William & Mary Tribe football | |||
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First season | 1893; 131 years ago | ||
Athletic director | Brian Mann | ||
Head coach | Mike London 6th season, 36–26 (.581) | ||
Stadium | Zable Stadium (capacity: 12,672) | ||
Field | Cary Field | ||
Field surface | FieldTurf Pro | ||
Location | Williamsburg, Virginia | ||
NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
Conference | CAA Football | ||
Past conferences | Independent (1893–1915) SAIAA (1916–1921) Independent (1922–1931) Virginia Conference (1932–1935) SoCon (1936–1976) Division I Independent (1977) Division I-A Independent (1978–1981) Division I-AA Independent (1982–1992) Yankee (1993–1996) A-10 (1997–2006) | ||
Bowl record | 1–2 (.333) | ||
Conference titles | 18 | ||
Rivalries | Delaware (rivalry) Richmond (rivalry) VMI (rivalry) James Madison (dormant) Old Dominion (dormant) | ||
Colors | Green, gold, and silver [1] | ||
Fight song | "Tribe Fight Song" | ||
Outfitter | Under Armour | ||
Website | TribeAthletics.com |
The William & Mary Tribe are a college football team representing the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. William & Mary competes in CAA Football, a single-sport NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision conference operated by the Tribe's primary athletic home of the Coastal Athletic Association. They are currently coached by Mike London. He succeeds Jimmye Laycock, who was the head coach of the Tribe for 39 years.
William & Mary's traditional rival in football is the University of Richmond. William & Mary and Richmond have met 134 times since 1898, making the rivalry (sometimes referred to as "the South's oldest rivalry") the fourth most-played in Division I college football. Only Lafayette–Lehigh, Princeton–Yale, and Harvard–Yale have played more games. The winner of this annual W&M–Richmond match-up claims the Capital Cup (previously known as the I-64 Trophy), named for the last two Virginia state capitals, Richmond and Williamsburg. In 2008, William & Mary opened the Jimmye Laycock Football Center, housing the Tribe locker room, football players' classroom study sessions and tape review rooms.
The College of William & Mary has transitioned through several official nicknames since its athletic program began in 1893. From 1893 to 1916, William & Mary football players were known as the Orange and White because those were the old official school colors. From 1916 to 1977, all William & Mary athletes were known as the Indians. Since 1978, they have been known as the Tribe.
The William & Mary Tribe football team had sustained success during Jimmye Laycock's tenure. Since his taking over as head coach, W&M enjoyed over 25 winning seasons and 10 playoff appearances, the 23rd most appearances of any FCS program. The long-time head-coach led the Tribe to multiple playoff appearances, including the national semifinal game on two occasions. Most recently, the Tribe lost in a quarterfinal matchup against Montana State University in 2022. In 2009 the Tribe also reached the semifinal against eventual champions Villanova in 2009, losing by a single point. The team has also appeared in three bowl games: the 1948 Dixie Bowl, 1949 Delta Bowl and 1970 Tangerine Bowl. The Tribe are 1–2 in those games, with the lone win being a 20–0 victory over Oklahoma A&M in 1949.
Aside from William & Mary's lengthy Capital Cup rivalry with the University of Richmond, the Tribe also hold historic rivalries with in-state opponents like James Madison University and the Virginia Military Institute, as well as out-of-state opponents like the University of Delaware. As of 2022, the Richmond Spiders and Delaware Blue Hens are still football members of the Colonial Athletic Association with William & Mary. William & Mary also maintains older, less intense rivalries with the VMI Keydets from its days in the Southern Conference, and the Virginia Cavaliers as part of the unofficial Jefferson Cup, named after Thomas Jefferson, who attended the College of William & Mary before founding the University of Virginia. [2] The Tribe holds non-conference rivalries against the Old Dominion Monarchs and the James Madison Dukes of the Sun Belt Conference, both competing in CAA Football before joining the FBS in 2014 and 2022, respectively.
Opponent (Rivalry) | Match Ups | Record |
---|---|---|
Richmond (Capital Cup) | 128 | 64–64–5 |
VMI (Rivalry) | 88 | 53–33–2 |
Delaware (Rivalry) | 43 | 19–25 |
James Madison (Rivalry) | 41 | 17–27 |
Virginia (Rivalry) | 36 | 6–32–1 |
Current as of the 2023 football season.
The Tribe have won 18 conference championships, with eight won outright.
