Preseason '24

[The Jackal]

William and Mary with a FIRST TEAM AA OL. Game is won in the trenches. AND a second team AA RB. I would love to get a w in that one

W&M's LT has been an all american a few times. He's a legit NFL prospect.

The RB is a bit of an interesting selection as he only played 4 games last year. They feed him the ball a lot, though. He's a good player.

[The Jackal]

Going into the preseason, I'm interested to see how the defensive backfield develops. That is probably the area - of all areas - where we lost the most depth in terms of starters, reserves and contributors.

FS - Jalen Tate comes over from Georgia State, where he played in nearly 40 games as a reserve safety. At 6'1 200 lbs, he's a similar build to Hugh Ryan. Also in the mix is AK Burrell, who was a SoCon all freshman team player last year and was one of the few true freshmen that saw extensive playing time. In my view, if a true freshman broke into the playing rotation on last year's veteran-filled team, you know they can play.

SS - Caleb Williams seems like the obvious starter here, having been the primary backup to Kam Brinson last year and, as far as I could tell, just about split the snaps with him. His backup will be an area of competition. Tre McCleod seems like a likely choice, but I believe he's struggled with injuries through his early Furman career.

CB: Coach Hendrix highlighted Jaylen Moson in his comments last week. Moson was another guy that played as a true freshman on a loaded defense and came highly recruited out of high school. He seems like a likely target for one of the starting spots.

I presume Mo Perkins, a grad student, wasn't recruited from a school in Texas to get buried on the depth chart, so he seems likely that he will fit into the rotation somewhere.

I would also look for Jalen Gummer, Charles Ingram, and Haysan Dalton, who contributed some as reserves last year, to be in the rotation as well. Lot of question marks at corner, but a bunch of these guys were highly recruited and are just now getting an opportunity.

SPUR: Cally Chizik might be the single toughest guy on the entire roster to replace. He had excellent instincts, technique, and athleticism.

Justin Hartwell put on some weight and has slid over from SS. He seems like the likely guy. We may platoon this position depending on the opponent - we may have more of a thumper/safety against run heavy teams and more of a cover corner against the pass heavy group.

[FUBeAR]

Report from a William & Mary “insider”…

Tribe returns 9 starters on offense and 4 on defense. Picked up 9 transfers including 5 who were starters at previous schools.

Lost 2 OL but return 3 guys with starting experience at those two spots. Everyone else is back. Bolstered the WR position with 2 transfers who were starters at previous schools. WR group was razor thin last year due to injuries and the injured are back. Bronson Yoder returns from injury and entire RB room returns. Offense has experience and depth everywhere.

Despite losing 7 starters on defense the cupboard is hardly bare. 13 guys return who have starting experience and transfer Jonathan Hammond was 4-time all PFL OLB at Davidson. Transfer help on DL and at safety give Tribe significant depth at all three levels.

Transfers, FWIW, on roster are…Assuming the 9 new transfers he’s crowing about are in this list of 11…which includes 3 Kickers.

https://tribeathletics.com/sports/foot ... ter?view=2

NO. NAME POS. HT. WT. YR. HOMETOWN / HIGH SCHOOL
91 Breyden Byrd DL 6-4 250 R-Fr. Surry, Va. / Woodside / Navy
9 Ty Gordon DL 6-1 285 R-Fr. Gainsville, Va. / Battlefield / Syracuse
29 Ruben Anderson K 6-2 215 Sr. Lenexa, Kan. / Shawnee Mission West / Bucknell
Eric Bernstein K 6-2 205 Sr. East Meadow, N.Y. / East Meadow / Monmouth
39 Josh McCormick K 5-10 175 So. Austin, Texas / Akins / Oregon St.
13 Jonathan Hammond LB 6-3 225 Sr. Dunwoody, Ga. / Mt. Vernon Presbyterian / Davidson
21 Jayden Platt LB 6-1 200 R-Fr. Melville, N.Y. / St. Anthony's / Maine
19 Matthew Akuchie WR 6-3 210 Sr. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / St. Thomas Aquinas / Towson
10 Josh Guilford WR 6-4 215 Sr. Sanford, Fla. / Seminole / Florida International
4 Damian Harris WR 6-0 190 Sr. Durham, N.C. / Hillside / Bucknell
18 Isaiah Lemmond WR 6-0 200 Jr. Ashburn, Va. / Broad Run / VMI

[The Jackal]

Going big on transfer kickers seems like an interesting strategy.

