When JMU football entered the 2023 season, there was an expectation the Dukes would run the ball at will.

A veteran offensive line, experienced running backs, and a mobile quarterback signaled that JMU was ready to run over the Sun Belt. Instead, the Dukes relied almost entirely on their passing game as the running game sputtered.

After a week of fall camp, JMU’s 2024 team looks like it’s poised to boast a much-improved running game with multiple starting caliber backs. 

“They’re all really good,” head coach Bob Chesney said Tuesday of his running backs, “and we’re going to need them.”

The Running Backs

Running back is a deep position group for JMU, but it’s clearly headlined by North Texas transfer Ayo Adeyi. He went over 1,000 yards in the AAC last season, averaging more than seven yards per carry in both 2022 and 2023.

In consecutive late-season games against Memphis and UTSA (two of the best AAC teams in 2023), Adeyi carried the ball 27 times for 209 yards (7.7 yards per carry). JMU averaged 3.9 yards per rush last year, the worst mark of the Curt Cignetti era. The Dukes ran for just 134.2 yards per game, with no running back averaging more than 50 yards per game.

Holy Cross averaged 6.3 yards per rush in 2023, one of the best marks in the FCS. The Crusaders ran for 264.2 yards per game, the third-highest average in the FCS ahead of both North Dakota State and South Dakota State.

Chesney and offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy are committed to running the football effectively, and the Dukes once again return an experienced offensive line led by right guard Cole Potts and center Tanner Morris. Transfers Quincy Jenkins (guard from Campbell), Jesse Ramil (left tackle St. Francis), and Patrick McMurtrie (right tackle from Holy Cross) should immediately join the rotation and add valuable depth.

“We have a lot of old guys on the team who have started multiple years,” Potts said on Aug. 1. “We have a lot of confidence among the group … we’re gonna be really good.”

Alongside Adeyi, the Dukes have North Carolina transfer George Pettaway, Holy Cross transfer Tyler Purdy, and Portland State transfer Jobi Malary ready to take advantage of the offensive line’s experience. Wayne Knight may also see the field, as his shiftiness and good hands make him a possible third-down back.

Pettaway joins JMU after minimal action with the Tar Heels, but he’s a former top-100 recruit with breakaway speed. He should see more opportunities no longer having to share a backfield with NFL Draft prospect Omarion Hampton.

Purdy, while not the featured back at Holy Cross, eclipsed 400 rushing yards last fall and averaged more than seven yards per carry for the first time in his college career. He fit well into Kennedy’s scheme in 2023.

Malary might be the group’s wild card, going for 676 yards and 12 touchdowns on just 103 carries last season. He averaged 6.6 yards per carry, and a whopping 8.6% of his carries resulted in touchdowns. At 235 lbs, Malary also offers value in short-yardage situations.

Chesney believes the unit is ready for a big fall, and he’s expecting the offense to use all of the running backs at its disposal.

“They’re all proving that they can do almost everything,” Chesney said.

Dukes Need A Rushing Attack

Last year, JMU’s offense worked around its a lackluster running game. The Dukes were elite through the air, with Jordan McCloud winning Sun Belt Player of the Year honors thanks to 35 passing touchdowns and 3,657 passing yards.

The Dukes led the Sun Belt in passing efficiency and yards per attempt (8.6). Two receivers (Elijah Sarratt and Reggie Brown) eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards.

JMU’s 2023 passing attack was one of the best in program history, allowing the Dukes to essentially ignore the running game altogether.

While there’s promise among JMU’s quarterbacks and receivers, it’s going to be hard to replicate last season’s success through the air.

Taji Hudson is expected to take a major role moving forward, but the 6’4 receiver is relatively unproven with just nine career catches. UConn transfer Cam Ross is highly productive, but he’s also struggled with injuries during his career, playing only five combined games across the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Quarterback Dylan Morris hasn’t started a game since 2021, sitting on the bench at Washington the past two years.

The aerial attack has far more questions than the running game.

To match last season’s offensive production (34.1 points per game), JMU’s offense needs improvement in the running game. Fortunately for the Dukes, that’s not a hard bar to clear after last season’s struggles. 

Header image courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications