We are powered by Three Notch'd Brewing, Both teams are in the mix for double byes in the SBC Tournament. He broke the conference record for. He may have a future in it afterward. But they have attempted 31 field goals and made 28. This, then, is an ode to the operation because Radkes historic run is about the repetition that creates a rhythm that is built on a relationship among three players who have been doing this long enough that they have an understanding of and appreciation for their craft. High 67F. Contact BNB Football with any questions, comments, suggestions, or business inquiries. 2020, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS JMU kicker Ethan Ratke, a former first team All-Metro honoree in his junior and senior seasons at Atlee, made a record five field goals for the Dukes Saturday. Then, I think ever since that Weber State kick, he really had that I'm a dog mentality, and he was he was a dog.. reported that the Los Angeles Chargers had the lowest attendance of all NFL teams in 2019 with an average of 31,750 fans over 11,000 more than JMU. Ratke, not on an NFL roster, is readying for an opportunity. Low 39F. You have permission to edit this article. His leg strength is as good as youll ever find from a kicker prospect, include elite hang time on his kickoffs, making him able to lead a phenomenal special teams kickoff coverage unit. Five years later, hes the all-time college football leader in points (542) and field goals made (101). Get the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about place kicker Ethan Ratke on ESPN. WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) Ethan Ratke kicked a school-record six field goals and set two NCAA records in James Madison's 32-22 victory over William & Mary. Ratke went a combined 4-for-6 on field goals and extra points. Davis became Ratkes snapper in 2018, Miller his holder the following fall. Greene checks in at closer to 280 lbs, making his agility and speed results at JMUs Pro Day important. Success! New Orleans, Washington and Detroit have each used four different kickers. With just over three minutes left in the 2017 FCS Quarterfinals, JMU was trailing 28-20 with its . Ratke felt he had to keep his pair. Over the span of all those kicks, stressed and not, Ratke said the top of his right foot and toes swelled; it didnt hurt, he said. 3. 24-for-28 FG, 36-for-36 XP. Ethan Ratke, James Madison - Round Grade: PFA, 8. Opinion | What can the College Football Playoff learn from the FCS? The Dukes are so mighty that they have outgrown the division and will move up to join the Sun Belt Conference and the Football Bowl Subdivision by 2023. Ratke got the cleats they had in the back from JMU as a redshirt freshman in 2017. Fornadel was mentioned as an NFL prospect early in his JMU career, given his blend of size and production. Next: The Dukes wrap up their regular season at home against Towson. Ratke had kicks of 30, 37 and 47 yards but. Conference shakeup: The ground beneath college sports took its most disfiguring shake to date as Southern California and UCLA announced they are leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten. Contact Logan Skinner at skinnela@dukes.jmu.edu. Staff writer Craig Mathias details who should win what and the key players from the 2021 NFL season. Contact Grant Johnson at breezesports@gmail.com. In a Saturday filled with upsets across the Sun Belt Conference, there was an overall sense . Mike Greene wouldve been tied for second amongst participating DL with Kayvon Thibodeaux #ProReady https://t.co/O5NPI37kRe. Why are we including a section on a kicker who never made a field goal of 50 yards or longer in an NFL Draft story? 1 ranking in country. That was the moment Ratke solidified his place in JMU football history. Nick Sciba, Wake Forest - Round Grade: PFA, 6. T. Wilson completed 12 of 24 with an interception in the Tribes 24-3 loss at Delaware last Saturday. The kick splits the uprights, and JMU wins 31-28 to advance to the FCS semifinals. I can just go and do my thing. Thats whats special about him. JMU redshirt freshman Antwane Wells (Highland Springs) made nine catches for 134 yards. 8-for-11 from 40-49 yards, 2-for-2 from 50+, long of 54. He got new cleats every year at JMU, but he was big on keeping the same pair every year. Copyright 2021 WHSV. The Dukes have won six of their last seven games, leaving us to wonder if they could be putting on their dancing shoes come March. Ethan Ratke kicked a school record five field goals to back a sturdy defense and James Madison smothered Delaware 22-10 on Saturday. We are powered by Three Notch'd and BetOnline. I don't want this to be the peak of my career, Ratke recalled telling himself. His longest made field goal at JMU was the 46-yarder versus Weber State in the FCS quarterfinals. After an insane NFL regular season, it's time for this year's award ceremony. He know has 67 for his career. According to an article published by Zach