WILLIAMSBURG — The William & Mary football team has been practicing since late July, and between running drills, watching films, and participating in strength and conditioning, the Tribe is ready for the 2024 season.
Coming off an 11-2 2022 season, William & Mary was expected to be a top-tier program in 2023. After starting off 4-0, however, the Tribe lost star running back Bronson Yoder to an injury, the season began to crumble. Clawing its way back in some close games, William & Mary was able to finish out the year with a 6-5 record.
“It was a winning season but also a disappointment in terms of wanting to contend for another opportunity to chase a title. A lot of those guys return back again this year with having an opportunity to jump into the portal but they decided not to. Hopefully, as a result of our culture and the things we talk about being here, a lot of our guys came back for another shot,” Head Coach Mike London said.
London enters his sixth season at the helm.
After losing 18 seniors to graduation, London has been paying attention to who has been stepping up in practice and embracing new-found leadership roles.
“We have a lot of guys who started in games last year and gained the experience of what it means to be a college football player. We’re really trying to find the identity for what this season will look like for us. With a lot of players back, we’re trying to find out who will step up into those leadership roles, but also who buys into our culture,” London said.
As the Tribe prepares for the 2024 season, London’s eyes are set on a national championship. However, he and his coaching staff also know that these student-athletes are students first and foremost.
“In a contact sport, you always hope for minimal injuries or things that put players out. The hope that always spring’s eternal is we do well in the classroom, we’ve had phenomenal success in the classroom, the graduation rate for William & Mary student-athletes is amongst the best in the nation. That’s a prideful thing and an accomplishment that we push on our guys,” London explained.
Coach London is taking the 2024 schedule one week at a time.
“The first game against VMI, it’s an in-state team. To win the first one, to give us a demonstrated performance of where we are right now, that’s the first step. Right now, we’re practicing against each other, so everything looks good. When you go against someone who doesn’t want you to score or they are trying to score on you, that’s a little different, so we’ll be able to attest and evaluate kind of where we are from there,” London said.
London is known to his players for his “Coach Londonisms” and his inspirational anecdotes that greet the team before each practice.
“On the back of our jersey, I have ‘unfinished business.’ When you go 6-5, our last play last year against University of Richmond, we went for two, they stop us, they win and we don’t go to the playoffs, they win the conference championship. The year before, it was the exact opposite. We beat them at their place and won the conference championship. There’s unfinished business in the expectation of competing for championships,” London said.
One of London’s favorite terms remains “So what? Now what?”
“Stuff will happen to you, you’ve got to play in the rain, guy goes down, what are you going to do about it? There’s a way to respond to adversity and the pendulum of life, it gives you those challenges and what are you going to do about it? Our guys have really responded to that. You have to respond to things that happen, not only in the classroom and on the playing field but in life,” London said.
London also uses “face the fans” and “spot the ball” throughout the season.
London feels his positivity and the earned respect of his locker room transcends onto the field of play.
“I am a highly energetic and emotional guy. I’m a glass-half-filled, positive guy. I’m responsible for a group of individuals that it’s important that what comes out of their mouth matters to me. My identity is not tied up into just being a football player. I’m a passionate guy, I’m an emotional guy, because when I think about things that have happened and how it’s changed my life, we’re all here for a reason and I try to impart that on my players,” London said.
London hopes that fans will pack the stands this season at Zable Stadium to cheer the Tribe on to victory.
“We need your voices, we need you loud and crazy in the stands. We don’t want any golf clapping, we want yelling and screaming. We want third-down yelling, so our opponents can’t hear the snap count. When the guys run out onto the field and when big plays are made, get loud. We play for the community because this is our community. Come and support our team and get behind us this season,” London said.
William & Mary will kick off its 2024 season at home against VMI on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. For more information on Tribe football, visit tribeathletics.com.
William & Mary football 2024 schedule:
Aug. 29 — home vs. VMI
Sept. 7 — away vs. Coastal Carolina University
Sept. 14 — away vs. Wofford College
Sept. 21 — home vs. Furman University
Sept. 28 — home vs. Hampton University
Oct. 5 — away vs. Towson University
Oct. 19 — home vs. Campbell University
Oct. 26 — away vs. Stony Brook University
Nov. 2 — away vs. North Carolina A&T
Nov. 9 — home vs. Elon University
Nov. 16 — home vs. Bryant University
Nov. 23 — away vs. University of Richmond
