It's pretty amazing how this staff was able to find and develop players so successfully. It's not just the JMU guys.
I'll admit I thought Hartford was really bad to start the season, but now he's prospering on D and playing with confidence. Dante Lovett also started the season rather shakily, but he is doing well now filling in for Rod Pleasant.
Dieffenbach seemed to be an afterthought in the portal, but it looks pretty clear that he's a more effective QB for us than Nico was. Tao Johnson goes down and you don't see that much difference with Ta'Shawn James.
Michigan fans speak very derisively of Morgan, but he's been our best receiver.
There are many others, like the three interior DL. Anthony Sacca and Osiris Gilbert are only in their second year of college, but both are playing a lot and looking good.
Then you look at the rehabilitation jobs they did with Jalen Woods (probably will make one of the All-Big 10 teams), and Julian Armella, who people wrote off as a sorry OL last year. Who thought Jensen Somerville was going to play a big role this year? Before he got hurt, you could really see a difference in Mikey Matthews.
Leland Smith has been a bit of a disappointment, but even he has had some big moments.
The success rate with these guys is pretty amazing. It seems like the only major guys who didn't take a step forward were Nico and Cole Martin. Even some of those OL we thought were throwaways have contributed.