Completed Event: Football at Georgia State on October 4, 2025 , Win , 14, to, 7
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James Madison
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at Georgia State
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James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Hendrick’s JMU Career Reaches a Pinnacle
12/15/2025 6:18:00 PM | Football
Trent Hendrick can recall his recruiting visits to James Madison in 2021, streamers flying with every Dukes' touchdown.
"They'd blow out these FCS teams by 40 points," Hendrick said. "Always had convincing wins, especially at home. Dominating at home. That's what we were seeing getting recruited."
JMU went 12-2 that year, earning those dozen victories by an average of 27.3 points per game.
Hendrick, a star linebacker at St. Christopher's in Richmond, committed to the Dukes, part of the program's first FBS recruiting class – the foundation JMU wanted future success at the Group of Five level to be built upon.
"We knew it was going to be a challenge to uphold the standard," Hendrick said.
Now, 48 career games in the purple-and-gold later, Hendrick is a captain, the leading tackler and the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year for a JMU team that won the program's first Sun Belt championship and became the first team in Virginia to reach the College Football Playoff.
"He's just an ultimate competitor, the ultimate leader," JMU coach Bob Chesney said.
The Dukes face fifth-seeded Oregon on Saturday night in the first round.
"This is next level," Hendrick said. "It doesn't get any higher than this. My freshman year, when I first came in, I didn't imagine we could be in the College Football Playoff."
Of course, back then, Hendrick had a vastly different perspective. He was a lightly-recruited prospect whose first offer came from Coastal Carolina. He drew interest from the military academies and a host of FCS programs.
The last offer to come his way was from JMU and former coach Curt Cignetti.
"I just wanted to go to a school that had a good, winning culture," Hendrick said. "And I also wanted to go somewhere where I'd feel comfortable even if I didn't play football. Because at the end of the day, it's going to be where you're living for four years."
Hendrick immediately felt a comfort level with the Dukes. Cornerbacks coach Eddie Whitley had ties to Hendrick's family. Harrisonburg was not too far from Richmond.
And Hendrick saw a path to getting on the field early at JMU.
He played in 10 games as a freshman in 2022, even making a start. As a sophomore, he played in 12 games and started five as the Dukes went to their first-ever bowl game.
Hendrick became a full-time starter as a junior – helping lead the Dukes, in their first non-transition year at the FBS level – to a 9-4 mark, including the program's first bowl victory.
This season, though, Hendrick reached another level with his play, helping JMU reach another level with its success.
The key, he said, was his mental mastery of the game.
"I was college ready as far as my body and my athleticism," Hendrick said of his freshman season with the Dukes. "But I didn't really know what I was doing. The linebacker position is such a hard and such an intellectual position."
Hendrick said he spent his first three years in college learning how to play defense. He spent this past year studying offenses.
"I know what to do on defense. I know the plays. I know everybody's job and what's the goal, why we're calling this," Hendrick said. "But learning what the opponents are trying to do and how they're going to attack you is what has taken my game to the next level."
That knowledge ramped up Hendrick's production. He has a career-high 96 tackles this season, three sacks and six tackles for loss.
It also allowed him to elevate his role as a team leader.
"He's the vocal leader of this team," senior defensive back Jacob Thomas said. "When anything happens or we're huddling at the 50-yard line, he's making his voice heard."
Hendrick takes pride in all that growth, and the mission he and his fellow members of the class of 2022 accomplished – helping JMU transition to the FBS without missing a beat.
The streamers are still flying.
"It's just been special," Hendrick said." I just appreciate all the people who have touched me and my career. The bonds that I've made in that locker room, the memories that I've been able to make in this town, we truly have something special."
"They'd blow out these FCS teams by 40 points," Hendrick said. "Always had convincing wins, especially at home. Dominating at home. That's what we were seeing getting recruited."
JMU went 12-2 that year, earning those dozen victories by an average of 27.3 points per game.
Hendrick, a star linebacker at St. Christopher's in Richmond, committed to the Dukes, part of the program's first FBS recruiting class – the foundation JMU wanted future success at the Group of Five level to be built upon.
"We knew it was going to be a challenge to uphold the standard," Hendrick said.
Now, 48 career games in the purple-and-gold later, Hendrick is a captain, the leading tackler and the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year for a JMU team that won the program's first Sun Belt championship and became the first team in Virginia to reach the College Football Playoff.
"He's just an ultimate competitor, the ultimate leader," JMU coach Bob Chesney said.
The Dukes face fifth-seeded Oregon on Saturday night in the first round.
"This is next level," Hendrick said. "It doesn't get any higher than this. My freshman year, when I first came in, I didn't imagine we could be in the College Football Playoff."
Of course, back then, Hendrick had a vastly different perspective. He was a lightly-recruited prospect whose first offer came from Coastal Carolina. He drew interest from the military academies and a host of FCS programs.
The last offer to come his way was from JMU and former coach Curt Cignetti.
"I just wanted to go to a school that had a good, winning culture," Hendrick said. "And I also wanted to go somewhere where I'd feel comfortable even if I didn't play football. Because at the end of the day, it's going to be where you're living for four years."
Hendrick immediately felt a comfort level with the Dukes. Cornerbacks coach Eddie Whitley had ties to Hendrick's family. Harrisonburg was not too far from Richmond.
And Hendrick saw a path to getting on the field early at JMU.
He played in 10 games as a freshman in 2022, even making a start. As a sophomore, he played in 12 games and started five as the Dukes went to their first-ever bowl game.
Hendrick became a full-time starter as a junior – helping lead the Dukes, in their first non-transition year at the FBS level – to a 9-4 mark, including the program's first bowl victory.
This season, though, Hendrick reached another level with his play, helping JMU reach another level with its success.
The key, he said, was his mental mastery of the game.
"I was college ready as far as my body and my athleticism," Hendrick said of his freshman season with the Dukes. "But I didn't really know what I was doing. The linebacker position is such a hard and such an intellectual position."
Hendrick said he spent his first three years in college learning how to play defense. He spent this past year studying offenses.
"I know what to do on defense. I know the plays. I know everybody's job and what's the goal, why we're calling this," Hendrick said. "But learning what the opponents are trying to do and how they're going to attack you is what has taken my game to the next level."
That knowledge ramped up Hendrick's production. He has a career-high 96 tackles this season, three sacks and six tackles for loss.
It also allowed him to elevate his role as a team leader.
"He's the vocal leader of this team," senior defensive back Jacob Thomas said. "When anything happens or we're huddling at the 50-yard line, he's making his voice heard."
Hendrick takes pride in all that growth, and the mission he and his fellow members of the class of 2022 accomplished – helping JMU transition to the FBS without missing a beat.
The streamers are still flying.
"It's just been special," Hendrick said." I just appreciate all the people who have touched me and my career. The bonds that I've made in that locker room, the memories that I've been able to make in this town, we truly have something special."
Players Mentioned
LB
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