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In only the second game under first-year defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler, the Dukes limited a high-powered Cardinals offense for almost the entirety of the game.

Louisville managed just three plays of 15 or more yards through the air.

On the ground, the Cardinals had just one run of more than 10 yards.

“I thought we played really hard on both sides of the ball, regardless of the outcome, we played really, really hard,� JMU head coach Bob Chesney said. “And that, to me, is what matters above all else.�

Two of Louisville’s three touchdowns that were scored on JMU’s defense came on big plays.

Cardinals quarterback Miller Moss had a 64-yard pass to Chris Bell for a third-quarter score, and running back Isaac Brown finally broke free in the fourth quarter for a 78-yard touchdown run.

Without the two second-half chunk plays, the Dukes gave up fewer than 3 yards per play.

“If you don’t give up the two plays on defense and you’re holding them the 2.39 yards of play,� Chesney said. “Obviously, the two plays exist, so it’s not fair to necessarily say that. … That’s going to prove to be a really good offense with really good players, a very good running back and I thought we kept them in check for most of the night.�

Three JMU defenders recorded at least six tackles against Louisville, with linebacker Gannon Weathersby ending the game with a team-high seven.

Dukes safety Jacob Thomas and linebacker Trent Hendrick each finished the night with six total tackles.

For the senior safety, his day wasn’t just highlighted by tackles, though.

Thomas was also responsible for a pair of pass breakups and a strip sack, which resulted in a Louisville turnover deep in JMU territory.

Despite JMU’s defense giving up just 264 yards of total offense, 151 of which were through the air, Thomas remained critical of parts of the group’s outing.

With Hitschler leading the group, JMU entered Friday’s game with a heavy emphasis on limiting over routes and making sure it was sound in its formations.

Before Brown’s 78-yard touchdown run near the end of the game, he had fewer than 30 rushing yards. Big-play threat Caullin Lacy had just 12 receiving yards against the Dukes, and Brown was relatively quiet outside of his touchdown reception.

“I think we got a little bit complacent at the end, and that’s why they hit us on the long run,� Thomas said. “Only having two big plays in a game like this when they have big-time plays like that all the time, it’s not bad. We got to be better.�

It was JMU’s defensive front that was largely responsible for limiting Brown’s production on Friday.

In the secondary, DJ Barksdale stepped up to keep Lacy from factoring into the game. Lacy was targeted only three times against JMU, making two catches with a long of 8 yards.

On Monday, Chesney said that Barksdale was adamant throughout the week leading up to the game that he wanted to be the one tasked with defending Lacy.

The Dukes’ head coach described Barksdale as “crucial� to the defense and praised him for his three tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup.

While Barksdale has primarily been featured in a nickel role for JMU, he was featured as one of the team’s cornerbacks during portions of Friday’s game. It was also Barksdale who had a defensive stop that Chesney described as “one of the cooler plays we’ve all seen.�

From the opposite side of the field, Barksdale ran down a reverse play to tackle Lacy behind the line of scrimmage.

“He is physical, he’s skilled, he’s fast and he’s confident,� Chesney said. “Just a kid that is poised at all times. He loved the challenge of going against Lacy. He loved the challenge of that all week. That’s all he wanted to do was put me against him and let’s see who comes out on top. And he certainly came out on top.�

JMU enters its first of two bye weeks this season as the top defense in the Sun Belt Conference, allowing just 206 yards per game.

The Dukes’ defense has allowed just three touchdowns, all of which came against Louisville, and they’ve done a good job getting off the field.

JMU’s defense has only been on the field for 110 plays, the second-lowest mark in the conference, trailing only Troy at 107.

The Dukes are also No. 10 in the FBS for total defense, coming in one spot higher than Louisville.

“I think the way our guys prepared and the things that they did as they set up that week was phenomenal,� Chesney said. “They were calling out plays before they happened. I was very, very impressed with it.