Under first-year head coach Bob Chesney, James Madison had what would be considered for most programs a solid first year under a new coach and heavy roster turnover.
The Dukes went 9-4, blasted North Carolina 70-50, and won their first bowl game in program history. On the surface, that’s a solid year for a Group of 5 program– in a time where programs at this level in particular can see a lot of roster attrition, even without a new coaching staff.
However, the losses that JMU suffered highlighted a lot of “what could have been” for the season as well. Losing to ULM on the road after so much momentum to start the season was quite the reality for the Dukes. They looked like they might have figured it out against Coastal Carolina the following week at home, but JMU had three more losses left on the schedule.
In all four Sun Belt losses, the Dukes held double-digit leads at some point in those matchups. This sort of inconsistency is something JMU fans and the program have not experienced in quite some time. Therefore– understandably– fans, coaches, and staff are expecting improvement going into the 2025 season.
If you believe in preseason projections and national buzz about potential playoff teams, others around the country are expecting big things as well.
Roster Turnover
As is the case with most G5 programs, especially successful ones, JMU was poached in the portal and lost key contributors from the nine-win bowl winning season.
Defensive linemen Eric O’Neill and Darold Ngohe, a freshman standout, both left for Rutgers this offseason, making defensive end a point of emphasis for the Dukes in the portal in the offseason.
Losing kicker Nick Reulas late in the spring also hurt the Dukes.
Overall, JMU lost 33 players in the portal.
Atop the list of priorities for the JMU was finding a quarterback, as Alonza Barnett III was lost late last year to injury. The Dukes would bring in former Holy Cross/UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka, who thrived under Bob Chesney during his time with the Crusaders. Chesney would also bring in rising junior Camden Coleman out of Richmond.
To fill the void left at defensive end, the Dukes went with proven on-field disruption. Aiden Gobaira comes in as a highly recruited transfer from Notre Dame who has had his collegiate career disrupted by injuries. Xavier Holmes is a defensive end coming up from FCS program Maine, where he proved to be incredibly disruptive as a part of the Black Bears’ defensive line.
More in depth roster analysis on James Madison can be found here:
Schedule Breakdown
The out-of-conference scheduling for the Dukes will see them host Weber State this upcoming Saturday. JMU has recent history with the Wildcats, but this contest will likely not be as competitive as previous entanglements.
Then, on a short week, the Dukes will travel to Louisville for a Friday night matchup on ESPN2. Louisville has ACC title-game aspirations, and moving the game to Friday puts a focus on it. But if JMU keeps this close late in the game, there’s nothing stopping the Dukes from pulling a potential upset.
The matchup at Liberty two weeks later, following a bye and with Washington State later in the season, may prove decisive for JMU’s postseason hopes.
However, if JMU hopes to avoid the pitfalls of last year, the Dukes will need to be up and prepared for every single game in conference. The Dukes play other Sun Belt West-hopeful Louisiana at home before hosting a much-improved Old Dominion. JMU then travels to San Marcos for a Tuesday-night battle with Texas State in late October before rounding out the final stretch with Marshall, Appalachian State, Washington State, and Coastal Carolina.
Projected 2025 Record
Floor: 7-5
Ceiling: 12-0
Prediction: 10-2
Story To Watch
Dukes fans learned that JMU quarterback Alonza Barnett III has been cleared for contact after suffering a torn ACL in the last game of the 2024 season.
With two transfers in, one of whom has had well documented success under Chesney in Sluka, how will the Dukes coaching staff handle working Barnett back in? How much will Barnett play against Weber State– if at all? Optimistic timelines for his return predicted him to potentially get under center for the first time at Liberty (Sept. 20), but this has seemingly moved up.
Moving forward, it could be interesting to see how JMU’s offense does with such a interesting quarterback pairing. How many special packages could be in the mix if Barnett asserts himself as the clear starter, but the Dukes still want to use Sluka to keep defenses on their toes? Will he be used at all? This late bit of offseason news has thrown a wrench in preseason talking points at quarterback for the Dukes, and potentially changed the game planning for their first opponents.
Furthermore, it will be interesting to see how JMU’s coaching staff has improved since Year 1. Coach Chesney is on record saying 9-4 was not good enough. What sort of growth will we see from JMU’s staff in terms of play calling and game management?
The sky is the limit for JMU this season. 12-0 is not out of the realm of reasonable possibility, given the talent brought in and expected growth in the program under Chesney. However, attrition with football in terms of injuries and the Sun Belt present massive challenges for any team to make it through unblemished.
That said, if the Dukes go 8-4 with some combination of losses that is as disappointing at last year, don’t expect the JMU collective of players, staff, and fans to be as understanding as they were in 2024.
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