James Madison Dukes quarterback Alonza Barnett has landed on the injury list as out because he injured his leg. He is expected to be be sidelined until Saturday, March 1, 2025.
James Madison Dukes running back Tyler Purdy is done for the season because he injured his leg. He is slated to return on Saturday, March 1, 2025.
The James Madison University Dukes football team has a rich history of competitiveness and athlete development, but like any other collegiate team, injuries are inevitable and can greatly impact team performance. As part of our ongoing effort to prioritize athlete safety and well-being, this report provides an in-depth look at the team’s recent injury history, exploring trends, and offering recommendations for mitigating future injuries.
Our review of the past five seasons (2018-2022) has yielded the following injury statistics:
– 35 total injuries to key players (defined as players seeing regular game time)
– 12 season-ending injuries
– 15 injuries resulting in missed starts (one or more games)
– The majority of injuries occurred during games, with 70% being acute injuries and the remaining 30% being classified as chronic or overuse injuries.
Based on our analysis, the top three most common injury types experienced by the team during the evaluated period were:
1. Knee injuries (28%), including anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprains, and menisci damage
2. Shoulder injuries (20%), such as dislocations and separations
3. Concussions (15%)
In line with other studies, our review indicates that skill positions tend to be more susceptible to injury. Specifically, the team experienced the following injury frequencies by position:
– Wide receiver: 8 injuries (23% of all receiver injuries)
– Running back: 6 injuries (17% of all running back injuries)
– Linebacker: 5 injuries (14% of all linebacker injuries)
As the James Madison University Dukes football team strives to minimize the occurrence of injuries and ensure quicker recovery times, this report serves as a foundation for targeting specific areas of improvement. Key recommendations include implementing more inclusive strength and conditioning programs, enforcing proper tackling techniques, and continually educating coaching staff and trainers on current injury trends and prevention methods.
– The development of a standard warm-up routine
– Post-game recovery protocols
– educating coaches and players on the prevention and consequences of injuries