Another former JMU Football coach, Bob Chesney, the one who led the Dukes to a CFP berth last year, had a successful debut at a new Power 4 job, leading his UCLA team to a 45-24 win in its season opener at Cal on Saturday night.
The Bruins broke the game open in the fourth quarter with two INTs of Cal QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who also lost a fumble.
Wayne Knight, one of the 11 former JMU players who followed Chesney to the Left Coast, scored three TDs on the ground, two in the fourth quarter.
“You always want to get on the big stage and show everyone that you can do it,” Knight told reporters after the game.
Knight, famously, didn’t have any FBS offers coming out of high school in Delaware, before putting up 1,373 yards on the ground, another 397 yards through the air and scoring 10 TDs for JMU as a redshirt junior in 2025.
Participation report
- Knight had 101 yards from scrimmage in last night’s win – 71 yards on eight rushing attempts, and 30 yards on two catches (three targets).
- Two transfer O linemen got good reps – center Riley Robell (57 snaps) and right guard Carter Sweazie (34 snaps).
- JMU transfer wideout Landon Ellis had one catch (two targets), a 20-yarder.
- Tight end Josh Phifer played on 34 snaps, with one pass target.
- Cornerback DJ Barksdale logged 64 snaps, with five tackles and a sack.
- Also getting 64 defensive snaps was defensive end Sahir West – who had five QB pressures, a sack and three tackles.
- Defensive end Aiden Gobaira played on 56 defensive snaps, recording two QB pressures.
- Nose tackle Darold NeNgohe had two tackles on 19 defensive snaps.
- Linebacker Trent Hendrick, the 2025 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, had two tackles on 16 defensive snaps.
- Linebacker Drew Spinogatti played on six defensive snaps.
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Chris Graham
