JMU football opened its season with an up-and-down 20-13 win over Liberty. Here are three takeaways from the Dukes’ victory:

They’re still figuring things out, including QB1

JMU is a work in progress after an offseason of heavy turnover, and that includes the quarterback position. With Alonza Barnett at UCF, the Dukes are leaning on JC Evans and Camden Coleman. 

Evans is the better rusher, as evidenced by his nine carries for 69 yards. Coleman, however, looks like a more polished passer. Evans’ passing stats were slightly better against the Flames, but Coleman made a few nice anticipatory throws and seemed to command the offense well in his first of two drives. 

The duo combined to go 12-for-18 for 118 passing yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. They focused primarily on short and intermediate throws, with Evans hitting one explosive 30-yard throw to tight end Cole Keller. JMU didn’t take deep, downfield shots.

It’s easy to see why the Dukes played both guys. They each have upside, and it seems obvious neither guy was elite enough to run away with the starting job during the spring and summer. Coleman made a few sloppy throws late in the game, nearly getting intercepted twice, and Evans’ unit fizzled on a couple of drives without an obvious downfield passing threat. 

It’s also easy to see the case against the rotation. Between halftime and game flow, JC Evans spent about an hour off the field between drives. Why’d the offense stall out in the second half? Rotating quarterbacks surely didn’t help the rhythm and cohesion of the unit. 

JMU spent months narrowing down the position, only to show us they’re still unsure about the unit’s direction.

The Dukes are also a work in progress defensively. They rotated in a ton of guys, especially as the temperatures rose in the second half, and the Flames kept holding onto the ball. 

That’s fine for Week 1! It likely won’t last. Some of JMU’s biggest defensive lapses came when the Dukes put in backups. The Dukes are deep, but just like the offense, they need to identify their best players and keep them on the field as much as possible against San Diego State in two weeks.

Liberty’s blueprint works

JMU beat Liberty 31-13 a season ago, but the Dukes trailed in the second half. It took them a while to pull away because the Flames’ plan of shortening the game with long possessions works. 

Last fall, JMU only had eight real drives (not counting the two possessions at the end of each half with only QB kneels). The Dukes ran 67 plays across those drives, though, possessing the ball for 33 minutes. 

JMU’s 2025 team was built to get off the field quickly defensively and play methodically on offense. The Dukes beat Liberty at the Flames’ strategy.

This year, JMU had nine drives (only three in the first half). The Flames held the ball for more than 37 minutes. They Dukes would love to run 70+ plays a game. They had just 49 on Saturday. 

Most teams remaining on JMU’s schedule won’t be able to shrink the game that effectively. In theory, JMU’s talented roster should benefit from high-possession games. Over the course of more possessions and plays, the Dukes think they can overwhelm teams. 

Liberty’s blueprint to hang in the game worked at times in 2025, and it thrived in 2026 against the Dukes’ up-tempo spread attack. But the Flames couldn’t make the plays down the stretch — again — to turn the plan into a win.

Still, it’s likely some of JMU’s future opponents will try to beat the Dukes by keeping the defense on the field for 35+ minutes. Will JMU respond by slowing down the tempo a hair, or will the Dukes hope the offense can put up more than 20 and be more efficient in future showings?

If the Dukes trust their tempo, they need to score more than 20 points to win consistently.

Notable injuries

JMU has a pair of key defensive injuries:

• Gannon Weathersby was dressed but didn’t play. He had a large brace on one of his knees. Weathersby was supposed to be the defense’s primary communicator and an elite-level G6 defender. Any long-term absence is a concern. 
• Safety Javis Mynatt was in street clothes. The Texas State transfer looks like he’ll be out for an extended period of time. If he misses the season, it’s a big blow to an inexperienced secondary. 
• Billy Napier told Dave Riggert after the game that running back Seth Cromwell (4 carries, 51 yards) got banged up. It doesn’t sound long-term, but it’s why he wasn’t used late in the win. 

Staying healthy for early season games against San Diego State, ODU, and Marshall is crucial. Weathersby’s availability will be key for the defense.

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications