Spotlight JMU football receivers, secondary pushing each other during preseason CATIE HARPER Daily News-Record Aug 25, 2026 Aug 25, 2026 Updated 3 hrs ago 0 × By CATIE HARPER Daily News-Record Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save It’s the contrast of two competing storylines.kAm~? @?6 D:56 :D 2 H:56 C646:G6C C@@> 7:==65 H:E9 5J?2>:4 2E9=6E6D[ >2?J @7 H9@> 2CC:G65 2E y2>6D |25:D@? H:E9 A=6?EJ @7 4@==686 6IA6C:6?46 2=C625J @? E96:C CéDF>éD] ~? E96 @E96C :D 2 D64@?52CJ[ DA=:E 36EH66? E96 D276E:6D 2?5 4@C?6C324<D C@@>D[ =@2565 H:E9 A@E6?E:2= 2?5 E96 G6CD2E:=:EJ E@ A=2J 36J@?5 E96:C =:DE65 A@D:E:@?D]k^AmkAm%9@D6 4@?EC2DE:?8 DEC6?8E9D 92G6 2=C625J AC@G6? 36?67:4:2= 2D y|& H@C<D E9C@F89 :ED 7:CDE AC6D62D@? 42>A F?56C 9625 4@249 q:==J }2A:6C]k^Am James Madison safety Seth Gathers runs a drill during practice. Daniel Lin / DN-R kAm}2A:6C 92D D2:5 E9:D @77D62D@? E92E 96 2?5 9:D DE277 6G2=F2E65 E96:C D64@?52CJ C64CF:ED 2D ECF6 5676?D:G6 324<D C2E96C E92? =:>:E:?8 E96> E@ @?6 A@D:E:@?] %96 sF<6D H2?E65 A=2J6CD 42A23=6 @7 7:==:?8 >F=E:A=6 C@=6D 2?5 8:G:?8 E96 4@249:?8 DE277 7=6I:3:=:EJ H:E9 :ED A6CD@??6=]k^Am People are also reading… Virginia Tech student expelled for sexual abuse settles lawsuit against school Franklin official resigns abruptly 2 days after disclosing data center's demise Boones Mill's revitalization of historic downtown ready for next phase 3 injured as boat runs ashore at night on Smith Mountain Lake 'Project Flash' data center proposal fizzles out in Franklin County Berglund Center, with casino or not, at 'critical point,' city manager says Families of JMU students killed in crash collect $2 million in settlements Grant will help Franklin County Habitat's affordable housing efforts Virginia Tech shifts linebacker roles with Williams’ injury 94-year-old woman's death at Va. assisted living facility ruled a homicide Virginia Tech’s young safety corps tested by experience Virginia Tech’s Jackson making strong impression at receiver Impacts of possible Franklin County data center the topic of Sunday meeting Where college football preseason rankings went wrong Henry County man faces nine charges after Franklin County drug seizure kAm“xE ;FDE 8:G6D J@F 2 3F?49 @7 5:776C6?E 4@>3:?2E:@?D[” y|& D276E:6D 4@249 qC2?5@? q2:=6J D2:5] “(6VG6 8@E 2 =@E @7 C62==J 8@@5 A=2J6CD[ 2?5 D@>6E:>6D E96 3:886DE DECF88=6 42? 36 9@H 5@ H6 86E E96 36DE 7:G6 @FE E96C6[ 2?5 H92E 5@6D E92E 4@>3:?2E:@? =@@< =:<6 32D65 @? 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E96J 5@ 86E E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ >@G6 @G6C[ 2?5 A=2J 2 =:EE=6 3:E @7 2 5:776C6?E A@D:E:@?