Football: This year, the ball will be in Rascati's court (08-28-06)
Not to mention his hands; senior QB should have more chances to run -- By Ryan Sonner (Daily Staff Writer)
HARRISONBURG — One of the lasting images of the 2004 Division I-AA national championship game is quarterback Justin Rascati's second rushing touchdown.
Rascati dropped back to pass but couldn't spot an open receiver. He sprinted toward the end zone and, from about 2 yards out, leaped through the grasp of a Montana defender and across the goal line for a 6-yard score.
It was typical Rascati, who made a name for himself that season by improvising with his feet. He rushed for nearly 400 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns.
Rascati's elusive running helped the Dukes claim the school's first national title, but it also scared coach Mickey Matthews half to death. For fear of injury, Matthews instructed Rascati to make more decisions from inside the pocket last season.
So much for safety.
"We're going to run more options and put the ball in his hands," Matthews said.
That should be good news for JMU fans, who suffered through a 7-4 year and watched the Dukes miss the playoffs. Despite putting the brakes on Rascati's running last season, Matthews said he is vastly improved in that area. He rushed for only 69 fewer yards than in 2004, but he did so on 65 fewer carries.
"He's just a better runner," Matthews said. "When we first got him, he didn't know how to scramble. He had never run many options."
Matthews credited the change of plans to a revamped offensive line. Last year, the Dukes had a group of seasoned veterans, beefy blockers who gave Rascati plenty of time to work.
All-American left guard Matt Magerko and right tackle Harry Dunn have graduated, leaving the Dukes with a few holes up front. Even with a largely inexperienced offensive line in front of him, Rascati will be counted on to produce — with his right arm and his feet.
He is one of the Atlantic 10's most efficient signal callers, having connected on 67 percent of his passes the past two years. He enters this season ranked first among all JMU quarterbacks in completion percentage and efficiency rating. Rascati has been picked off only 10 times in 497 pass attempts.
Being a quarterback in Matthews' run-heavy offense, however, has hurt Rascati's yardage numbers; he has thrown for fewer than 4,000 yards in two years.
"Stats don't mean much to me," he said. "I just want to win, be a winner."
That he has done. Rascati is just three wins away from becoming the winningest quarterback in JMU history.
In a span of three days earlier this month, eight NFL teams sent representatives to watch the Dukes practice. They kept a close eye on Rascati, running back Alvin Banks and offensive tackle Corey Davis.
It's hard to question Rascati's composure in the pocket or his ability to lead his team to victory. He has directed the Dukes on several game-winning drives in the fourth quarter, including a last-minute touchdown drive against Furman in the national semifinals two years ago.
The question has always been his arm strength.
"He's improved his arm strength over the years," Matthews said. "He's got a lot of RPMs on the ball."
Since arriving at JMU in 004 as a transfer from Louisville, Rascati has started all 26 games. He snagged the starting job from incumbent Matt LeZotte and hasn't looked back.
"I've matured physically and mentally," he said. "I've grown up."
