defend the run, you get a lot more opportunities out wide.

“Then you see guys like Riley, Ish and David Eldridge flourish when they get one-on-one coverage.”

Eldridge’s catch gave JMU the 52-10 score the team would win by.

JMU is now 35-11 all-time in home openers.