WILLIAMSBURG — Expectations haven’t been this low for William & Mary football in years.

After finishing 2022 in the FCS national top five, the Tribe began 2023 at No. 4 in the coaches’ poll and 2024 at No. 16. W&M remained in the polls much of those two seasons thanks to quick starts, but faded to a 6-5 finish two years ago and 7-5 last year.

So, the Tribe, hit heavily by graduation losses, received nary a vote in this season’s FCS coaches’ preseason poll. That’s similar to 2022, when W&M started with a scant six votes but finished No. 5 after winning a school-record 11 games and tying for the Coastal Athletic Association title.

How much does the snub, and CAA coaches picking them seventh of 14 teams this preseason, matter? A little.

“It’s motivation,” said seventh-year coach Mike London, who’s led the Tribe to four consecutive winning seasons. “We know who we are and where we’re at.”

W&M (7-5 overall, 4-4 CAA) is much changed from last year, particularly on offense, where new coordinator Winston October — who held that position at CAA champ and arch-rival Richmond last year — debuts.

Gone are third-round NFL draft pick (Las Vegas) LT Charles Grant, four-year starting QB Darius Wilson, five-year starting RB Bronson Yoder, multi-year starting RB Malachi Imoh and versatile Hollis Mathis. Mathis graduated as the only player in FCS history to surpass 1,000 career yards passing, rushing and receiving.

Still, it feels like the offense is in good shape.

Dual-threat QB Tyler Hughes was terrific the past two seasons against rival Hampton, and might be the perfect fit in October’s offense. With transfer wide receivers Isaiah Lemmond (59 catches for 738 yards for VMI) and Damian Harris (1,151 receiving yards for Bucknell) healthy after being limited by injuries in 2024, Hughes might be able to stretch the field passing more than Wilson could. Speedy All-CAA punt returner Carson Jenkins could help with that.

Transfer running backs Rashad Raymond (1,315 yards on 301 carries with four touchdowns for VMI) and Tariq Sims (Old Dominion) give the Tribe a power-and-speed combination that will cushion the loss of program legends Yoder, Imoh and Mathis. An offensive line led by Stats Perform preseason All-American Ryan McKenna returns intact minus Grant, so a rushing attack near the top of the FCS the past few seasons will remain a force.

The Tribe lost six starters on defense, but two returners and a transfer were named preseason All-CAA, giving them quality at every level. DE Davin Dzidzienyo will get NFL looks. Inside linebacker Luke Banbury led the Ivy League in tackles last year for Cornell. CB Jalen Jones led the FCS in three pass-defense categories last year and is a consensus preseason All-American this year.

Expectations be darned, the Tribe, who open at 2 p.m. Saturday at Furman, might be pretty good.

“To us it doesn’t matter where you start, it’s where you finish,” London said. “Our approach is that we have more than enough.”

William & Mary cornerback Jalen Jones, right, a Chesapeake native, is a consensus preseason FCS All-American this season. (Courtesy of W&M Athletics)

Standouts

Jalen Jones: Sr., 6-0, 195, CB. A consensus preseason FCS All-American after an All-American ’24 season, Jones has the smarts to find the ball and the speed and quickness to get to it. He ranked first nationally in passes defended (22), passes defended per game (1.8) and pass breakups (20) last season.

Luke Banbury: Sr., 6-2, 230, ILB. Three of four linebackers graduated, including team sacks and tackles-for-loss leader Jonathan Hammond. The Tribe dipped into the transfer pool to nab another very good LB in Banbury, All-Ivy last year with a league-leading 87 tackles, he had 2½ sacks, two interceptions, seven passes defended, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Davin Dzidzienyo: Sr., 6-4, 305, DE. The Tribe has sent a lineman to the NFL the previous three seasons. Is Dzidzienyo next? He was All-CAA last season, finishing the year with 50 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, fumble recovery and two pass breakups. A superb run-stopper, he’ll supplement the pass rush with his move outside.

Trey McDonald: Sr., 6-6, 250, FB. Good hands (10 receptions for 130 yards) weren’t all that earned him All-CAA preseason honors. McDonald, with 17 starts the past two seasons, is cerebral, a punishing blocker and a team leader selected as a team captain.

Sean McElwain: Jr, 6-5, 230, TE. Look for McElwain — All-CAA honorable mention with 20 receptions for 361 yards and five TDs — to become a more frequent target. A quick and polished route runner who can maneuver in space, he totaled eight receptions for 193 yards in wins last season over Hampton and North Carolina A&T.

William & Mary head coach Mike London said “the leadership of the guys this summer is as good as it’s been since I’ve been here.” (Courtesy of William & Mary)

Storylines

CAA swan song: The Tribe has effectively been a Coastal Athletic Association football member since 1993 as part of its earlier iterations — the Yankee Conference, the Atlantic 10 and the Colonial Athletic Association. W&M breaks clean from the longtime FCS football power (remaining in the CAA for all other sports) for the Patriot League after this season. The Tribe would savor a seventh conference title as a departing legacy.

Another good O-line: Left tackle Charles Grant was drafted in the third round by the Las Vegas Raiders, but center Ryan McKenna (preseason All-CAA honorable mention) leads an experienced group. Kadin Lynch, Kamron Frye and Hayden Raley are returning starters from a group that spearheaded a W&M rushing game that ranked fourth nationally (232.8 ypg) last season. Greg Klingensmith has six starts and transfer Joey Trainor (Merrimack) was All-Northeast Conference.

New offensive coordinator: Winston October directs a Tribe offense that improved from 2023 (21.7 ppg) to 2024 (29.3 ppg) but failed to score in a season-closing loss to Richmond with a playoff berth at stake. Coach Mike London says October’s offensive style “allows the accumulation of more explosive plays, passing or rushing, and to extend throws downfield.” W&M won’t abandon its ball-control rushing identity, but more big plays are surely needed.

Tyler Hughes’ turn at QB: His 76-yard pass (one of two TDs) in a fill-in starting role to rally the Tribe past Hampton two seasons ago highlighted his arm. Three carries for 130 yards (with TDs of 8 and 66 yards) against Hampton last year showcased his legs. If Hughes is indeed a dual threat able to get the Tribe more plays downfield, it will ease the sting of four-year starting QB Darius Wilson’s graduation.

Tough schedule: Eight wins by a team from the football-tough CAA should net an FCS playoff berth, but where to get them? The Tribe face three opponents — Villanova, New Hampshire and Richmond — getting love in at least one FCS preseason Top 25 poll, and there’s the challenge of ACC foe Virginia. The Tribe likely will need a win against one of the ranked teams and seven of eight against its other FCS opponents. Doable but challenging.

Schedule

Aug. 30: at Furman, 2 p.m.

Sept. 6: vs. Maine, 6 p.m.

Sept. 13: at Virginia, noon

Sept. 20: vs. Charleston Southern, 4 p.m.

Sept. 27: at Villanova, 3:30 p.m.

Oct. 18: vs. Elon, 3:30 p.m.

Oct 25: at New Hampshire, 1 p.m.

Nov. 1: vs. Albany, 3:30 p.m.

Nov. 8: at Campbell, 2 p.m.

Nov. 15: at Hampton, 1 p.m.

Nov. 22: vs. Richmond, 1 p.m.

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