JMU football opened the 2024 season with a 30-7 win over Charlotte. The Dukes trailed 7-3 in the second quarter but gradually pulled away from Biff Poggi’s squad the rest of the way.
Charlotte head coach Poggi said after the game that he felt Charlotte was the better team, but the scoreboard told a different story. In Week 1, JMU’s defense shone, holding Charlotte to under 10 points.
With Bob Chesney’s JMU team off to a 1-0 start, let’s break down some takeaways from Week 1.
Alonza Barnett will start at QB.
The story of the night was at quarterback, with Alonza Barnett officially taking the starting role over Dylan Morris, a transfer from Washington who had 15 starts under his belt. Barnett struggled early in the game but picked up steam in the second half.
Barnett finished the game with just over 300 total yards and two touchdowns, and although he lost the ball twice in the first half, he controlled the ball well for the final 30 minutes.
Deep passing was his strength on Saturday, completing three passes of 30 yards or more. Burnett also completed six passes of 15 yards or more, including an explosive play that led to a score.
He’s likely to be the starter for JMU due to Dylan Morris’ experience, but Barnett has clearly shown the coaching staff he can excel at the Division I level. He had a strong second half but should get even better as he gains experience and confidence.
Chesney’s offensive philosophy
Kurt Cignetti booted a 20-yard field goal on a short kick on fourth-and-goal by the Dukes from the Utah State 2-yard line last season. The successful field goal gave JMU a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and an eventual 45-38 victory.
Don’t expect Bob Chesney to make the same decision if he found himself in a similar situation.
JMU had two fourth-down goals in the 2024 season opener en route to a 30-7 win over Charlotte. The Dukes failed to score both times, but Chesney showed a clear change in fourth-down philosophy from his previous coaching staff.
“We didn’t come here to kick field goals,” Chesney said after the game. “We came here to be aggressive.”
The increased aggression on fourth downs may surprise some fans, but Chesney’s decision isn’t based on mood. He’s taking a calculated approach to maximize JMU’s chances of winning.
A failed fourth-and-goal conversion isn’t ideal, but Charlotte still had over 90 yards left to score a touchdown. The 49ers failed to score on the possession immediately following JMU’s failed fourth-and-goal conversion. The second time, Charlotte threw an interception three plays later. JMU scored on the first play of their next drive.
In Chesney’s estimation, JMU would be better off forgoing a field goal and risking a failed conversion on fourth down because in return it would either score a touchdown or pin the other team deep in its own half.
The Dukes were 1-3 on fourth down in the game, with Alonza Barnett completing a 43-yard pass to Cam Ross on fourth down and four on the team’s first drive of the game.
Offensive line woes
The offensive line looked to improve in the second half but struggled in the first half. Left tackle Jesse Ramil was lost on a strip sack that led to Charlotte’s first (and only) touchdown of the game. Ramil, who started at left tackle in place of an injured Tyshawn Wyatt, received a Pro Football Focus grade of 55, the lowest of any JMU starting offensive lineman. Ramil has shined at the FCS level and should improve as he adjusts to FBS competition.
Other forwards struggled at times Saturday, and the team as a whole wasn’t as dominant as some fans had hoped.
The Dukes’ running backs averaged just three yards per carry. North Texas transfer Ayo Addei, who averaged more than seven yards per carry last season, had just 41 yards on 16 carries (2.6 yards per carry) on Saturday against Charlotte. The running game continued to struggle outside of Alonza Barnett’s 89-yard rushing effort.
Chesney felt the offense played better in the second half after making tactical adjustments in the locker room. Chesney said the tactical changes led to better blocking angles late in the game. JMU ran for 137 yards after halftime compared to 61 in the first half.
Additional Game Notes
Taj Hudson did not play at WR. He was wearing braces on his knee and lower leg, and his status is unclear. He was dressed for the game, which is a good sign. Left tackle Tyshawn Wyatt traveled to the game, but was in street clothes on the sideline. The Dukes hope to have him back in the near future, but no official timeline has been released. The Dukes rotate players frequently, with 41 players playing at least 10 snaps on offense and defense. In JMU’s 2023 FBS opener against UVA, the Dukes used 33 players on offense and defense for 10 or more snaps. Bob Chesney is good at coaching players during the game. Defensive back DJ Barksdale turned his head to track a deep pass in the second half, but he slowed down to give the receiver space. After the ball went incomplete, Chesney ran right over, careful not to slow down as he turned his head. Chesney also called out defensive back Kai Holmes in the second half when Holmes nearly drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after getting in the face of a Charlotte player. No foul was called, but Chesney took the play as a lesson learned. Holmes and Chesney appeared to have a positive discussion about the play. DE Kairi Manns shone. Manns, a transfer from Maine/Colorado, led JMU with eight tackles and posted a team-best defensive PFF grade of 81.9.
Photo courtesy of JMU Athletic Communications