This can be deleted if mods wish. Just trying to have a genuine conversation. I guess the only argument would be Liberty but next year the strength of schedule is atrocious. I fully expect Liberty to be top dogs in the CUSA. VT has been down for a few years and UVA can’t seem to ever get the ball rolling. I’m hoping ODU reloads soon and that JMU and ODU are the best schools in VA year after year.

No. VT has the best program and it’s not close. Did you have the best team last year? Maybe. But that’s different.

JMU was the best team in the state last season, and probably multiple seasons. VT and Liberty (and arguable Virginia) have the program edge if you consider the size of the fan base, facilities, recruiting edge, budget, exposure on major networks, and brand awareness. JMU could pass Liberty, but they will be spending a lot of money.

JMU could be the best "program" in the state in two or three years, if you are just going by on the field success, and if you can string together multiple Top 25 appearances. I would still argue the other stuff still matters too, though.

Personally, I really only care about the on field product, so when some asks about Marshall / WVU, I usually say Marshall. Gotta rep the G5.

(06-19-2023 06:05 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  No. VT has the best program and it’s not close. Did you have the best team last year? Maybe. But that’s different.

Well I’m talking about right now. If JMU had the best team in VA last season, nothing is saying they still aren’t the best team in VA until this fall.

(06-19-2023 06:19 PM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  JMU was the best team in the state last season, and probably multiple seasons. VT and Liberty (and arguable Virginia) have the program edge if you consider the size of the fan base, facilities, recruiting edge, budget, exposure on major networks, and brand awareness. JMU could pass Liberty, but they will be spending a lot of money.

JMU could be the best "program" in the state in two or three years, if you are just going by on the field success, and if you can string together multiple Top 25 appearances. I would still argue the other stuff still matters too, though.

Personally, I really only care about the on field product, so when some asks about Marshall / WVU, I usually say Marshall. Gotta rep the G5.

Yeah you’re right. I’m just talking about like right now, not previous years. I don’t want people to think I mean all-time, just currently. Too bad UVA and VT waited so long to actually schedule us. 13 years to play VT is pathetic and UVA I believe is 40~ years?

Yep. JMU has had the best team in Virginia almost every year of the past seven years or so, if not every year. In my opinion that makes us the best program currently. I too would love to see JMU/ODU become a battle between the Commonwealth's two best teams every year.

(06-19-2023 06:27 PM)KickItToScotty Wrote:  Yep. JMU has had the best team in Virginia almost every year of the past seven years or so, if not every year. In my opinion that makes us the best program currently. I too would love to see JMU/ODU become a battle between the Commonwealth's two best teams every year.

Why don't you go ask the guys on the VT and Virginia boards what they think about this comment?

Yes until someone proves you aren't.

(06-19-2023 06:23 PM)Xeonon Wrote:  

(06-19-2023 06:05 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  No. VT has the best program and it’s not close. Did you have the best team last year? Maybe. But that’s different.

Well I’m talking about right now. If JMU had the best team in VA last season, nothing is saying they still aren’t the best team in VA until this fall.

Losing your QB to graduation and other programs not standing still are saying that.

(06-20-2023 07:42 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(06-19-2023 06:23 PM)Xeonon Wrote:  

(06-19-2023 06:05 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  No. VT has the best program and it’s not close. Did you have the best team last year? Maybe. But that’s different.

Well I’m talking about right now. If JMU had the best team in VA last season, nothing is saying they still aren’t the best team in VA until this fall.

Losing your QB to graduation and other programs not standing still are saying that.

That’s not a very good argument. VT hasn’t proven they are the best in many years. I guess you’re shrugging off your VT win last season? Guess it was a fluke against the “best” program in VA.

Realistically UVA and VA Tech are P5 programs with a higher profile in VA and the nation and they play against much better programs. ACC is better than than SBC and I doubt JMU could compete week in week out in the ACC.

