JMU preseason notebook: Practice 10

HARRISONBURG – Dorian Brooks loved Pittsburgh, the Steelers’ organization and the coaching staff. He got along with teammates and was progressing well as an NFL lineman. He was in line, he said, to make up to $500,000 this season.

Then he walked away.

“It took its toll,” the 24-year-old Brooks said Thursday while visiting James Madison football practice. “I just lost the passion.”

Brooks said he quit the Steelers two weeks ago, just over a week into training camp.

He doesn’t leave empty handed. Brooks said he’s got a Super Bowl jersey and other paraphernalia from the Steelers’ loss to the Green Bay Packers and hopes to collect his AFC championship ring whenever the team gets them.

“I was a part of the team,” said Brooks, who spent the year on the practice squad before being activated for the Super Bowl.

Brooks said he enjoyed his time in Pittsburgh, particularly his relationship with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, a William & Mary graduate. Brooks said Tomlin enjoyed talking about the rivalry between the two schools and even jokingly offered to bet a paycheck when the Tribe – ranked No. 1 at the time – played at JMU last year. The Dukes scored the upset win and Brooks wisely avoided taunting his boss.

“[After a few days] he said, ‘I like you. You knew not to say anything,’” Brooks said.

Not seeing red: Redshirt freshman quarterback Jace Edwards wasn’t in a protective red jersey for Thursday’s practice, but that didn’t mean he was allowed to be hit.

“He just wore the wrong jersey,” JMU coach Mickey Matthews said.

Edwards said he chose to wear the purple because he wanted to go live, but the coaches didn’t allow it.

“Not for me,” Edwards said, when asked why he wasn’t in red. “I like going live.”

That was about 20 minutes into Thursday’s practice.

“They haven’t said anything yet,” Edwards said.

But when he began running plays, the coaches made it clear he wasn’t to be hit – and quickly whistled plays dead when he ran with the ball.

Catch of the day: Freshman wide receiver DeAndre Smith made a sliding catch on an out route right in front of a defender late in Thursday’s workout.

Quote of the day: Left guard Earl Watford tried to coax former Steelers guard Dorian Brooks into some one-on-one blocking drills Thursday. Brooks didn’t hesitate.

“Just give me your cleats,” he said. “That’s all I need.”