The momentum began last season when William & Mary produced a winning record. Sure, the Tribe went just 6-5, but it was their first winning record since going 9-4 in 2015 while earning an FCS playoff berth.
In the CAA preseason poll, the Tribe was picked to finish fifth, which in this deep conference usually means a team capable of contending for a spot in the postseason.
One telling measure was that William & Mary earned two of the 26 first-place votes in this year’s preseason poll. So expectations weren’t off the charts, but it showed that the Tribe was a team to watch.
And in the early going, William & Mary has been one of the many early season CAA success stories.
Yes, this season is still in the infancy stage, but seven CAA teams entered this week with 2-0 records. Even with the loss of James Madison to the FBS level, the CAA remains among the top FCS conferences.
William & Mary has certainly made a strong early impression this year.
The season got off to a good start with a 41-24 win at Charlotte, the Tribe’s first victory over an FBS team since 2009. That was a great sign for William & Mary and the CAA, a not-so-great one for Charlotte and its future home the American Athletic Conference, where the 49ers will be joining next season.
The Tribe produced the type of balanced effort any team would strive for – 304 yards rushing, 256 passing.
William & Mary followed that up with Saturday’s 37-21 home win over Campbell. This is a game that produced plenty of highlights on both sides of the ball.
The win produced another first – the Tribe’s first 2-0 start since that aforementioned 2009 season.
Sophomore Malachi Imoh rushed for 89 yards and two touchdowns on just six carries, scoring on runs of 56 and 20 yards. Redshirt freshman Jalen Jones had three interceptions, including a pick-6.
Now the Tribe looks to go 3-0 when they visit a 1-1 Lafayette team on Saturday. Lafayette hung in for a long while against FBS Temple in a 30-14 loss on Saturday, but the Leopards weren’t able to overcome allowing three blocked punts (all by Temple’s De’Von Fox).
We’re guessing that Lafayette coach John Troxell may be spending a little bit of extra time this week on special teams drills.
So while it will be a challenge for William & Mary on the road against a Lafayette team that opened its season with a 6-0 home win over Sacred Heart, the Tribe appear more than up to the task.
Offensively, the Tribe can really run the ball and that sets everything up. Against Campbell, William & Mary rushed for 293 yards (5.8 avg.) and three touchdowns. Quarterback Darius Wilson completed 11-of-18 passes for 116 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions.
A 6-3, 190-pound sophomore, Wilson is the one who makes this offense go as a major dual-threat quarterback. He was the CAA Rookie of the Year last season when he broke the school’s true freshman record for passing yards (1,205) and total yards (1,591). During the two wins, he has completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 353 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Wilson has also averaged 5.1 rushing yards on 18 carries.
The defense has just as many playmakers, led by sophomore linebacker John Pius, who already has six tackles for loss, including 3.5 sacks.
The quick start has vaulted William & Mary into Top 25 status, so the Tribe won’t be able to sneak up on anybody. William & Mary ranks No. 13 on Sam Herder’s media poll ballot.
The real measure of the Tribe’s strength will be when the CAA schedule begins on Sept. 24 against Elon (a team that opened with a semi-respectable 42-31 loss at Vanderbilt).
Last year the Tribe got out to a quick start in the CAA, improving to 4-1 in the conference with a 31-18 win at eventual champion Villanova. William & Mary then lost its final three games of the year to Delaware, James Madison, and Richmond.
There is no relaxing in the CAA, but it sure helps teams to build up equity with non-conference wins.
If the Tribe can beat Lafayette, who they defeated 24-3 last year, then that should provide some strong momentum to the grinding eight-game CAA schedule.
