JMU pass-rusher Green (knee) out for season

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2 years ago

November 7, 2023

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David Hale, ESPN Staff WriterNov 6, 2023, 11:48 AM ET
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- ACC reporter.
- Joined ESPN in 2012.
- Graduate of the University of Delaware.

James Madison pass-rusher Jalen Green will miss the rest of the season after suffering a significant knee injury in Saturday’s win over Georgia State, the school announced Monday. Green leads the nation in both sacks and tackles for loss.

JMU coach Curt Cignetti said it was a non-contact injury suffered when Green pivoted to chase the QB on a scramble play in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game.

The injury will require surgery, the school said.

Through nine games, Green has 15.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss, along with seven QB hurries, an interception (returned for a touchdown) and two forced fumbles. He needed just five more sacks to break Elvis Dumervil’s FBS record.

“We’ve got a couple other guys in the mix who could see increased playing time,” Cignetti said. “Amar Thomas at defensive end and Mychal McMullin at defensive tackle. We’ll be 2-deep plus on the defensive line. We’ll figure it out. We’ve got some flexibility. But you can’t replace a guy like Jalen. He had probably more production as a pass-rusher than anybody in the country this season.”

Green had already set the Sun Belt Conference single-season record for sacks and was one sack shy of the program’s all-time record. JMU joined the Sun Belt last season after moving up from the FCS level. He also set the school record with five sacks in a game on Oct. 19 vs. Marshall.

“Everybody feels really bad for him,” Cignetti said. “He was having a tremendous season, had a chance to break the sack record: 15 and a half sacks, 21 TFLs, he put a lot into this season. The silver lining would be he attracted the NFL scouts’ attention, which I know is his goal, to play in the league. He’s had a lot of interest in the NFL the last few weeks.”

A Baltimore native, Green is a redshirt senior, WHO also missed the entirety of the 2020-21 season with an injury, but Cignetti said Monday that Green is not eligible for a medical hardship waiver and will not be able to return next season.

“He’s disappointed, but he’s a mature guy,” Cignetti said. “He’s got dreams of playing in the NFL. He’s got to have that surgery and go through the rehabilitation process and get ready for his opportunity.”

Cignetti said Green had “a lot of interest from the NFL in the last few weeks”

JMU is 9-0 on the season, but because it is in an NCAA-required transition year from FCS, it is not eligible for the Sun Belt championship game or any postseason appearances and will not be ranked by the College Football Playoff committee. The Dukes are 21st in the CFP rankings. They’ll face off against UConn at home on Saturday.

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Day after 21-0 loss, Rockies fire manager Black

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May 12, 2025

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Day after 21-0 loss, Rockies fire manager Black

ESPN News Services

May 11, 2025, 06:05 PM ET

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies fired manager Bud Black on Sunday, one day after losing by 21 runs to the San Diego Padres at Coors Field.

The Rockies are off to a major-league-worst 7-33 start even after defeating the Padres 9-3 on Sunday to salvage one game in the home series and snap an eight-game skid. Third-base coach Warren Schaeffer will serve as interim manager for the rest of the season, and hitting coach Clint Hurdle will be the interim bench coach.

The Rockies, who also fired bench coach Mike Redmond, will open a road trip Monday night against the Texas Rangers and try to turn a corner. Even with Sunday’s victory, Colorado has the worst 40-game start since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles, who were 6-34.

“Our play so far this season, especially coming off the last two seasons, has been unacceptable. Our fans deserve better, and we are capable of better,” Rockies owner, chairman and CEO Dick Monfort said in a statement. “While we all share responsibility in how this season has played out, these changes are necessary. We will use the remainder of 2025 to improve where we can on the field and to evaluate all areas of our operation so we can properly turn the page into the next chapter of Rockies Baseball.”

Black was in his ninth year as Rockies manager and had a career record with Colorado of 544-690. He is the winningest manager in franchise history.

Before Saturday night’s 21-0 drubbing, Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt backed Black, telling The Denver Post that he believed the season still could be turned around.

“I think our guys are still playing hard, and that’s what I look at,” Schmidt told the Post. “Guys are working hard every day; they come with energy, for the most part. I don’t think we are [at that point of firing Black]. Guys still believe in what we are doing and where we are headed. We are all frustrated.”

Schmidt said he was looking for “growth” as the season goes along.

“I feel for the fans; I feel for the people around here,” he said. “I know we are better than we have played, but we are not good right now. We have to battle through it and get to the other side. There are still a lot of games left. I think we can turn it around, but it’s going to take a whole group to do it. The guys are working to get better.”

Colorado was 19½ games out of first place in the NL West before Sunday’s win. The Rockies have been outscored by 128 runs this season. The only team since 1900 with a worse run differential through 40 games was the 2023 Oakland Athletics (-144).

The seventh manager in team history, Black initially found success with Colorado when he led the Rockies to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2017 and 2018. They haven’t finished with a winning record since and are coming off two straight 100-loss seasons. Colorado has a .353 winning percentage since 2023.

Black’s contract was set to expire after the season. He signed a one-year extension in October.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.