Green Headlines CFN Awards, Four Dukes Named Midseason All-Americans

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison defensive end Jalen Green has been selected as the 2023 College Football Network Midseason National Defensive Lineman of the Year, while four Dukes were named to the Midseason All-America Team, the organization announced this week.

Additionally, JMU's defensive line group was tabbed Midseason Defensive Line of the Year by CFN.

Joining Green on the Midseason All-America First Team was nose guard James Carpenter. Also earning Honorable Mention distinction were defensive end Mikail Kamara and cornerback D'Angelo Ponds.

Green leads the JMU defense with 11.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, both of which are greater than his career totals entering his senior campaign. He is tied for first nationally with 2.2 tackles for loss per game and is third with 1.3 sacks per outing. Green paces the Sun Belt Conference in both categories. The Baltimore native also had his first career touchdown on Sept. 30 versus South Alabama on a 24-yard pick-six. He has 26 tackles and has also forced a fumble with a pass breakup.

Carpenter has accrued 22 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and a pass breakup through his five starts. He's tallied 1.5 TFL or more in three games, as he anchors a defensive line unit that leads the country in rushing defense (38.6), yards per rush allowed (1.35), tackles for loss (10.2) and sacks (4.6).

Kamara is also having a stellar 2023, as he's totaled 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks thus far. He is ranked tied for fifth in the FBS and third in the Sun Belt with 2.0 TFL per game, while his 0.9 sacks per contest is tied for 14th nationally and third in the conference. Like Carpenter, Kamara also has 22 tackles this season with a pair of forced fumbles and a breakup.

Ponds burst onto the scene as a true freshman, having started the past two games at corner. He has 13 total tackles to go with one interception and six pass breakups. Ponds also recovered a an Aiden Fisher blocked punt in the endzone for a touchdown at Virginia. He and Fisher are tied for the team lead with 1.4 passes defended per game, which is tied for ninth in the FBS. His first career interception late in the fourth at Utah State sealed the win in Logan, and he's had two pass breakups in each of the last three games.

JMU returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 14 when it hosts Georgia Southern. Kickoff from Bridgeforth Stadium is set for noon, and the game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.

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