HARRISONBURG, Va. — Kaelon Black spent 3 straight years dominating Beach District defenses. As a senior he ran for 1,732 yards, junior year he went for 1,013 in just 7 games and as a sophomore he went for 1,628 yards and 18 touchdowns. His Salem Sun Devils went to the playoffs in all 4 of his seasons.
Upon arrival at JMU, it seemed like he might pick up in Harrisonburg where he left off in Virginia Beach. In two games as a freshman, Black went for 170 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. He only played 2 games, however, because of a heart condition.
"Starting off my freshman year, I was faced with a heart condition that sidelined me for a month. There was a lot of uncertainty at that time," says Black.
Eventually cleared, he entered the next season poised to start in the backfield for the Dukes. Again, he was stopped by injury before he could truly get going.
"We were undefeated, going into the Weber State game, I ended up tearing my ACL. It was very heartbreaking, a tough process to get through," says Black, later reflecting on friends and family that helped him through the injury.
Returning for the 2022 season, Black took a year to get re-acclimated to football. Eventually he broke out in JMU's game against division rival Appalachian State, scoring twice. He carried that progress through the season as a backup.
Come 2023, Black reclaimed his place as the JMU starting running back. He scored with :55 seconds left to play against UVA, putting the Dukes up one, the same margin they would eventually win by.
Beyond the numbers, Black is just happy to be back on the field. He's regained his speed, looking impossible to tackle at times. He says the injuries have actually helped him slow down, enjoying every game a little bit more, taking things one day at a time.