[The Jackal]

It should be noted that William & Mary was a 6-5 team in a not-terribly-impressive CAA.

W&M finished 8th in the standings. In typical CAA fashion, they didn't even play the teams that finished 2nd (Villanova), 4th (Delaware), 6th (New Hampshire), or 7th (Rhode Island).

In other words, W&M finished with a winning record, but did not play most of the teams that finished ahead of them.

[stonemd]

Podcast a SOCON football preview

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t ... 0663690510

[AstroDin]

Nice video of Coach Lewis doing drills with the D-Line.
Some big dudes!

[cavedweller2]

Report from a William & Mary “insider”…

Tribe returns 9 starters on offense and 4 on defense. Picked up 9 transfers including 5 who were starters at previous schools.

Lost 2 OL but return 3 guys with starting experience at those two spots. Everyone else is back. Bolstered the WR position with 2 transfers who were starters at previous schools. WR group was razor thin last year due to injuries and the injured are back. Bronson Yoder returns from injury and entire RB room returns. Offense has experience and depth everywhere.

Despite losing 7 starters on defense the cupboard is hardly bare. 13 guys return who have starting experience and transfer Jonathan Hammond was 4-time all PFL OLB at Davidson. Transfer help on DL and at safety give Tribe significant depth at all three levels.

Transfers, FWIW, on roster are…Assuming the 9 new transfers he’s crowing about are in this list of 11…which includes 3 Kickers.

https://tribeathletics.com/sports/foot ... ter?view=2

NO. NAME POS. HT. WT. YR. HOMETOWN / HIGH SCHOOL
91 Breyden Byrd DL 6-4 250 R-Fr. Surry, Va. / Woodside / Navy
9 Ty Gordon DL 6-1 285 R-Fr. Gainsville, Va. / Battlefield / Syracuse
29 Ruben Anderson K 6-2 215 Sr. Lenexa, Kan. / Shawnee Mission West / Bucknell
Eric Bernstein K 6-2 205 Sr. East Meadow, N.Y. / East Meadow / Monmouth
39 Josh McCormick K 5-10 175 So. Austin, Texas / Akins / Oregon St.
13 Jonathan Hammond LB 6-3 225 Sr. Dunwoody, Ga. / Mt. Vernon Presbyterian / Davidson
21 Jayden Platt LB 6-1 200 R-Fr. Melville, N.Y. / St. Anthony's / Maine
19 Matthew Akuchie WR 6-3 210 Sr. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / St. Thomas Aquinas / Towson
10 Josh Guilford WR 6-4 215 Sr. Sanford, Fla. / Seminole / Florida International
4 Damian Harris WR 6-0 190 Sr. Durham, N.C. / Hillside / Bucknell
18 Isaiah Lemmond WR 6-0 200 Jr. Ashburn, Va. / Broad Run / VMI

So. I shudder not. They are what they are. The colors the school chooses to represent themselves with repulses my senses.

We will beat them soundly.

[FUBeAR]

‘Relevant’ Payton & Buchanan Awards Watchlist listees…

2024 Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List

Quarterbacks
Chase Artopoeus, Chattanooga, Sr., 6-2, 208 (Southern Conference)
Cole Gonzales, Western Carolina, Jr., 6-0, 195 (Southern Conference) – 2023 Finalist

Running Backs
Bronson Yoder, William & Mary, Sr., 5-11, 210 (CAA Football)

Wide Receivers
Javin Whatley, Chattanooga, Jr., 5-10, 170 (Southern Conference)

Offensive Linemen
Charles Grant, William & Mary, Sr., 6-4, 280 (CAA Football)


2024 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List

Linebackers
Noah Martin, Samford, Sr., 6-1, 232 (Southern Conference)
Ken Standley, Mercer, Sr., 5-11, 225 (Southern Conference)

[tim]

W&M is getting a lot of love that I don't understand. They ain't gonna run the ball on Furman. I hope they try with Yoder and the great O lineman. I hope everybody tries. When the ball goes in the air, it may be a different story. As an old SOCON fan, I remember many great games with W&M. I hope the rivalry continues.

[FurmanATT]

#Paladins stick to high expectations. -- MD
https://wellpilgrim.wordpress.com/2024/ ... back-down/

[The Jackal]

W&M is getting a lot of love that I don't understand. They ain't gonna run the ball on Furman. I hope they try with Yoder and the great O lineman. I hope everybody tries. When the ball goes in the air, it may be a different story. As an old SOCON fan, I remember many great games with W&M. I hope the rivalry continues.