[ :EVD ?@E 2D 3:8 @7 2 9FC5=6]”k^Am kAm%96 sF<6D 6IA64E E92E G6CD2E:=:EJ E@ 4C62E6 AC@3=6>D 7@C @AA@D:?8 @776?D6D E9:D 72==]k^AmkAmu@C ?@H[ 9@H6G6C[ :EVD 2=C625J 36?67:E:?8 y|&VD @H? @776?D6]k^Am James Madison receiver Xavier McDonald hauls in a catch. Daniel Lin / DN-R kAm%96 D64@?52CJ 92D E6DE65 2== `h >6>36CD @7 E96 sF<6DV C646:G:?8 4@CAD E9C@F89@FE 42>A[ 7@C4:?8 E96 8C@FA E@ 25;FDE E@ 5:776C6?E DEJ=6D 2?5 4@G6C286D]k^AmkAm(6DE u=@C:52 EC2?D76C r@C6J $4@EE :D 2>@?8 E96 ?6H4@>6CD 6IA64E65 E@ 4@?EC:3FE6 @776?D:G6=J E9:D D62D@?[ 2?5 96VD 366? :>AC6DD65 H:E9 E96 5676?D:G6 324<D 96VD 72465 D:?46 2CC:G:?8 :? w2CC:D@?3FC8]k^Am kAm“xE 96=AD FD 86E 36EE6C 2 =@E[” $4@EE D2:5] “(6 8@E D@>6 AC6EEJ 8@@5 ,5676?D:G6 324<D. @? @FC E62>] $@ ;FDE 8@:?8 282:?DE E9@D6 8FJD 6G6CJ 52J[ H6 4@>A6E6 3FE 96=A 6249 @E96C]”k^AmkAm$4@EE 2CC:G65 2E y|& 27E6C C64@C5:?8 eb C646AE:@?D 7@C `[_gb J2C5D 5FC:?8 9:D E:>6 2E (6DE u=@C:52]k^Am kAm(9:=6 96 C64@8?:K6D 9@H >F49 E96 sF<6DV 5676?D:G6 324<D 2C6 96=A:?8 E96 C646:G6CD :>AC@G6[ $4@EE 36=:6G6D E96 4@>A6E:E:@? H@C<D 3@E9 H2JD]k^AmkAm“(6 8:G6 E96> 5:776C6?E =@@<D[ E96J 8:G6 FD 5:776C6?E =@@<D[ D@ H6VC6 23=6 E@ C625 5:776C6?E=J[” $4@EE D2:5] “p?5 x 2AAC64:2E6 E96> 7@C E92E 3642FD6 H6VC6 2== 86EE:?8 36EE6C 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96 52J] … x C62==J =:<6 8@:?8 282:?DE 92C5 sqD]”k^Am kAm%96 5:G6CD:EJ H:E9:? y|&VD C646:G:?8 4@CAD 92D AC@G:565 2 D:>:=2C 492==6?86 7@C E96 D64@?52CJ]k^AmkAm%96 sF<6D 92G6 C646:G6CD H:E9 5:776C6?E 4@>3:?2E:@?D @7 D:K6[ DA665[ DEC6?8E9 2?5 BF:4<?6DD[ 8:G:?8 E96:C 5676?D:G6 324<D 2 G2C:6EJ @7 >2E49FAD E9C@F89@FE AC24E:46]k^Am kAmr@C?6C324< sy z6==J[ H9@ ;@:?65 y|& 27E6C DA6?5:?8 E96 a_ad D62D@? 2E %@=65@[ 92D D66? E96 36?67:ED 7:CDE92?5]k^AmkAmz6==J 2=D@ 4C65:E65 4@C?6C324<D 4@249 zJ=6 q2C?6D 7@C 6>A92D:K:?8 AC6\D?2A C64@8?:E:@?[ 2 D<:== E92E 92D 366? E6DE65 3J E96 E2=6?E 24C@DD 7C@> E96 5676?D:G6 324<D 6G6CJ 52J]k^Am kAm“xEVD 8C62E E@ D66 5:776C6?E D<:== EJA6D 2?5 5:776C6?E EJA6D @7 C646:G6CD[” z6==J D2:5] “(6 8@E 72DE 8FJD[ H6 8@E EH:E49J 8FJD[ H6 8@E DEC@?8 8FJD[ 2?5 E96J 2== A=2J 5:776C6?E 2?5 H6VC6 2== >2<:?8 6249 @E96C 36EE6C] $@ xV> 8C2E67F= E@ 8@ 282:?DE E9@D6 8FJD]”k^Am kAm%92E 52:=J 4@>A6E:E:@? 92D AC@G:565 3@E9 A@D:E:@? 8C@FAD H:E9 2 G2=F23=6 E6DE 367@C6 E96 sF<6D 368:? D66:?8 @AA@D:?8 ;6CD6JD]k^Am kAmy|& @A6?D :ED 7:CDE D62D@? F?56C }2A:6C 2E 9@>6 282:?DE {:36CEJ @? $6AE] d] z:4<@77 :D D4965F=65 7@C ?@@?]k^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. 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