MORGANTOWN - Dana Holgorsen was full of praise Monday for the two key components of the offense that his team will face Saturday when West Virginia meets James Madison in Landover, Md.
MORGANTOWN - Dana Holgorsen was full of praise Monday for the two key components of the offense that his team will face Saturday when West Virginia meets James Madison in Landover, Md.
"Offensively they've got a good 1-2 threat with their quarterback, the Thorpe kid, and then their running back, the Scott kid,'' Holgorsen said Monday, referring to JMU's Justin Thorpe and Dae'Quan Scott. "They've both had two tremendous games to start the season. They want those two guys to touch the ball quite a bit.''
There seems a chance, though, that half of that 1-2 punch could be missing when the teams meet at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at FedEx Field.
Scott, who was named the Colonial Athletic Assoc. offensive player of the week on Monday, injured an ankle in the Dukes' 42-3 win over Alcorn State. JMU coach Mickey Matthews said Monday morning that Scott was "very questionable'' for Saturday.
"I do not think he'll play, if I had to guess right now,'' Matthews said.
Of course, a lot can happen between now and Saturday, and perhaps Matthews was overstating his pessimism regarding Scott. But if he does sit out, it would be a huge blow to the Dukes.
"I don't think it's going out on a limb saying he's the best football player we have,'' Matthews said.
Scott played less than one half against Alcorn State, but rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries. He also caught five passes for 39 yards and a score. He had 208 all-purpose yards, but turned his ankle while catching that TD pass.
"It was swollen pretty good [Sunday] night. And ankles do not get well [quickly],'' Matthews said. "If you know Dae'Quan, he'll go get a new ankle somewhere so he can play because he loves to play so much. But I don't know. It just doesn't look very good right now.''
In JMU's first two games - the other was a 55-7 rout of Saint Francis (Pa.) - Scott has played just five quarters, but has averaged nine yards per rush and is the team's leading receiver with eight catches.
MORGANTOWN - Dana Holgorsen was full of praise Monday for the two key components of the offense that his team will face Saturday when West Virginia meets James Madison in Landover, Md.
"Offensively they've got a good 1-2 threat with their quarterback, the Thorpe kid, and then their running back, the Scott kid,'' Holgorsen said Monday, referring to JMU's Justin Thorpe and Dae'Quan Scott. "They've both had two tremendous games to start the season. They want those two guys to touch the ball quite a bit.''
There seems a chance, though, that half of that 1-2 punch could be missing when the teams meet at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at FedEx Field.
Scott, who was named the Colonial Athletic Assoc. offensive player of the week on Monday, injured an ankle in the Dukes' 42-3 win over Alcorn State. JMU coach Mickey Matthews said Monday morning that Scott was "very questionable'' for Saturday.
"I do not think he'll play, if I had to guess right now,'' Matthews said.
Of course, a lot can happen between now and Saturday, and perhaps Matthews was overstating his pessimism regarding Scott. But if he does sit out, it would be a huge blow to the Dukes.
"I don't think it's going out on a limb saying he's the best football player we have,'' Matthews said.
Scott played less than one half against Alcorn State, but rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries. He also caught five passes for 39 yards and a score. He had 208 all-purpose yards, but turned his ankle while catching that TD pass.
"It was swollen pretty good [Sunday] night. And ankles do not get well [quickly],'' Matthews said. "If you know Dae'Quan, he'll go get a new ankle somewhere so he can play because he loves to play so much. But I don't know. It just doesn't look very good right now.''
In JMU's first two games - the other was a 55-7 rout of Saint Francis (Pa.) - Scott has played just five quarters, but has averaged nine yards per rush and is the team's leading receiver with eight catches.
The 5-foot-9, 205-pound junior arrived at James Madison as a wide receiver, but for two years now has been the team's go-to running back. He rushed for 1,304 yards in 2011.
"Well, it's going to affect us because he's a great player,'' Matthews said. "And when you lose a great player, whether it's us or WVU, you don't have a lot of those guys.''
If Scott doesn't play, his place would be filled by junior Jordan Anderson and sophomore Dejor Simmons. But that only fills part of the need.
"The thing about Dae'Quan is he's such a versatile guy,'' Matthews said. "He can catch the ball and he's a good blocker and he runs the zone play well. You're going to miss a guy like that. You have to replace him with three guys.''
Briefly
Speaking of injured running backs, Holgorsen said again on Monday that Dustin Garrison was still building up the strength in his leg and continues to be evaluated. That almost certainly means he won't play Saturday.In fact, it is looking more and more like Garrison might be held out until and unless he's needed. If he can play later in the season and WVU needs him, fine. If not, a redshirt season appears possible.
The kickoff and television for West Virginia's Sept. 22 game against Maryland was announced Monday. The game will kick off at noon at Mountaineer Field and be televised by FX.Reach Dave Hickman at 304-348-1734 or dphickm...@aol.com or follow him at Twitter.com/dphickman1
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