CAA FOOTBALL 10T/10D: WILLIAM AND MARY TRIBE
CAA Football will chronicle all 10 of its programs each weekday leading up to the 2010 season kickoff Thursday, Sept. 2. Using the league's preseason poll as a guide we will work our way up to the league favorite. Check back each day for information on your favorite team.
Today's squad: William and Mary Tribe
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10-TEAMS/10-DAYS: WILLIAM AND MARY TRIBE
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After equaling a school record with 11 wins in 2009, including the program’s second NCAA Semifinal appearance in the last six seasons, William and Mary enters the fall ranked as high as No. 1 in the preseason polls. Led by head coach Jimmye Laycock, one of college football’s winningest coaches with 200 career victories, W&M returns 13 starters (six on offense and defense, and one specialist) from a year ago.
While the Tribe defense lost five players – including a pair of NFL Draft picks in All-Americans Adrian Tracy and Sean Lissemore – from last season’s squad that ranked among the nation’s elite in nearly every statistical category, the overall talent level of fourth-year defensive coordinator Bob Shoop’s crew remains high. The unit returns one of the most outstanding linebacker corps in the program’s history with preseason All-American Jake Trantin and all-conference caliber standouts Wes Steinman and Evan Francks. The team’s defensive backfield also returns both starting corners in senior team captain Ben Cottingham and returning CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year B.W. Webb. Senior defensive tackles Michael Stover and Harold Robertson give the Tribe a pair of experienced veterans to anchor the front four.
Highlighting the offensive side will be versatile junior All-American running back Jonathan Grimes, who enters the fall as one of the nation’s top 20 players on the Payton Award Watch List. The battle to replace the loss of senior all-conference signal caller R.J. Archer was among the most heated in the team’s spring drills, and it figures to get even more intense during the fall camp. Junior transfer Michael Paulus (North Carolina) and redshirt freshman Brent Caprio will be among a group of at least five different players looking to earn the starting nod. On the offensive front, the Tribe will count on senior team-captain Keith Hill, Jr., to lead what could shape up to be a very young, but talented, group from his left tackle position. At receiver, the Tribe will rely on the sure-handed senior duo of Chase Hill and Cam Dohse to carry the load early in the season while some of the team’s younger talent has a chance to adjust to increased roles.
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2010 CAA FOOTBALL MEDIA DAY: HC, JIMMYE LAYCOCK
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2010 CAA FOOTBALL MEDIA DAY: JONATHAN GRIMES
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2010 CAA FOOTBALL MEDIA DAY: JAKE TRANTIN
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Here is your chance at winning a mini-helmet of the CAA Football Team corresponding to the day in the 10T/10D series. Follow CAA Football on Twitter and @reply us with your answer or go to CAAFootballblog.com and hit the comment link to file your answer. Prize packs will be awarded to the first correct response!
10T/10D TRIVIA FOR TODAY: William and Mary head coach Jimmye Laycock has won 200 games as a head coach all while serving as the Tribe's leader. What team did W&M beat to help Coach Laycock earn his 200th win and what was the final score?