‘I was not surprised at all with the success they had.’ Troy, South Alabama discuss facing JMU in 2023

By Jarvis Haren
NEW ORLEANS (WHSV) - The annual Sun Belt Football Media Days got underway at the Sheraton Hotel in New Orleans on Tuesday.
Up first was the West Division. James Madison and the rest of the East Division will take center stage on Wednesday.
Although JMU wasn’t present on Tuesday, that didn’t mean other schools weren’t talking about JMU.
Troy and South Alabama were just some of the many schools praising the Dukes’ unprecedented 2022 season. In its first season competing in the Sun Belt Conference and as an FBS program, JMU went 8-3 and finished atop the Sun Belt East.
“They have a really strong culture. Coach Cignetti does a great job. He’s a great leader,” said Troy head coach Jon Sumrall. “The history and what that program is about, the consistency they’re about. I wasn’t surprised at all with the success they had year one of the Sun Belt. Quite honestly, I expected it. I really figure they would jump right in and do what they did.”
South Alabama head coach Kane Wommack says JMU makes very few mistakes. He added that JMU’s attention to detail is what makes them such a challenging opponent.
“They do such a good job of operating at a high level and being a team that plays with such consistency,” said Wommack.
JMU will face both Troy and South Alabama in a span of three weeks in 2023 after not facing either team in 2022. The Dukes first Sun Belt game is at Troy on Sept. 16 while South Alabama travels to Harrisonburg to face the Dukes on Sept. 30.