Year | Coach | Conference | Overall record | Conference record |
---|---|---|---|---|
1907† | James E. Barry | EVIAA | 6–3 | 2–0–1 |
1909† | George E. O'Hearn | EVIAA | 6–4 | 2–1 |
1927 | J. Wilder Tasker | Virginia | 4–5–1 | 2–0–1 |
1929 | Branch Bocock | Virginia | 8–2 | 5–0 |
1930 | Branch Bocock | Virginia | 7–2–1 | 5–0 |
1933† | John Kellison | Virginia | 6–5 | 2–1 |
1934† | John Kellison | Virginia | 2–6 | 2–1 |
1935 | Thomas Dowler | Virginia | 3–4–3 | 1–1–1 |
1942 | Carl M. Voyles | SoCon | 9–1–1 | 4–0 |
1947 | Rube McCray | SoCon | 9–2 | 7–1 |
1966† | Marv Levy | SoCon | 5–4–1 | 4–1–1 |
1970 | Lou Holtz | SoCon | 5–7 | 3–1 |
1996 | Jimmye Laycock | Yankee | 10–3 | 7–1 |
2001† | Jimmye Laycock | Atlantic 10 | 8–4 | 7–2 |
2004† | Jimmye Laycock | Atlantic 10 | 11–3 | 7–1 |
2010† | Jimmye Laycock | CAA | 8–4 | 6–2 |
2015† | Jimmye Laycock | CAA | 9–4 | 6–2 |
2022† | Mike London | CAA | 10–1 | 7–1 |
† Co-championship
The Tribe have one division title, won during their time in the Yankee Conference.
Year | Coach | Conference | Division | Conference record |
---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | Jimmye Laycock | Yankee Conference | Mid-Atlantic Division | 7–1 |
William & Mary have participated in three bowl games. The Tribe have a record of 1–2.
Date | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|
January 1, 1948 | Dixie Bowl | Arkansas | L 19–21 |
January 1, 1949 | Delta Bowl | Oklahoma A&M | W 20–0 |
December 28, 1970 | Tangerine Bowl | Toledo | L 12–40 |
The Tribe have participated in the playoffs 11 times, with 18 total playoff games played for a record of 8–11.
Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | First Round | Delaware | L 17–51 |
1989 | First Round | Furman | L 10–24 |
1990 | First Round Quarterfinals | Massachusetts Central Florida | W 38–0 L 38–52 |
1993 | First Round | McNeese State | L 28–34 |
1996 | First Round Quarterfinals | Jackson State Northern Iowa | W 45–6 L 35–38 |
2001 | First Round | Appalachian State | L 27–40 |
2004 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Hampton Delaware James Madison | W 42–35 W 44–38 L 34–48 |
2009 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Weber State Southern Illinois Villanova | W 38–0 W 24–3 L 13–14 |
2010 | Second Round | Georgia Southern | L 15–31 |
2015 | First Round Second Round | Duquesne Richmond | W 52–49 L 13–48 |
2022 | Second Round Quarterfinals | Gardner–Webb Montana State | W 54–14 L 7–55 |
Announced schedules as of June 22, 2024. [3]
2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | |
VMI | at Furman | at VMI | at Old Dominion | VMI | at VMI | ||
at Coastal Carolina | at Virginia | Colgate | |||||
at Wofford | Charleston Southern | at Virginia | |||||
Furman |
Jimmye McFarland Laycock is a former American football coach. He served as the head football coach at the College of William & Mary from 1980 through 2018, retiring with the third-longest continuous head coaching tenure in NCAA Division I football history. He amassed an overall record of 249 wins, 194 losses, and two ties. Laycock graduated from William & Mary in 1970 and played quarterback under legendary coaches Marv Levy and Lou Holtz. Prior to taking over the Tribe head coaching position, Laycock coached at Newport News High School, Clemson University, The Citadel, and the University of Memphis.
Michael Wilson London Sr. is an American college football coach. He is the head football coach for the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. He is a former defensive back and associate head coach and defensive line coach for the University of Maryland, College Park. Prior to Maryland, London was the head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers football program of the University of Virginia. Prior to William & Mary, London was head coach of the Howard Bison football program at Howard University in Washington, D.C. A native of the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, London played college and pro football as a defensive back for the Richmond Spiders and Dallas Cowboys. He was a police officer and detective in Richmond, Virginia with the city's street crimes unit before pursuing a coaching career.
