Head Coach: Jimmye Laycock
2017 Record: 2-9
Conference: Colonial Athletic Association
On Monday, Coach Laycock announced that this would be his final season coaching the Tribe. Laycock was hired in 1980 and has enjoyed decades of success. After ten playoff appearances, multiple runs to the semi-finals and two IVY Bowl wins, no one can dispute his success with W&M. His coaching tree includes NFL Head Coaches, Dan Quinn and Sean McDermott.
While Tribe fans are certainly thankful for Jimmye Laycock's 38 years of coaching, many are anxious after last year's disappointing 2-9 performance. If this quad is to improve it has to start on the offensive front. The Tribe ranked 104th last year in total offense, and 112th in scoring offense, averaging just 15 points per game. Defense is the one strong point of the roster as they return 7 starters from a unit that ranked 29th.
Key Losses from 2017:
OL - Conner Hilland
Perhaps the biggest obstacle to the Tribe's offense improving is replacing Conner Hilland. Through 4 years, Hilland started 39 games and stayed healthy. At 6'6" and 300 pounds, he was well known for opening up running holes, and blowing up pass-rushes. His senior season was good enough to land him first-team All-CAA honors; the only first-team selection on the roster. Additionally, he was one of a select few to be invited to the East/West Shrine game. Despite going undrafted, he signed with the Miami Dolphins and is already turning heads.
DL - Isaiah Stephens
Both of William & Mary's two wins in 2017 had one thing in common: at least one Isaiah Stephens sack and at least one Isaiah Stephens tackle for a loss. While his stat line won't jump off the page, his teammates certainly felt his presence. He was such a strong force last year, that defensive coordinators kept him double-teamed, which opened up lanes for the rest of the defensive line.
DL - Matt Ahola
While Stephens was distracting offensive linemen, Matt Ahola was piling up sacks and making stops behind the line of scrimmage. Last year, he had 5.5 sacks, and 12 tackles for a loss. Ahola's value was more than simply his ability to get behind the line of scrimmage though. He was a constant disruptor against the run and never missed a game due to injury. Laycock will be hard-pressed to find defensive lineman as reliable as this one.
Key Returnees from 2017:
FB - Tyler Crist
As a redshirt-freshman (and walk-on), Tyler Crist started just five games but was so impressive that he was named third-team All-CAA. Most fullbacks aren't going to impress statistically but Tyler is a valuable asset to this offense as a blocker. He also adds value in the backfield as a check-down option for the Quarterback. He tallied a dozen catches last year, and was the only receiver with more than one receiving touchdown last year. With more starts, we will likely see that number improve this year.
WR - Jack Armstrong
If this offense is going to improve, QB Shon Mitchell has to have a good year, and if that's going to happen, he'll need consistent receiving options. With WR Daniel Kuzjak graduating, Jack Armstrong will be a key piece to this offense's success. Even though he started just three games last year, he appeared and had at least one reception in every match. His only problem? He never once got into the end-zone. While all of the yards and receptions are important, his value to this team will be assessed by his ability to score points.
WR - Devonte Dedmon
In 2015, Devonte Dedmon proved to be one of the best receivers in all of FCS with 51 receptions, 588 yards and 8 TD's. In 2016, he continued his success and became a key deep threat for the Tribe. However, in the season opener against UVA last year, Devonte suffered a season-ending wrist injury; the first blemish of his career. Most of the Tribe's offensive struggles last year were due to replacing Dedmon and finding no answer. Recovering from an injury is tough on anyone but Laycock's offense will need him to not just recover, but return as the same dominant threat he proved to be in '15 and '16.
2018 Schedule:
September 1, @ Bucknell
September 8, @ Virginia Tech
September 15, vs Elon
September 22, @ JMU
September 29, vs Colgate
October 6, vs Albany
October 13, @ Towson
October 20, vs Maine
October 27, @ Rhode Island
November 10, @ Villanova
November 17, vs Richmond
Schedule Notes:
The Tribe open with a winnable game against Bucknell, but then they'll face Virginia Tech. Two of their next three opponents made the playoffs last year (Elon, JMU), and Colgate at 7-4 was a bubble team that just missed. Those three teams combined for a record of 29-9 last year. Albany, Towson, Maine and Rhode Island are the most winnable games on the schedule, but coming right after those first five opponents will make all of those games difficult. Finally, after the Rhode Island contest, the Tribe will get a bye week but then have to travel to Villanova and finish with Richmond. Our biggest concern is the timing of this schedule. It starts tough, ends tough and they don't get a bye week until late. Even if this team vastly improves, it's tough to foresee a winning season, especially if they drop the season-opener.
Offense Outlook:
Last year was one of the worst performances by a William & Mary offense in quite some time as they averaged just 15 points per game and just 285 yards per game. Improvement starts with the passing game and as we noted, much of that will depend on the production of receiver Devonte Dedmon. With that said, Laycock hasn't named a starter at Quarterback and it's crucial for this offense to have leadership behind center. Our pick to get the nod is one of the most talented quarterbacks in VHSL history, Shon Mitchell. He was given the opportunity to start last year against Delaware, but really struggled to get anything moving and threw two interceptions. It's never easy to put this much on a young quarterback, but that's not all. The Tribe also lost their two best offensive lineman from a year ago, due to graduation. This unit is desperate for leadership and experience. Is Dedmon's return enough to alleviate the issues from a year ago?
Defense Outlook:
While the one positive from the Tribe's 2017 campaign was the defense, they also lose two premier pass-rushers. However, they return 7 starters from last year, including a particularly talented linebacker core. With several of their opponents ushering in new QB's, this defense should remain among the best in the CAA. One of their biggest areas for improvement though is the turnover battle. With just 10 forced turnovers, William & Mary ranked 121st in all of FCS. This experienced group of LB's and DB's have the ability to force more turnovers, and this important statistic is likely to improve.
Prediction:
If you examine this roster, you will quickly see that they have the talent to win several games...possibly even make a run at the FCS playoffs. Talent will only get a team so far though. How will these players mesh and who do they turn to for leadership? Shon Mitchell was an incredibly decorated QB at the high school level, but now he's being relied on to resurrect a very below average offense from a year ago. With game one being a key road matchup, he will be given a very short leash. While the middle of the schedule features multiple winnable games, who is going to celebrate if the Tribe improve from 2, to 4 wins? For this season to be a success, a winning record is a must and that means a good start in week 1.
Breakdown:
September 1, @ Bucknell - Win
September 8, @ Virginia Tech - Loss
September 15, vs Elon - Loss
September 22, @ JMU - Loss
September 29, vs Colgate - Win
October 6, vs Albany - Win
October 13, @ Towson - Win
October 20, vs Maine - Loss
October 27, @ Rhode Island - Win
November 10, @ Villanova - Loss
November 17, vs Richmond - Loss
Record: 5 - 6