(06-20-2023 08:19 AM)Xeonon Wrote:  

(06-20-2023 07:42 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(06-19-2023 06:23 PM)Xeonon Wrote:  

(06-19-2023 06:05 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  No. VT has the best program and it’s not close. Did you have the best team last year? Maybe. But that’s different.

Well I’m talking about right now. If JMU had the best team in VA last season, nothing is saying they still aren’t the best team in VA until this fall.

Losing your QB to graduation and other programs not standing still are saying that.

That’s not a very good argument. VT hasn’t proven they are the best in many years. I guess you’re shrugging off your VT win last season? Guess it was a fluke against the “best” program in VA.

Well you don't really have a great argument that JMU was the best program either. Liberty could likely make a better argument. VT sucked last year and UVA did as well and still you couldn't have called either a guaranteed win had you played.

(06-20-2023 09:05 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  VT sucked last year and UVA did as well and still you couldn't have called either a guaranteed win had you played.

JMU was in the Top 25 last season. VT wasn't even in the composite Top 100...

To me there's a huge difference between "best football program in Virginia" and "best football team in Virginia (currently)". In my opinion, we can't say JMU is the best program in the state. Not yet at least. It's just too early to make those claims. You could make the argument that JMU is the best team currently, but without the head-to-head results to back it up, folks could easily point to UVA or VT's huge resource advantages and better competition to argue that one of them during a mediocre year is much closer to JMU during a great year than we would like to admit.

When JMU plays UVA this fall, and hopefully crush the Who's, we'll have more of a leg to stand on. But for the next few years, until we play more games against the other VA schools, I prefer to take the Rooseveltian approach and speak softly while carrying a big stick.

EDIT: Now if you're asking who is the best program in Virginia pound-for-pound? EASILY the Dukes

(06-20-2023 09:27 AM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  

(06-20-2023 09:05 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  VT sucked last year and UVA did as well and still you couldn't have called either a guaranteed win had you played.

JMU was in the Top 25 last season. VT wasn't even in the composite Top 100...

Yep, and? They didn't end the season in the top 25.

(06-20-2023 09:44 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(06-20-2023 09:27 AM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  

(06-20-2023 09:05 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  VT sucked last year and UVA did as well and still you couldn't have called either a guaranteed win had you played.

JMU was in the Top 25 last season. VT wasn't even in the composite Top 100...

Yep, and? They didn't end the season in the top 25.

A win would be likely. These ratings make sense considering the outcome of ODU's games vs UVA and VT, and the outcome of JMU vs ODU. A healthy JMU beats healthy UVA and VT 8 out of 10 times.

JMU: #49
Liberty: #73
UVA: #97
VT: #104
ODU: #115

https://masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm

(06-20-2023 09:51 AM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  

(06-20-2023 09:44 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(06-20-2023 09:27 AM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  

(06-20-2023 09:05 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  VT sucked last year and UVA did as well and still you couldn't have called either a guaranteed win had you played.

JMU was in the Top 25 last season. VT wasn't even in the composite Top 100...

Yep, and? They didn't end the season in the top 25.

A win would be likely. These ratings make sense considering the outcome of ODU's games vs UVA and VT, and the outcome of JMU vs ODU. A healthy JMU beats healthy UVA and VT 8 out of 10 times.

JMU: #49
Liberty: #73
UVA: #97
VT: #104
ODU: #115

https://masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm

Maybe. What would you say were JMU's best 3 wins last year?

No, we're not. The "program" speaks to more than results and to me includes fan support, fund raising, facilities, and support staff. VT/UVa are still on a different level there, and Liberty is employing the "buy a program" approach. We're rapidly improving, and UVa/VT have been in definite decline, but there is a lot more work to do.

Now, if you want to argue about best/most efficient run programs, I think you could argue that JMU has done more with less. A few more years of strong results combined with enhancements to the above areas, and JMU could stake a claim similar to what App has accomplished in NC.

Pendulums swing. That's all that needs to be said about that. Enjoy it while you can boys.

It's cool that this can even be a point of discussion. Gonna be a LONG time before those of us in Georgia and Alabama can ask this with a straight face.