JMU Football will begin spring camp on Monday. The Dukes, who went 9-4 (4-4 Sunbelt) in Bob Chesney’s first season as head coach, is looking forward to more in Chesney’s second season. With a solid group of returns, the Dukes are aiming for the Sunbelt title and the potential for a college football playoff berth.
Check out the five questions your team is facing in the coming weeks.
QB Alonza Barnett do you have any tips on the future?
Alonza Barnett is not expected to be fully involved in spring football after suffering a knee injury in the 2024 regular season finale. What is his future in the program?
As for his recovery, Chesney was vague about Burnett’s availability in 2025.
“I think the exact date is moving,” Chesney told the media earlier this week. “It feels like he’s a little ahead, so by the time we go camping, he feels like he’s in a really good place.”
Is Burnett actually ready to compete for a start job at fall camp? That doesn’t seem likely.
The addition of both Matthew Sluka (Holy Cross/UNLV) and Camden Coleman (Richmond) to the transfer portal suggests that JMU is focusing on other options. Even if Abiy was perfectly healthy in winter, spring and summer, each man would have had a legitimate chance to beat Barnett in offseason competitions. Sluka (75.4 PFF grade in 2024 after receiving over 90 grades in 2022 and 2023) and Coleman (85.2 PFF grade in 2024) have a big advantage in getting QB1 and QB2 jobs, as Barnett lost offseason strength training and spring practice personnel after an inconsistent 2024 campaign.
It is also possible that Burnett will choose to forward. He played decent football (68.6 PFF grade) in 2024 and was able to generate interest from other G5s and low-end P4 teams, especially if they were ready to work in the fall. With Coleman and JC Evans holding multi-year qualifications and both have more power rushing potential, there is little guarantee that Barnett will become the starter for JMU in 2026.
Who starts with QB?
Realistically, this comes down to Sluka and Coleman, but Evans and Billy Atkins are still on the roster.
Chesney and offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy (he’s staying at JMU after interviewing for an assistant job with the Jacksonville Jaguars) has known Sluka well since his days at Holy Cross. He has rushed over 3,000 yards in his career, reaching the end zone 39 times. His passing accuracy (only for one season with completion rates above 60%) is a weakness, but he rarely throws intercepts (16 times on over 700 pass attempts).
Coleman can also stretch his plays with his legs to get yards, but perhaps he’s two more refined passersby. However, he is not experienced and has yet to start a game against FBS opponents. Sluka went 2-0 against the P4 team at UNLV last season, then left the program to the NIL conflict. Still, Coleman has good accuracy (65% career completion rate) and strong arms, making him 13-1 as a starter at the FCS level.
“No one handed anything,” Chesney said. “They all have to fight for that.”
Who will be cut?
Roster restrictions, which are expected to hit the sport from July 1, require JMU to cut the group to 105 players. The Duke is now over that number.
“There are probably people who really like us. “It’s just going to be the nature of the beast in every program across the country.”
JMU will not cut down on top scholarship contributors, but there are walk-ons that could develop into future contributors that will be reduced. As players fight to appear on the team, it leads to competitive (and meaningful) spring practice.
Can Front 6/7 be elite?
There aren’t many questions about JMU’s secondary. This returns CB Chauncey Logan, Nickel DJ Barksdale, and Safety Jacob Thomas. However, the Dukes lost many talents in the defensive line and linebacker.
De Eric O’Neill, De Khairi Manns, DT Chris Fitzgerald, DT Darold Dengohe, LB Jacob Dobbs, and LB Taurus Jones are no longer participating in the program due to graduation or transfer. How does JMU replace production? Do they need more help in the Spring Portal window?
Adding Maine transfer Xavier Holmes and Notre Dame Transfer Aiden Govailla will help increase the position of the defensive end, but questions remain about linebackers and interior defensive line spots. Who will contribute to the roles that will contribute along with predicted starters like DT Immanuel Bush and LB Trent Hendrick? This is an important spring for JMU’s defensive linemen and linebackers, and there’s plenty of opportunity to play.
Keep an eye out for LB Trashon Dye and De Sahir West as potential stars. The two redshirt freshmen are one of the most athletic underclassmen on JMU’s roster.
Do you have any prospects for the NFL?
JMU was able to benefit from sending people to the NFL via draft as well as undrafted free agency. It will help you hire. There’s no need for players to transfer to P4 schools and turn to professionals, but JMU hasn’t been drafted since 2020 (Ben Dinucci).
Is there a legitimate NFL outlook on this year’s roster? Will it become more noticeable during spring camp?
While CB Terrence Spence and LB Jacob Dobbs may look serious, it seems unlikely that Dukes will be selected in the 2025 draft. As for the 2026 draft, there’s a possibility there.
Bush and WR Nick DeGennaro are two of the team’s most likely 2026 NFL Draft selections, including K Noel Elas, Orpatrick McMurtry, QB Matthew Sluka (probably as an offensive gadget player) and others who RB Ayoady can work on the mix. The Dukes are late to start turning productive players into NFL contributors.
Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications
