Spotlight JMU football eager to get back to work as preseason camp approaches CATIE HARPER Daily News-Record Aug 5, 2026 Aug 5, 2026 Updated 7 hrs ago 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save It hasn't been much of a struggle for James Madison head coach Billy Napier to motivate his roster.kAmx? 9:D 7:CDE J62C H:E9 E96 AC@8C2>[ }2A:6C 92D 2DD6>3=65 2 E62> E92E 96 D2:5 :D 4@?D:DE6?E=J 6286C E@ 86E @? E96 7:6=5 2?5 86E E@ H@C<]k^Am James Madison head coach Billy Napier directs his team during practice. Daniel Lin / DN-R kAmtG6? E9C@F89@FE E96 DF>>6C[ E96 sF<6D C6>2:?65 9:89=J >@E:G2E65]k^AmkAm%96C6 H2D @?=J @?6 52J[ }2A:6C D2:5[ H96? 96 ?@E:465 6G6? E96 D=:89E6DE 5:A :? 6?6C8J[ 2?5 96 2?5 9:D 4@249:?8 DE277 <?6H E96 =:<6=J 4F=AC:E]k^Am kAmQx E9:?< :E H2D C:89E @77 @?6 @7 E96D6 }qp A=2J@77 82>6D E92E H6?E :?E@ @G6CE:>6 F?E:= ` @V4=@4< :? 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E96J C6DA@?565 2?5 H6 925 2 8C62E 52J E92E 52J]Qk^Am People are also reading… Virginia Tech administrators Wurthman, Brugger McSorley lose their jobs Ranking Virginia Tech's 2026 football slate by interest and opponent strength Complaint filed against Franklin County leaders Franklin County girls basketball coach leaving for Roanoke College Franklin County residents bash supervisors on data center discussions James Madison coaches thinking about five-in-five rule Rain and recent action by ApCo help to increase SML levels Franklin County adds 1% sales tax to the ballot this November Governor visits Smith Mountain Lake to emphasize water conservation in drought Report: NASCAR will relocate The Clash from Bowman Gray Stadium to Daytona Finding 'Project Flash:' How Franklin County residents learned the county was talking to a data center developer Virginia Tech’s architecture school receives $20 million donation Fauci lets loose on Trump in COVID diary: ‘What an idiot!’ Appalachian Power again reducing water releases from SML amid drought AG creates new enforcement unit for vape, liquid nicotine kAm%96 3FJ\:? 2?5 H:==:?8?6DD E@ H@C< :D H92E }2A:6C 4@?D:56CD E96 8C62E6DE DEC6?8E9 @7 E9:D J62CVD C@DE6C]k^AmkAm%96 sF<6D 2C6 :?EC:?D:42==J >@E:G2E65 2?5 C6=J 962G:=J @? 2 A=2J6C\=65 4F=EFC6]k^Am kAm}2A:6C D2:5 @?6 @7 E96 >@DE 4@>>@? 4@?G6CD2E:@?D 2>@?8 E96 4@249:?8 DE277 46?E6CD @? E96 677@CE E96J D66 5FC:?8 AC24E:46]k^Am James Madison quarterback JC Evans (1) fires off a pass. Daniel Lin / DN-R kAm~7E6?[ 4@2496D D:>A=J =@@< 2E @?6 2?@E96C 2?5 D2J[ Q|2?[ E96J ;FDE 3C@F89E :E 282:?[Q }2A:6C D2:5]k^AmkAmQ(6VG6 D66? E92E 6G6? >@C6 E9:D DF>>6C[ E92E E9:D :D A=2J6C\=65[Q }2A:6C D2:5] Q%92EVD H92EVD >256 y|& C62==J DA64:2= :D E92E A=2J6C\=65 4F=EFC6] %92EVD 366? 92?565 5@H? 7C@> J62C E@ J62C[ FAA6C4=2DD>6? E@ F?56C4=2DD>6?] (6 92G6 E92E 8@:?8 @? C:89E ?