James Madison head coach Bob Chesney has always believed games can be won and lost through special teams.
Thus, it comes as no surprise that Chesney is bringing in special teams guru Eric Mele to enhance the Dukes' special teams play.
Mele served as Mike Leach's special teams coordinator for years at both Washington State and Mississippi State, receiving wide spread praise for his units' performance. Additionally, Mele oversaw the running backs room at both programs for Leach.
Prior to the 2024 season Mack Brown asked Mele to join his staff at North Carolina to bolster their special teams play. The results were evident with multiple units registering significant improvement in year one.
At JMU, Mele will work closely with Drew Canan who oversees special teams and tight ends for the Dukes and has been with Chesney the last ten + seasons.
JMU, coming off a strong 9-4 season, is looking at a rather challenging 2025 schedule with early season games at Louisville and Liberty before diving into the heart of conference play. The Dukes will close out their season with a game vs Washington State followed by playing at Coastal Carolina before the conference championship weekend.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest coaching news.