The James Madison Dukes opened the 2025 season with a strong 45-10 victory against Weber State on Saturday evening, as they have introduced a new wrinkle to the offense for this season. With the return from a late-season ACL injury from 2024 starter Alonza Barnett III, and the transfer that had a public fiasco last season at UNLV in Matthew Sluka, who played for JMU head coach Bob Chensey at Holy Cross. The two-quarterback system was effective for most of the night against the inferior opponent, as they had no answers for the weapons that JMU deployed on the offensive end of the ball. Let’s dive into how each quarterback performed on the night as a whole.
Alonza Barnett III’s Grand Return
The junior quarterback had a miraculous recovery from a torn ACL last November to make the start for the Dukes in the opener. Barnett III didn’t miss a beat as he was an effective 14-22 passer for 130 yards and a touchdown. Barnett III also added 30 yards on the ground and another touchdown. When Barnett III was on the field, the offense flowed, especially the first two drives of the game for the Dukes. He was also in a great rhythm when he was on the field for the most part.
Matthew Sluka’s Up and Down Performance
Sluka, the former UNLV and Holy Cross player, also had two total touchdowns on the day, but also had a turnover in the second half of this game that, in a closer game, would have been more costly, probably. The senior is probably going to be primarily used in a small role, most likely now with the return of Barnett III earlier than expected. Bob Chensey in the postgame press conference to WSHV 3s Jarvis Haren said this about the rotating quarterbacks, “It’ something we have to keep using to our advantage.”
Other Notable Highlights
The Dukes had 313 yards rushing with strong performances from George Pettaway and Wayne Knight, especially. Pettaway had 99 yards on the ground, and Knight had 89 yards and a touchdown. The defense was also great, with three interceptions in this game, and created a lot of pressure even though they didn’t record a sack. The second half was a bit sloppier than the first for JMU, and they have a short week to clean this up before traveling to Louisville for a visit against the Cardinals on Friday. For more College Football coverage, tune into Total Apex Sports over the course of the season.