@H]Qk^Am kAm%96 A=2J6C\=65 2AAC@249 92D 366? 6G:56?E E9C@F89@FE E96 DF>>6C[ 3FE E96 5C:G6 E@ H:? 92D 366? AC6D6?E D:?46 }2A:6C 7:CDE 2CC:G65 :? w2CC:D@?3FC8]k^AmkAm%96 9625 4@249 D2:5 >F49 @7 E92E DE6>D 7C@> E96 AC@8C2>VD 6DE23=:D965 DE2?52C5]k^AmkAmy|& 92D 6IA6C:6?465 D:8?:7:42?E EFC?@G6C @G6C E96 A2DE 76H J62CD[ 52E:?8 324< E@ s646>36C a_ab H96? 7@C>6C 9625 4@249 rFCE r:8?6EE: =67E 7@C x?5:2?2]k^Am James Madison's Trashon Dye carries the ball during practice. 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E@ 36 H6== AC6A2C65 2?5 E@ 36 C625J E@ 4@>A6E6]Qk^Am kAmpE $F? q6=E |65:2 s2JD[ }2A:6C 56D4C:365 E92E D2>6 8C@FA @7 C6EFC?:?8 A=2J6CD 2D E96 Q42E2=JDEQ 369:?5 H92E E96 AC@8C2> 92D 244@>A=:D965 @G6C E96 A2DE D:I >@?E9D]k^Am kAm(9:=6 >2:?E2:?:?8 E96 AC@8C2>VD DE2?52C5 368:?D H:E9 E96 A=2J6CD 2?5 4@2496D[ }2A:6C 36=:6G6D E96 DFCC@F?5:?8 4@>>F?:EJ 2=D@ A=2JD 2 D:8?:7:42?E C@=6]k^Am kAmw6 A@:?E65 E@ E96 >@EE@ Q%96 '2==6JVD %62>[Q H9:49 92D 82:?65 A@AF=2C:EJ :? C646?E J62CD[ 2D 2? 6I2>A=6 @7 E96 4@>>F?:EJ DFAA@CE E92E 96=AD D92A6 6IA64E2E:@?D 2C@F?5 E96 AC@8C2>]k^AmkAm}2A:6C 25565 E92E E96 324<:?8 7C@> y|& 72?D :D @?6 @7 E96 AC@8C2>VD 8C62E6DE DEC6?8E9D]k^AmkAmQ%92EVD E96 ?F>36C @?6 C6D@FC46 H6 92G6 3642FD6 E96C6VD 2? 6IA64E2E:@?[Q }2A:6C D2:5] Q(6VC6 ?@E @?=J ECJ:?8 E@ 86E C625J E@ 4@>A6E6[ H6VC6 ECJ:?8 E@ 86E C625J E@ 5@>:?2E6[ 2?5 x E9:?< E92E J@F D6?D6 E92E @? E96 7:6=5] ]]] %96D6 8FJD[ E96J F?56CDE2?5 H96C6 H6VC6 2E[ H9@ H6 2C6[ 2?5 H92E H6 5@ 2C@F?5 96C6]Qk^Am Contact Catie Harper at 540-208-3268 or charper@dnronline.com. | Follow Catie on Twitter: @CatieHarper 0 comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular James Madison coaches thinking about five-in-five rule While some members of the U.S. Senate continue working to pass the Protect College Sports Act, one transformative change to college athletics … Four positions to watch as JMU football opens preseason camp Preseason camp is here. These are the biggest position battles to watch at JMU. Billy Napier introducing changes while balancing past success for JMU football Billy Napier didn’t come to JMU to start over. He came to build on a winning foundation. 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James Madison coaches thinking about five-in-five rule While some members of the U.S. Senate continue working to pass the Protect College Sports Act, one transformative change to college athletics …
Four positions to watch as JMU football opens preseason camp Preseason camp is here. These are the biggest position battles to watch at JMU.
Billy Napier introducing changes while balancing past success for JMU football Billy Napier didn’t come to JMU to start over. He came to build on a winning foundation.
