Bob Chesney’s JMU football team is a perfect 2-0, but was sluggish in a 13-6 win over Gardner-Webb, and JMU is in desperate need of help from several Dukes offensive players who are currently injured.
Chesney vaguely mentioned the three key injuries on the offensive line during his bye week press conference on Tuesday. JMU is off this week and will visit North Carolina on Sept. 21, giving players more time to heal before a big showdown against an ACC program.
Tyshawn Wyatt, OL
A member of the 2024 Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team, Wyatt has made 33 starts in his career, starting at both left tackle and left guard and is one of the most experienced and talented linemen on the Dukes’ roster.
Wyatt missed JMU’s first two games of the 2024 season as he tries to return from a season-ending leg injury. He was injured in late October last year but didn’t have surgery until mid-November. Wyatt told JMU Sports News in August that he needed to wait two weeks for the swelling to go down before undergoing surgery.
He is still recovering from the injury and continuing to train, but it is unclear whether he will be available for the game against UNC.
“He’s just trying to move forward and figure this thing out,” Chesney said. “Right now, it’s status quo for him. He’s in a good place. He’s feeling good. He just needs to get the full green light.”
Ayo Adeyi, R.B.
Addei, a transfer from the University of North Texas, left Saturday’s game after just four carries with what appeared to be a left leg injury. He was tackled hard on his left leg late in the first quarter and began limping about a play later and left the game.
Chesney didn’t comment on Addei’s status Tuesday but plans to speak to the media multiple times before next week’s game against North Carolina. Chesney said after Saturday’s game against Gardner-Webb that Addei has played through the same injury before.
“This is something he’s been through before, so it’s not something he hasn’t been through before,” Chesney said. “We’ll just wait and see how it goes throughout this week.”
Despite leaving the Gardner-Webb game early, there’s a good chance he’ll play against North Carolina, and the early bye week makes it ideal timing for Addei.
Taj Hudson, WR
Hudson, a projected starter in 2024, has yet to play a game this season as he battles an unannounced leg injury. He has appeared in both games and practiced with the team.
Hudson should make his debut soon, and Chesney said Tuesday that the Dukes expect Hudson to develop well over the next two weeks.
Given that he’s been practicing in some capacity for over a week before the game and has been wearing pads in the first two games, there’s a good chance he’ll play against North Carolina. Hudson is close to playing.
Photo courtesy of JMU Athletic Communications