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Challace McMillin recruited students out of the registration lines for fall-semester classes at Madison College in 1972.

This is how James Madison University’s football program was born on the way to its current status as one of the FCS’ premier programs. The Dukes meet Youngstown State on Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas, in the FCS national-championship game.

McMillin was 29 in 1971 when he came to Madison College, which didn’t become James Madison University until 1977, as director of housing and head cross country and track coach. There was an understanding he would, at some point, become the school’s first football coach.

Madison officials believed football was a vehicle to attract more male students, expand the men’s sports program, and generate exposure for a growing college. McMillin moved to Harrisonburg from Memphis, Tenn., where he was a high school football and track coach, at the invitation of Madison athletics director Dean Ehlers, who also came from Memphis.

Madison had 4,000 students in 1971. About 25 percent were male. McMillin said he was informed in the summer of 1972 there would be a junior varsity team that year. The school made the announcement July 17, 1972. It was too late for McMillin to recruit in the usual ways.