The James Madison football team will get two missing pieces back on offense this Saturday against Maine.

Mickey Matthews announced Monday that sophomore Corwin Acker had been cleared to rejoin the team.

Acker had been suspended indefinitely by Matthews a week prior. The coach said he decided to reinstate Acker after a meeting with the running back earlier Monday.

"We're all about second chances. We exhaust all areas before we dismiss a guy," Matthews said. "And I wouldn't hesitate to dismiss a guy. (But) as Bum Phillips said, 'We let them mess up a time or two before they grow up.'"

Matthews again declined to say why Acker had been suspended. He also said the reinstatement was not related to injuries affecting running backs Lee Reynolds (ankle) and Griff Yancey (foot).

"I haven't thought about it in those terms," Matthews said.

Yancey and Reynolds are both likely out for Saturday's game, Matthew said.

"If it cost us a game, then I'd rather have a disciplined team. We're not going to ease up on our discipline," he said.

Matthews said he also expected sophomore Kerby Long to rejoin the team Tuesday in practice. Long had been sidelined since late September by a broken hand suffered in practice.

Matthews said he was unsure of what Long's role would be upon returning, beyond his role as a kick returner.

Listed as a receiver, Long hadn't registered a catch in two games this season prior to his injury. He caught 14 balls for 213 yards and a pair of touchdowns as a freshman.

In previous weeks, Matthews had mentioned Long as a potential alternative to redshirt freshman Justin Thorpe at quarterback. But that was prior to Thorpe's 11-15 passing day, for 262 yards and two total touchdowns, in JMU's win at Delaware Saturday.