HARRISONBURG, Va. (WRIC) – James Madison Head Coach Everett Withers announced Tuesday via social media that redshirt senior quarterback Vad Lee will undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the 2015 season.
Withers made the two-year captain’s status known with a graphic on Twitter.
“If you are a JMU alum, fan, student or supporter and you have gotten to see this young man play in the last 21 games at JMU, you know you have witnessed something special,” Withers said. “Vad Lee will finish his career statistically as one of the best quarterbacks to play at JMU, but looking beyond just his impressive stats, Vad Lee was a game changer. He’s not only one of the best players in JMU history, but one of the best people I have ever been associated with. Vad will continue to be the vocal leader of this team as we continue to fight for Madison down the stretch.”
Lee was injured early in the fourth quarter last Saturday against Richmond. His final completion was a 41-yard pass during the drive, he exited the game a few plays later and did not return.
The Durham, N.C., native passed for 2,190 yards with 21 touchdowns and rushed for 814 yards and eight more scores in only eight games this season. He was a three-time Colonial Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Week in 2015 and was tabbed the STATS FCS National Offensive Player of the Week after his record performance in the SMU win back on Sept. 26.
In just his 21st game last Saturday, Lee tied JMU’s all-time passing touchdown record with 51 scores through the air. This season, he leads the nation in total offense per game (375.5) while also ranking second in point responsibility (174), third in passing yards (2,190), fourth in passing TDs (21) and rush yards per carry (7.5), fifth in completion percentage (68.3%) and eighth in rushing yards (814).
Lee finishes his career as one of the most illustrious players in JMU football history. In addition to being tied for the career passing touchdown mark, he ranks second with 7,292 yards of total offense, third with 5,652 passing yards and 446 completions and fourth with 705 pass attempts.
He also owns JMU’s single-game records for total offense (565 at SMU, 9/26/15), passing yards (433 at Richmond, 11/15/14), touchdown passes (5 at Towson, 10/10/15) and rushing yards (276 at SMU, 9/26/15). His performance at SMU stands alone in the history of Division I football, both FBS and FCS, as he became the only player ever to pass and run for 275 yards in the same game.
Last season, Lee was named an Associated Press Third Team All-American after leading the Dukes to the FCS playoffs for the first time in three years while breaking nearly every passing record. He was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award and won the Bill Dudley Award, given to Virginia’s top Division I player, after passing for 3,462 yards, rushing for 826 more and combining for 39 total touchdowns. He was also presented as the JMU Male Athlete of the Year for the 2014-15 year.
Off the field, Lee, who was a team captain in both years as a Duke, is a model student-athlete both with his academics and community outreach with the youth of the Shenandoah Valley. Lee is very active with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and last week was featured by FCA Magazine in a story called “Heart of an Athlete,” in which he was able to talk about faith playing an integral part in his growth to become the man and leader he is today. A public policy and administration major, Lee will graduate from JMU in December.