It's a CAA team. For some reason, national pundits always think they are incredible.

[gofurman]

William and Mary with a FIRST TEAM AA OL. Game is won in the trenches. AND a second team AA RB. I would love to get a w in that one

W&M's LT has been an all american a few times. He's a legit NFL prospect.

The RB is a bit of an interesting selection as he only played 4 games last year. They feed him the ball a lot, though. He's a good player.

Say what you will about the CAA - I know Furman KILLED Elon though we lost to them in the past decade etc. - anytime you have a freakish (possible NFL) OL you have a real chance in FCS. Think Dakota Dozier. We rode that big boy to the playoffs. Sometimes we would run 2 out of 3 plays behind him. Well, this OL at W&M is in that range. Is he as good? I don't know. But as a NFL prospect tackle we probably aren't getting any pressure on the QB from that side and that makes a QB real comfortable.

As Jackal said, he has been on the watch list for a few years now. He isn't one they put on the AA list becuase they couldnt find anyone else. He is legit.

I am just saying any NFL OL is a big advantage as we saw wtih Dozier... If they didn't have the OL I would be much less concerned.

[The Jackal]

William and Mary with a FIRST TEAM AA OL. Game is won in the trenches. AND a second team AA RB. I would love to get a w in that one

W&M's LT has been an all american a few times. He's a legit NFL prospect.

The RB is a bit of an interesting selection as he only played 4 games last year. They feed him the ball a lot, though. He's a good player.

Say what you will about the CAA - I know Furman KILLED Elon though we lost to them in the past decade etc. - anytime you have a freakish (possible NFL) OL you have a real chance in FCS. Think Dakota Dozier. We rode that big boy to the playoffs. Sometimes we would run 2 out of 3 plays behind him. Well, this OL at W&M is in that range. Is he as good? I don't know. But as a NFL prospect tackle we probably aren't getting any pressure on the QB from that side and that makes a QB real comfortable.

As Jackal said, he has been on the watch list for a few years now. He isn't one they put on the AA list becuase they couldnt find anyone else. He is legit.

I am just saying any NFL OL is a big advantage as we saw wtih Dozier... If they didn't have the OL I would be much less concerned.

I mean, yes and no.

I'm sure he's good, but he also played for them last year and they went 6-5.

A couple of years ago UTC had a legit first round draft pick (Cole Strange) on their offensive line and they went 6-5 and missed the playoffs.

Even with Dakota Dozier, Furman finished the regular season at 7-5, I think.

You'd certainly rather have NFL caliber offensive linemen than not have them, but I'm not sure it moves the needle much.

Now, if they had 5 all American offensive linemen, I'd be more worried.

[FUBeAR]

William and Mary with a FIRST TEAM AA OL. Game is won in the trenches. AND a second team AA RB. I would love to get a w in that one

W&M's LT has been an all american a few times. He's a legit NFL prospect.

The RB is a bit of an interesting selection as he only played 4 games last year. They feed him the ball a lot, though. He's a good player.

Say what you will about the CAA - I know Furman KILLED Elon though we lost to them in the past decade etc. - anytime you have a freakish (possible NFL) OL you have a real chance in FCS. Think Dakota Dozier. We rode that big boy to the playoffs. Sometimes we would run 2 out of 3 plays behind him. Well, this OL at W&M is in that range. Is he as good? I don't know. But as a NFL prospect tackle we probably aren't getting any pressure on the QB from that side and that makes a QB real comfortable.

As Jackal said, he has been on the watch list for a few years now. He isn't one they put on the AA list becuase they couldnt find anyone else. He is legit.

I am just saying any NFL OL is a big advantage as we saw wtih Dozier... If they didn't have the OL I would be much less concerned.

I mean, yes and no.

I'm sure he's good, but he also played for them last year and they went 6-5.

A couple of years ago UTC had a legit first round draft pick (Cole Strange) on their offensive line and they went 6-5 and missed the playoffs.

Even with Dakota Dozier, Furman finished the regular season at 7-5, I think.

You'd certainly rather have NFL caliber offensive linemen than not have them, but I'm not sure it moves the needle much.

Now, if they had 5 all American offensive linemen, I'd be more worried.

2 or 3 1st Team All-SoCon AND 2 or 3 2nd Team All-SoCon O-Linemen is all that is needed for a SoCon Championship and extremely competitive Offensive Team nationally.

All-American recognition comes from effective marketing. All-SoCon does too, but to a much lesser extent AND does require some measure of exceptional play.