The Jimmye Laycock Football Center (JLFC) is a football facility for The College of William & Mary Tribe in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. The $11 million, 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) building was constructed right next to Zable Stadium where the Tribe play all home games. The facility is named after William & Mary's most successful football coach Jimmye Laycock, and the cost of the project was funded entirely through private donations.
The 2009 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary during the 2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season. William & Mary competed as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) under head football coach Jimmye Laycock and played their home games at Zable Stadium. The 2009 campaign came on the heels of a 7–4 record in 2008.
The 2008 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as member of South Division of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) during the 2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by Jimmye Laycock in his 29th year as head coach, William & Mary finished the season with an overall record of 7–4 and a mark of 5–3 in A-10 play, placing fourth in the South Division. They were ranked No. 20 in the final Sports Network poll, but did not receive a bid to the NCAA Division I playoffs.
The 2001 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as member of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) during the 2001 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by Jimmye Laycock in his 22nd year as head coach, William & Mary finished the season with an overall record of 8–4 and a mark of 7–2 in A-10 play, sharing the conference title with Hofstra, Maine, and Villanova. The Tribe was ranked No. 17 in the final Sports Network poll. They qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, losing to Appalachian State in the first round.
The 1988 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as an independent during the 1988 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by Jimmye Laycock in his ninth year as head coach, William & Mary finished the season with a record of 6–4–1.
The 1990 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as an independent during the 1990 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by Jimmye Laycock in his 11th year as head coach, William & Mary finished the season with a record of 10–3 and ranked No. 7 in the final NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll. The Tribe qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, beating UMass in the first round before losing to UCF in the quarterfinals.
The 1992 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as an independent during the 1992 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by Jimmye Laycock in his 13th year as head coach, William & Mary finished the season with a record of 9–2 and ranked No. 13 in the final NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll.
The 1993 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as member of the Mid-Atlantic Division of the Yankee Conference during the 1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by Jimmye Laycock in his 14th year as head coach, William & Mary finished the season with an overall record of 9–3 and a mark of 7–1 in Yankee Conference play, winning the Mid-Atlantic Division title. They were ranked No. 10 in the final Sports Network poll. The Tribe qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, losing in the first round before to McNeese State.
The 1994 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as member of the Mid-Atlantic Division of the Yankee Conference during the 1994 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by Jimmye Laycock in his 15th year as head coach, William & Mary finished the season with an overall record of 8–3 and a mark of 6–2 in Yankee Conference play, sharing the Mid-Atlantic Division title with James Madison. They were ranked No. 19 in the final Sports Network poll, but did not receive a bid to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.
The 1995 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as member of the Mid-Atlantic Division of the Yankee Conference during the 1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by Jimmye Laycock in his 16th year as head coach, William & Mary finished the season with an overall record of 7–4 and a mark of 5–3 in Yankee Conference play, tying for third place the Mid-Atlantic Division. They were ranked No. 19 in the final Sports Network poll, but did not receive a bid to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.
The 1996 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as member of the Mid-Atlantic Division of the Yankee Conference during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by Jimmye Laycock in his 17th year as head coach, William & Mary finished the season with an overall record of 10–3 and a mark of 7–1 in conference play, winning the Yankee Conference and Mid-Atlantic Division titles. They were ranked No. 5 in the final Sports Network poll. The Tribe qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, beating Jackson State in the first round before losing to Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals.
The 1998 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as member of the Mid-Atlantic Division of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) during the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by Jimmye Laycock in his 19th year as head coach, William & Mary finished the season with an overall record of 7–4 and a mark of 4–4 in A-10 play, tying for second place the Mid-Atlantic Division. They were ranked No. 17 in the final Sports Network poll, but did not receive a bid to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.
The William & Mary Tribe baseball team represents the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia in NCAA Division I competition. The school's team, founded in 1895, currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association and play their home games at the off-campus Plumeri Park.
The 2015 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Tribe were led by 36th-year head coach Jimmye Laycock played their home games at Zable Stadium. They were members. William & Mary returned to an 11-game regular season schedule after playing 12 games the previous two seasons. The Tribe shared the CAA title with James Madison and Richmond; all three teams finished with identical 6–2 conference records. William & Mary received an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs, where they defeated Duquesne in the first round before losing in the second round to Richmond.
The 2018 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Tribe, led by 39th-year head coach Jimmye Laycock, played their home games at Zable Stadium. They finished the season 4–6 overall and 3–4 in CAA play to place eighth.
Christian Taylor is an American football coach who is currently a defensive quality control coach for the Buffalo Bills.
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