JMU football secured the signings of two high-profile quarterbacks on Tuesday, adding Holy Cross/UNLV’s Matthew Sulka and Richmond’s Camden Coleman. This effort is the most notable of JMU’s efforts during its offseason portal cycle.
Coleman, a rising junior (6-foot-3, 220 pounds), appeared in 18 games for the Spiders, starting 14 of them. He has 3,192 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He completed 65% of his passes and added 314 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.
Coleman earned a PFF grade of 85.3 in 2024, the best on Richmond’s offensive line. He led the team to a 10-3 record, losing the two games he did not start the year. After starting the season as QB2, he quickly became the starter and led the explosive offense to an 8-0 record in the CAA.
He joins JMU after a strong FCS career and will be reunited with wide receiver Landon Ellis, who also transferred to JMU this offseason.
Meanwhile, Sulka joined JMU after undergoing rigorous training at UNLV. He led the Rebels to an undefeated start and two wins over Big 12 teams before leaving the program over an NIL dispute. Although he completed only 43 percent of his passes for the Rebels, he moved the ball effectively and limited turnovers. Before coming to UNLV, he starred for Bob Chesney and Dean Kennedy at Holy Cross. He ran for over 1,000 yards in two separate seasons and threw 59 TDs and just 15 INTs during his FCS career. He received interest from the P4 program from Holy Cross.
Coleman and Sulka join JMU at an interesting time, with Dukes starting quarterback Alonza Barnett in 2024 recovering from a serious foot injury. What does a QB commitment mean for the Dukes’ QB room next season?
Alonza Barnett’s participation in 2025 is doubtful
This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise to those following the situation closely, but Barnett suffered a serious knee injury in the final regular season loss to Marshall, 35-33. He missed the bowl game with a brace on his right leg after what appeared to be knee surgery. Barnett has not been given an official injury designation, but his recovery will likely take six to 12 months.
Because the surgery took place in December, Barnett could miss the entire 2025 season. Full-contact football may not be allowed until August. If that happens, the starting QB job will be between Coleman and Sulka. Barnett is almost certain to miss spring practice, and likely for longer.
Chesney added depth to the position knowing the 2024 starter could be seriously injured and take a medical redshirt in 2025. This is extremely disappointing for a talented young QB.
Coleman and Sulka ready to start
Nothing is guaranteed in the college football offseason, but Coleman and Sulka both have the ability to win a Sun Belt title. With Burnett severely injured and J.C. Evans very inexperienced, the Dukes will likely be playing center field for the season opener against Weber State, even if Billy Atkins returns, and will likely need someone other than Coleman or Sluka. It’s hard to see, but with two major transfer additions, that seems much less likely.
Coleman was great in 2024, showing the ability to throw the ball at all three levels of the field. He is a solid short passer, completing 79% of his passes between 0 and 9 yards downfield, according to PFF. None of Coleman’s short throws were “turnover-worthy.” Burnett completed 71.8 percent of his short throws last fall, three of which were deemed “turnover worthy” by PFF.
On deep balls (20 yards or more from the field), Coleman posted an 84.4 grade, which was essentially the same grade Burnett posted last season (84.6). The deep ball is probably the biggest strength of Barnett’s game. Both quarterbacks were exceptional on throws between 10 and 19 yards, with Coleman posting an 86.5 grade and Barnett posting a stellar 91.1 grade.
When Coleman leaves Burnett, it’s when he faces pressure. Coleman posted an impressive 77.3 grade under pressure in 2024. Burnett had a grade of 36.7, well below average. Coleman posted an impressive 87.3 grade against the blitz, and Barnett checked in with a respectable 64.2.
Coleman thrives under pressure and has a clean pocket in 2024, suggesting he can handle almost any situation he faces in the passing game. He made the right decisions and ran for 342 yards and six scores. There’s an argument to be made that he has all the makings of a top-tier quarterback in the Sun Belt and could beat a healthy Barnett in the QB battle. Both QBs are extremely talented players.
As for Sulka, he’s going to play. He is especially good as a runner. Even if Coleman earns the starting spot, Sulka has averaged six yards per carry in his career, including a sack. That’s strange. His pressure-to-sack ratio has been below 26.4% for four years in a row, meaning he’s good at avoiding pressure when it comes.
Sulka is a physical runner who often lowers his shoulder to defenders to gain yards after contact. Don’t be fooled by national media reports that Sulka has “quit” from UNLV. He loves playing soccer and plays to win. He will be on the field for JMU in 2025, likely as a starter. At the very least, he’s going to have a running package in JMU’s offense and needs to be on the field every week.
Sluka’s completion percentage was just 58% at Holy Cross and 43.8% at UNLV, which is a legitimate concern. There’s still a chance Coleman will earn the starting job in 2025, as he’s not the best passer in the world.
JMU’s offense should roll.
JMU’s offensive line returns running backs Ayo Adei, George Pettaway, Wayne Knight and Jobi Mallary. The offensive line added some key transfers, with LT Jeremiah Mawari and C/G Zach Greenberg likely to be starters, T Patrick McMurty, T Joseph Simmons, G Josh Toner, and G. They brought back important members: Riley Lovell, G Carter Sweezy, and C Brett. Davis. At wide receiver, the Dukes lost Cam Ross and Omarion Dollison, but added Ellis, Jaylan Sanchez from Villanova, and Zaron Collins from Tusculum. Yamir Knight returns, as does Dylan Williams.
If the Dukes acquire Coleman or Sluka, it could give JMU one of the top offenses in the Sun Belt. The Dukes should be able to lean on their running backs, using Coleman’s accuracy and mobility or Sulka’s power running to shore up the defense. Knight was JMU’s most reliable target in 2024, and Ellis and Sanchez were both CAA standouts. Collins and Sanchez have proven their ability to make big plays. Tight ends Logan Kyle and Josh Pfeiffer also have upside in the passing game.
There’s still a lot to iron out, including the rotation at RB and WR, but adding Coleman and Sulka means Barnett’s injury and likely absence for 2025 won’t derail the team’s Sun Belt title dreams. means.
Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications
