As the James Madison football program pivots from the Bob Chesney era into its future under former Florida coach Billy Napier, the program is retaining a key member of the defensive coaching staff, FootballScoop has learned.
Per sources, Dave Plungas is going to remain with the James Madison program in an elevated role. Plungas will be the program's assistant head coach and outside linebackers coach in Napier's inaugural staff, sources shared.
Plungas played a key role in the development of James Madison inside linebacker Trent Hendricks, the Sun Belt Conference's Defensive Player of the Year. The Dukes also sported the top overall defense in the Sun Belt.
Prior to his arrival at James Madison after the 2024 season, Plungas had an extended run at Football Championship Subdivision program Robert Morris for seven seasons.
Napier was hired earlier this month as replacement for Chesney, who was hired away by the Big Ten Conference's UCLA Bruins to become that program's next head coach.
Plungas is a former standout-player at Albany, where he notched nearly 250 career tackles and assisted the Great Danes in winning three Northeast Conference titles. Sources told FootballScoop this week that Plungas had been aggressively pursued for a spot on a Sun Belt Conference rival's defensive staff.