James Madison preview

James Madison quarterback Justin Thorpe (right) congratulates Rodney Landers. Thorpe, a Varina grad, is in a battle with Drew Dudzik to replace Landers, who was first-team all-CAA last year with the Dukes. Aquarterback competition is a standard sight on a college campus in spring. But it's a little unusual to see it spill into mid-September on a visiting team's field.

That's exactly what James Madison coach Mickey Matthews is planning as a way of determining who will get the nod this year for the Dukes: junior Drew Dudzik or freshman Justin Thorpe.

Whoever wins the battle will have the task of replacing Rodney Landers, who was first-team all-CAA last year as he led the Dukes to a conference title.

Thorpe, a Varina grad, split snaps with Dudzik through the spring, but neither was able to get a leg up in the eyes of Matthews.

"One day I would walk off thinking one guy was the better player, the next day I thought it was the other guy," he said. "We're going to play the guy that gives us the best chance to win."

Fans will have to wait an extra week to see the two play -- JMU is the last area school to kick off, on Sept. 12 at Maryland. During that game, both quarterbacks will get an opportunity to play at least a portion of the game.

"Coach told me back in the spring that we might not know who the quarterback is until a few weeks through the season," Dudzik said. "You've just got to make the most of your opportunities."

Thorpe is considered to be a little bit quicker on his feet, but Dudzik has the benefit of experience.

The situation is not unprecedented for Matthews and the Dukes. In the school's national championship season, 2004, quarterback Matt LeZotte was the returning player, but was beaten out for the job by transfer Justin Rascati.

"That was one of the toughest things I've had to do, calling Matt in to tell him that we were going to go with Justin," Matthews said.

A similar scene will play out this fall, but it's unknown as to when that will be, or even who might have the edge in what is currently a dead heat.

Matthews says he's not worried about potential fallout, because both players are well-liked among the team and on campus. That will go a ways in preventing hard feelings once one of them moves to clipboard duty as the CAA schedule begins.

Each will have his work cut out as he tries to follow one of the best Dukes seasons in recent history. It ended at home in the national semifinal, a goal the team believes it can achieve once a young roster starts to find its footing.

"Our kids believe they're going to win," Matthews said. "Confidence breeds confidence, and we've worked very hard to put our program in the position it's in now."