By Jack Fitzpatrick and Bennett Conlin

JMU football targeted Billy Napier, Kevin Cahill, and Jay Hill as top candidates to replace Bob Chesney, according to sources with knowledge of the hiring process. On3 and ESPN are reporting the Dukes are finalizing a deal with Napier.

Chesney is expected to officially become UCLA’s coach in the near future, leaving JMU in need of a new program leader.

Napier spent 2018 through 2021 in the Sun Belt, leading Louisiana to a 40-12 record. He won two Sun Belt titles and his championship teams finished the year in the top 20 of the AP poll. His tenure at Florida was a mixed bag, however. The Gators went 22-23 and he was fired during his fourth season. The highlight of his tenure was an eight-win season in 2024. 

Cahill, Lehigh’s head coach, has the Mountain Hawks 12-0 and seeded in the FCS playoffs. The longtime Yale assistant is viewed similarly to Chesney. He’s considered a rising FCS star and culture builder with P4 potential. He fits the mold of a traditional JMU hire, as the Dukes targeted FCS winners under former athletic director Jeff Bourne. It’s unclear how much new athletic director Matt Roan values FCS success.

Hill, currently the defensive coordinator at BYU, led Weber State to a 68-39 record from 2014 through 2022. At BYU, the Cougars rank 20th nationally in ESPN’s Defensive SP+ rating. They also rank 14th in scoring defense. With an upset over Texas Tech in Saturday’s Big 12 Championship, the Cougars would make the College Football Playoff. Hill’s combination of P4 experience and head coaching success make him intriguing, but he was born in Utah and has only ever coached in Utah. Coming East could be a culture shock and require a recruiting adjustment. But his coaching acumen is superb.

The expected hire of Napier brings JMU a former Sun Belt winner with a big name. His hiring will draw national headlines, as it goes against the Jeff Bourne hiring playbook of seeking proven FCS winners.

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications