HARRISONBURG – The James Madison University football program has suspended seven players, according to the school’s athletic department.

The suspensions occur as James Madison prepares to play for its second NCAA FCS championship. On Jan. 7, the Dukes face Youngstown State in Frisco, Texas.

On Tuesday during his weekly press conference at O'Neill's Grill in Harrisonburg, JMU coach Mike Houston said none of the seven suspended players would play in the FCS championship game.

"No," he said when asked.



On Monday, JMU Houston previously said he would have no further comment and would not elaborate on the nature of the offenses that led to the suspensions.

After beating North Dakota State in the FCS semifinals on Friday, Houston confirmed that wide receiver Terrence Alls and linebacker Brandon Hereford were “suspended indefinitely." Neither played in the win inside the FargoDome.

“We have a very high standard of expectation for our players and their conduct, both on and off the field,” Houston said on Friday. “Unfortunately, I had some guys that did not meet that standard. We’re going to do right, so they have been suspended indefinitely.”

Kevin Warner, JMU Assistant Athletic Director for Communications, said Monday the school would not release the names of the suspended players. He did not give a reason.

Alls, a junior transfer from Duke University, made 39 catches for 575 yards and five touchdowns in 2016. Hereford, a junior, recorded a team-high 83 tackles during the regular season. He had 13 more in the playoffs.



Filling in for Alls in Friday's win, junior receiver John Miller hauled in a fourth-quarter touchdown pass from quarterback Bryan Schor.

Sophomore Dimitri Holloway, taking the place of Hereford, made 16 tackles in the win.

Youngstown State may have suspension troubles of its own.

The Tribune Chronicle in Warren, Ohio, reported that five Youngstown State players were suspended before its 40-38 semifinal win over Eastern Washington on Saturday. Penguins head coach Bo Pelini has not confirmed the suspensions.





***Note: This article was updated on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 1:04 p.m., following Houston's weekly press conference.