Miller on. With sponsorship from Northwestern Mutual, the game was officially known as the NCAA FCS Football Championship Presented by Northwestern Mutual . Despite the attendance disparity, kickers from lower divisions of college football have found success in the NFL. These kickers often have to compete for the starting job with a veteran kicker or another free-agent signee. Ryan Coe had a 51-yard field goal for the Blue Hens and Zach Gwynn found James Collins for a 26-yard touchdown. That changed versus No. Ratke's kick was true, sparing the Dukes overtime, extending their winning streak to 25 games and propelling them to a 4:30 p.m. Saturday semifinal against visiting South Dakota State. Ethan Ratke talks with Dave Thomas. James Madison is preparing to host VMI in the first round of the FCS Playoffs. More than that: Ratke is just five points behind the FBS scoring leader for any position, former Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds, and just 19 points behind the FCS scoring leader for any position, former Villanova running back Brian Westbrook. Being selected in the NFL Draft isnt a common occurrence for JMU football players, but that trend can certainly change in coming years with the Dukes moving to the FBS. He was recruited to the position at JMU. Get complete game-by-game stats for place kicker Ethan Ratke on ESPN. You have permission to edit this article. On senior day in 2021, when JMU wore all black, Ratke still sported his white cleats. Hes kicked in big games, and hasnt shown any issues with pressure scenarios. I wouldnt be in this position without either of them.. Man died Wednesday. Jonathan Doerer, Notre Dame - Round Grade: FA, 14. We are powered by Three Notch'd! More than that: No college kicker, at any level, has scored more than Ratkes 525 points. In 2019 and 2020, the Dukes had players (Jimmy Moreland and Ben DiNucci) taken in the seventh round of their respective draft years. James Madison's success rate has made Ethan Ratke, the kicker in question, the Colonial Athletic Association's special teams player of the year. Gabe Brkic is a big (63" 200) kicker who burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2019 with a 17-for-17 season. JMU leads the series 27-17, with six consecutive victories. If you want a guy whos going to kick a field goal and not miss inside 50 yards, its Ethan Ratke, OKelly said. He wasnt used nearly as much as York or Brkic from 50+, but Dicker still has solid leg strength and an ability to consistently hit kicks from that range. The 2020 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game that determined a national champion in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision for the 2019 season.It was played at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on January 11, 2020, with kickoff at 12:00 p.m. EST (11:00 a.m. local CST), and television coverage on ABC. The biggest question for Shudak is his untested mental fortitude. Error! (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). When he kicked six yes, six field goals against William & Mary on Nov. 13, he passed Zane Gonzalez, the current kicker for the Carolina Panthers who connected on 96 over his four years at Arizona State. Hes been working on it and, frankly, Ratke said he doesnt think long-distance kicking has ever been an issue. (AP) Ethan Ratke kicked a school record five field goals to back a sturdy defense and James Madison smothered Delaware 22-10 on Saturday. JMU football opened the season with two large home crowds, and with Family Weekend sold out, JMU Athletics is continuing its upward trend of ticket sales. In his time with the Dukes, Ratke put up historic numbers and created an impressive legacy in college football. Ratke had kicks of 30, 37 and 47 yards . 3-for-4 from 40-49 yards, 5-for-7 from 50+, long of 56. It would just kind of be like a tear, and it just slowly opened up even more from just the impact on the ground, Ratke said. Cade York, LSU. Once a week, Ratke said hes practicing 60-yard kicks and feels comfortable hitting them. Required fields are marked *. Having graduated from JMU in December 2020, Ratke is pursuing a masters in public administration. Ratke knows his other knock: He hasn't attempted many long in-game field goals, and he wasn't the primary kickoff specialist at JMU except for in 2017, when Gray went down. Davis job frequently became helping Ratke, his roommate, simplify the job, encouraging him to just kick the ball. Winds light and variable. The Cowboys determined that DiNucci was worthy of a seventh-round pick, and theres no reason to believe a team couldnt take a flier on Johnson. NEWARK, Del. Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? While Ratke has been a reliable kicker for the Dukes, he hasn't a made a lot of long field goals. I always relate the field goal operation to shooting a free throw, said Davis, the long snapper. JMU defeated App State yesterday, 32-28, after falling behind 28-3 in the second quarter and storming back with 22 unanswered points in the second half. He didnt wear the new pair all week. Caleb Shudak is proof that height is not a great indicator of leg strength. Teams [ edit] Its almost like a security blanket.. Despite the attendance disparity, kickers from lower divisions of college football have found success in the NFL. 15 Towson in the last game of the regular season that year. The risk of damage from hurricane winds will shift in coming decades. A few congratulatory handshakes at the pro day from scouts didnt amount to anything more. The depth in this class doesnt seem to be great, and Ive struggled to find many small school gems which is unusual for the kicker spot. Parker White, South Carolina - Round Grade: PFA, 12. He has a very strong lower body and really showed up at the Kohls Pro Combine, hitting a 67-yarder to show the lack of deep opportunities in college doesnt define his leg strength. Sports writer Jackson Hephner details what the system can learn from the FCS and what changes can be made. No kicker at any division has ever kicked more. Ratke working to add more distance as he closes in on record, Dog found dead under suspicious circumstances, SCSO says, ACSO looking for suspicious man in the Weyers Cave area, Pilot identified in fatal plane crash near Hillsville, Charlie Obaugh RV & Outdoor Student Athlete of the Week. James Madison kicker Ethan Ratke has already broken numerous FCS kicking records, but he can add . The Tribe elected to play junior Mathis at QB rather than freshman Darius Wilson, who had been the starter for all but one game this season. Log In. Same for a few of our guys, OKelly said. A young Ratke disputed that. That set the stage for the first of three first-half field goals, a 30-yarder, by the reliable Ratke, the . #NFLDraft. PUBLISHED: October 14, 2018 at 4:45 a.m. | UPDATED: December 12, 2018 at 1:21 p.m. D'Angelo Amos returned two punts of more than 80 yards for touchdowns, Ethan Ratke kicked three field goals. Ratke kicked. Ratkes most notable kick came in the quarterfinals of the 2017 FCS Playoffs when his 46-yard field goal as time expired gave the Dukes a dramatic win over Weber State at Bridgeforth Stadium. The record had previously been held by Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos, who made a 63-yarder in 2012. Hes currently job-hunting around Richmond. Now they are completely confident in each other. Hes got the leg speed and consistent mechanics that you look for in a place kicker, with plenty of experience kicking in big games. Featuring the latest in news, opinion, culture and sports from The Breeze. I mean, there's one other good team every year, but really, were the dominant force.. The Dukes (10-1) are seeded third in the FCS tournament, and the headliners Saturday afternoon will include quarterback Cole Johnson, the CAAs offensive player of the year. Find who might be worthy of a draft pick, and who is nothing more than a training camp body. It was the NFL's longest field goal in history. There was a problem saving your notification. While that strategy might make sense in college, its a waste of a roster spot in the NFL. He finished the year 20-for-23, one of the best marks in the nation, while being named a 3rd Team All-American and Lou Groza award semifinalist. Confirmed with a source that the #Colts & #Chargers both "love" @JMUFootball QB Cole Johnson, with Colts going as far as to compare him to Matt Ryan. Ratke, who is preparing for his sixth season with the Dukes, has already put together a storied career. Your email address will not be published. This was the last dance until who knows when for these programs that have met 44 times in a series that kicked off in 1978. The final record that is on the line entering November may not be decided until the FCS Playoffs. "J-M-U!" Bench press isnt everything, though, and there are likely valid questions about whether Greenes production at the FCS level could translate in some capacity to the NFL. By the end of fall camp, Ratke had climbed to second string. Nick Saban turns assistants into head coaches and in Kirby Smart, a title challenger. JMU, which has not faced another program more often than W&M, is headed to the FBS and the Sun Belt Conference and begins its football transition next season with a non-CAA schedule. Jerry Brewer: As college sports change, coaches must stop whining and amplify new voices. After both teams scored two touchdowns in the first 15 minutes, it looked like it might be a game for James Madison kicker Ethan Ratke, who booted field goals of 44 and 42 yards in the second. There was an error processing your request. If a pair of teams like him, theres a good chance a few others may as well. Thinking of distance as an issue is not something I think about, Ratke said. Stories that explain the news through charts, maps, photography and videos. 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