Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications

Bob Chesney, Taji Hudson, and Jacob Dobbs spoke Tuesday at Sun Belt Football Media Days. While media days are often filled with fluff – no coach is going to trash their own team on media day – there’s usually a few relevant nuggets of information.

JMU’s portion of SBC Media Days provided a few interesting quotes, especially from Chesney.

In addition to discussing building team chemistry with dozens of new faces, Chesney spoke about competition. He’s spent the offseason trying to push each player’s individual physical and mental limits in hopes of building a resilient team come the fall. That’s no surprise – college football workouts are no joke for any program – but it’s exciting nonetheless as the Dukes look to build a championship contender despite losing most of its coaching staff and top 2023 contributors.

Chesney also called making the College Football Playoff a goal for the team, although it could require an undefeated record – at least in league games.

The Defensive Line Should Still Be Elite

JMU’s defensive line was arguably the hardest hit position group by transfers and graduations. Jalen Green, Jamree Kromah, James Carpenter, and Mikail Kamara combined for 68 tackles for loss, with both Green and Kromah tallying 10+ sacks. The unit was monstrous, stuffing the run and pressuring opposing quarterbacks.

Even with those losses and others, the 2024 defensive line could be similarly disruptive.

“The amount that we lost is very, very hard to replace, right?” Chesney said. “But at the same point in time, when you get a chance to learn about these guys and meet these guys on the field, I think you’ll be very impressed.”

JMU’s defensive front returns 300-pounder Immanuel Bush, who is expected to shine in the middle. Amar Thomas returns along the defensive edge, and several other young promising prospects remain on the roster.

The transfer portal haul includes DE Eric O’Neill (Long Island), DT Terry Lockett (Syracuse), DE Lloyd Summerall (Florida/USF), and DT Chris Fitzgerald (Youngstown State). Colorado/Maine transfer LB Khairi Manns also has experience rushing the passer from the edge.

Chesney quickly mentioned Summerall, suggesting the former Power Five lineman could be due for a big season off the edge. O’Neill even earned All-Sun Belt Second Team honors this preseason, despite not yet playing a snap in the conference. He was the 2023 NEC Defensive Player of the Year, finishing the season with 80 tackles and 23.5 tackles for loss.

Dylan Morris Brings What Chesney Wants

While Chesney stopped short of naming Washington transfer Dylan Morris the starting quarterback, it would be stunning if Morris didn’t open the season as JMU’s starter. In Chesney’s introductory press conference after taking the JMU job, he said he wanted a quarterback who could handle big moments.

“You need to have a quarterback who can compete in pressure situations and deliver over and over again, which is why practice structure needs to be very, very important for that kid to be put on the line and go through those emotions of succeeding and winning a game or failing and losing a game and learning from it long before he gets out there in those crucial moments,” Chesney said.

Morris, who sat behind 2023 Heisman Trophy runner-up Michael Penix Jr. in 2022 and 2023, started for the Huskies in 2020 and 2021. He’s an experienced quarterback with a strong arm and great understanding of the game. He’s by far the most experienced quarterback on JMU’s roster, which includes returners Alonza Barnett, Billy Atkins, Brett Griffis, and newcomer JC Evans. Morris’ team played for the national title last year, and even though he wasn’t the starter, there’s value in playing for one of the best teams in college football.

“We always have a competition, but Dylan came in here and his ability to process football at a high level and his ability to lead, his ability to understand intent of plays, his schematic competence, his situational awareness is through the roof,” Chesney said Tuesday.

Morris is JMU’s QB1 until proven otherwise, and Chesney seems to love the Washington transfer’s experience. That could come in handy with road games against Charlotte and North Carolina coming in the first three games of the season.

Sun Belt Wants No Part of a G5 Playoff

Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill shared a few notable insights during his speech to open Media Days. Among the most notable was Gill’s assertion that the Sun Belt has no interest in a separate Group of Five playoff, an idea that has been suggested by some media members and college football pundits.

Gill wants the Sun Belt to have a seat at the table with the biggest conferences in college football, including the Big 10 and SEC.

“We just aren’t really interested,”Gill said. “The Sun Belt is fully committed to the CFP and only wants to participate in polls and postseason that includes all nine FBS conferences and Notre Dame. We do not seek greatness with caveats. We just seek greatness.”

With the future of college football unclear, it’s a plus to have a conference commissioner who wants the Sun Belt to be included at the highest level of the sport. That vision aligns with JMU’s goals for the future of the football program, and it also aligns with the Sun Belt’s recent success.

The conference sent 12 of its 14 teams to bowl games last season, and it’s viewed by multiple advanced metrics as the toughest Group of Five conference in the country.