ABOVE: Kick/punt return specialist D’Angelo Amos electrified the JMU faithful on Saturday with two punt returns against Villanova.
“Why did they kick it to him again?” was a popular question during the third quarter of James Madison’s 37-0 victory over Villanova on Saturday.
Why were so many people asking? Well, Meadowbrook High alum D’Angelo Amos torched the Wildcats’ special teams unit for two punt return touchdowns. The first came with 7:46 left in the third quarter, an 89-yard play, and the second came with just 5:36 left in the third for 81 yards.
“It wasn’t too much that I did on my own,” Amos told JMU’s school paper, The Breeze. “Definitely my red-black team, they’re phenomenal. Especially on that second one, I didn’t get touched, so that’s definitely all of them [blocking], and I just had to run.”
In between the two plays, Amos played a drive on defense.
Amos has gained national attention for his speed and agility, even getting a mention on College GameDay on ESPN for his play. The redshirt sophomore is now the FCS leader nationally in both average yards per punt return and punt return touchdowns.
The lightning-fast Amos joins JMU alum Gary Clark as the only other Duke to return two punts for scores in the same game. Clark was a part of two Super Bowl championship teams with the Washington Redskins.
Perhaps most importantly, James Madison’s blowout win over Villanova served as a rebound after last weekend’s 27-24 loss to Elon in Harrisonburg.
With Elon being JMU’s only FCS loss – the other was a 24-13 loss to undefeated North Carolina State, which is now ranked No. 16 – the Dukes are in good position for the playoffs, should they continue winning.
This coming weekend, they will host Stony Brook from Long Island, N.Y.
