The Story

Football: A Fitting Finale

Nov. 27, 2011 | By Jeffrey Knox, DSJ Sports Editor

Despite being out of the FBS playoff race for the first time in the past few years, there was still plenty on the line for the Tribe when they headed up to Richmond on Saturday. In addition to being the 121st meeting between the two schools (the matchup is designated as the �"oldest rivalry in the South”), it was the last game for the Tribe seniors.

Senior running back Jonathan Grimes, who has been the leader of the Tribe all year, went out with a bang. He amassed more than 200 yards rushing for the third straight game, averaging 5.3 yards per rush against the Spiders. That effort allowed him to set yet another William and Mary record—single-season rushing yards—which now stands at 1,431. In addition, Grimes scored ten touchdowns this season on the ground, and four more through the air. Perhaps most impressive, though, are his rushing averages of 5 yards per carry and 130 yards per game. When asked to put Grimes’ career in perspective, head coach Jimmye Laycock said: �"We don’t have enough time…I wouldn’t do it justice.”

Other noteworthy offensive seniors include wideout D.J. Mangas, who was the Tribe’s leader in receptions (45), receiving yards (591), and touchdown catches (5), and tight end Alex Gottlieb, who played a significant role in the passing game all season long.

On defense, William and Mary will lose center James Pagliaro, defensive end Marcus Hyde, and linebacker Jake Trantin, among others. Trantin was second on the team with 84 total tackles, while Hyde made 54 tackles and 6.5 sacks on the year, with 5 of those sacks coming in the Tribe’s home win over New Hampshire.

The first possession of the game opened with Richmond starting on the Tribe 40 yard-line after an out-of-bounds kick-off. The Spiders drove down into William and Mary territory before a 39-yard field goal by Richmond kicker Remington Hinshaw missed wide right. The Tribe took advantage by authoring an efficient drive, punctuated by a 20-yard touchdown run by Grimes.

With the Tribe up 7-0, a stalled Richmond possession gave the Tribe the ball and the momentum. However, sophomore quarterback Brent Caprio threw an interception on the first play of the drive to Richmond defensive back Reggie Barnette. The Spiders quarterback Aaron Corp pounced on the next play by completing a 32-yard heave to Ben Edwards for a touchdown. The Spiders then went for the 2-point conversion and successfully found the end zone, bring the game score to 8-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Grimes led the Tribe’s counter-attack, as William and Mary marched methodically down the field before scoring on a 17-yard strike from Caprio to Mangas. The Tribe failed, however, to match the Spiders’ two-point conversion and had to settle for a 13-8 lead.

Richmond notched a field goal on their next possession to bring the margin to 2. On their final drive of the half, the Tribe used consistent short gains to take the ball to the opposing 20-yard line. A 1-yard rush by Grimes gave W&M a 4th-and-1, and coach Laycock decided to go for it instead of kick a field goal. That choice proved unfruitful as Grimes was stuffed for a loss and the Tribe turned the ball over on downs. So headed into the half, William and Mary held a slim 13-11 lead over Richmond.

Starting at midfield after the opening kickoff of the second half, the Tribe moved the ball deep into Richmond territory. But a Drake Kuhn field goal attempt was blocked and the Tribe missed out on another scoring opportunity.

Special teams would falter again after a Caprio rushing touchdown on the ensuing possession. Kuhn’s extra point failed and it remained a one-possession game, with Tribe up by a score of 19-11.

Surely enough, Richmond’s running back Kendall Gaskins made the Tribe pay as he found his way into the end zone early in the 4th quarter. The Spiders’ bid to tie the score, however, fell flat and the Tribe retained its 2-point lead at 19-17.

But the lead was short-lived as a William and Mary 3-and-out gave Richmond the ball and a chance to jump in front. After getting the ball into the red zone, the Spiders were stopped and forced to attempt a field goal. Hinshaw’s kick was tipped, and the ball landed in the arms of Tribe safety Jerome Couplin. But he couldn’t hold on and Richmond eventually recovered the ball on the 12-yard line. With a fresh set of downs, the Spiders took advantage of their good fortune and grabbed a 23-19 lead on a Gaskins touchdown run followed by another failed 2-point conversion.

With 4:35 left on the clock, the Tribe needed a touchdown to prevent finishing the season on a 4-game losing streak. Caprio wasn’t going to let this one slip away. After the game, he said: �"We were in that situation the last two games and came away empty-handed. But there’s an old saying—‘third time is the charm.’” Thanks to good clock management and a determined Grimes lining up behind him, Caprio and crew found themselves with a 3rd-and-goal with 10 seconds remaining.

An incomplete pass to Mangas on a fade route in the corner of the end zone left the Tribe with one last shot. While the popular decision might have been a draw play to Grimes, Laycock opted for a pass. It was the right choice; Caprio found tight end Nolan Kearney just over the goal line for a Tribe touchdown. Though it may have taken all season, the Tribe finally pulled through in a clutch situation. William and Mary left Robins Stadium with a hard-fought 25-23 win in its final game of the season. The Tribe finished at 5-6 (3-5 CAA), while the Spiders ended up winless in the CAA with 3-8 (0-8) record.

The win resounded with players, coaches, and fans alike. Grimes was thrilled at the result: �"Going out with a win, after this tough season, just feels really good.”

Even though the Tribe will lose Grimes and multiple other key contributors, the future looks promising. With either Caprio or fellow sophomore Mike Graham behind center, the quarterback position should be much stronger than it was this year. Grimes’ replacement won’t be too shabby either—sophomore Keith McBride scored 2 touchdowns and averaged 5 yards per carry in 2011. The Tribe defense will need to prove itself up front, as it loses a few starters and has been consistently vulnerable to a good rushing attack.

But for now, we should all be celebrating the victory and the accomplishments of the senior class, among them possibly the greatest player in William and Mary history.