Dave Doeren’s Press Conference Before JMU: Part 2 (BULLETED)

Dave Doeren met with the media to talk about JMU and the recently released offensive and defensive depth charts. Above is the Part 2 of the presser and below is the bulleted highlights. Here’s Part 1 in case you missed it.

• My job is to build on where we are and make it better. Try to make sure the people that are helping me are staying on task. That the vision hasn’t changed. That we don’t get a big head. Not to long ago people weren’t talking about us. It’s about trying to win the day. Keeping the players minds and hearts right. Love the trajectory of the program. Staff is doing a great job. Recruiting is going well.

On confidence in quarterback Ryan Finley…

• On a scale from 1 to 10…11. In a great place mentally. Works hard. Great teammates and coaches. Physically he’s doing everything he needs to do. Couldn’t have asked for him to put himself in a better position.
• Chubb coming back have Ryan a frame of reference to look at. Bradley got insurance before Senior season. Ryan’s parents could talk to his parents.

• Depth on the line is better than it’s been. Redshirt Junior Philip Walton took advantage of a lot of snaps in Fall Camp.
• Redshirt Junior Tyrone Tiley and Redshirt Justin Witt were neck-and-neck for awhile. Riley got pneumonia. Missed a week. Back now. They were even.
• Redshirt Junior Emanuel McGirt is finally healthy and had a good camp.

On getting the players to pay attention to JMU…

• When you talk about them going 14-1 and 14-1 the past two years, back-to-back national championship games, it doesn’t take a lot.
• Game 1 is a lot about not beating ‘you.’ Last year against South Carolina lost the turnover battle, but won every other battle, and lost the game.
• JMU was +22 in turnover margin last year. You put 44 turnovers up there, and the offense is like ‘wow.’
• Been at that level. Lot of respect for that level of football. They are going to come in here flying hot, and they should.

On Redshirt Junior Nickel Stephen Griffin’s health…

• Started practicing again last week. Looked really good in the mock game on Saturday. We will keep progressing until he gets his stamina, and will have to see this Saturday. Like where he’s at.