![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jmusportsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Griffin1-300x167.jpg\" "\\"Griffin1-300x167\\"")
<\/a>Really, there is no need for other jokes in this preview.<\/p><\/div>\n
Why the Tribe deserve the preseason accolades:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jimmye (yes, that’s spelled correctly incorrectly) Laycock, Jonathan Grimes, B.W. Webb, Alex Gottlieb.\u00a0 Coach Laycock has been with in Williamburg forever and is one of the best at the FCS level in maximizing talent on a team that has often had more brains than brawn.\u00a0 This year he has the talent to match his savvy and W&M should be a major factor all year.\u00a0 Running Back\u00a0Jonathan Grimes\u00a0is simply the CAA’s best player, and possibly a beacon of FCS goodness<\/a> in a Jim Tressel world.\u00a0 Although some\u00a0 of the UD and Villanova apologists might argue otherwise, this kid is poised to break all sorts of W&M and CAA records this year and you’ll get no argument from us.\u00a0 TE Alex Gottlieb is a huge weapon CAA teams have struggled to control in the passing game and DB\/KR BW Webb can be electrifying as well.<\/p>\n Questions: <\/strong>Although this team returns\u00a07 starters on each side of the ball, they did lose 4 players off their front seven on defense that has been the core of this team for a few years.\u00a0 How they are replaced and whether they can stop the run as well will be huge.\u00a0 Also, this team has an odd history of strange results the last few years.\u00a0 JMU played their best game of the season in taking down the Tribe last year even though the Dukes only threw a single pass all game with a WR essentially running the option under center.\u00a0 Somehow this baffled the Tribe.\u00a0 They also almost gagged against ODuh.\u00a0 Tribe can play with anyone, but needs to play up to their potential week in and week out.<\/p>\n Why This Game is HUGE: <\/strong>This game will tell us everything we need to know about where the Dukes stand even if the first three have not.\u00a0 UNC is UNC and we’ll take whatever result with a grain of salt (see Tech, Virginia 2010) this year.\u00a0 CCSU is CCSU and we won’t overread into this game either (see State, Morehead 2010).\u00a0 Liberty is a big one and will be the first true test, but win or lose, the way the Dukes show up in Williamsburg in Week 4 following that game will show a ton about whether this team can be mentally tougher than last year’s squad.<\/p>\n 2011 Prediction: <\/strong>This is going to be a barnburner and I think the Dukes will be ready this year.\u00a0 The Tribe will almost certainly be 2-1 but completely untested.\u00a0 They start the season at UVa.\u00a0 They upset the Cavs a couple years back but that UVa team had a dead coach.\u00a0 Literally, Al Groh had been dead for at least three months but they kept dressing him up in that orange sweatshirt.\u00a0 Our guess is Mike London’s crew is out for blood.\u00a0 Then the Tribe play not one, but two absolute patsies in VMI and New Haven (D2 game is so stupid).\u00a0 Win or lose at UNC and Liberty, the Dukes will have been seriously tested and should be ready for battle.<\/p>\n As for the season, we think W&M gets to 8 or 9 wins, a playoff berth, and should be in contention for the CAA crown.\u00a0 UVa and JMU should be their toughest games, but they better not be below 8 wins with New Haven “counting” as one of those.<\/p>\n