VMI Football opens 2024 season at No. 15/16 William & Mary Thursday - Virginia Military Institute (2024)

Football 8/27/2024 8:45:00 AM

Game to be broadcast on FloSports, streamed on 3WZ

LEXINGTON, Va. – After a successful year one under Head Coach Danny Rocco, the VMI Football team opens up its 2024 campaign when it visits nationally-ranked William & Mary on Thursday night.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Walter J. Zable Stadium in Williamsburg.

How to Follow
FloSports
Radio Broadcast/96.7 FM 3WZ
Live Stats
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VMI (0-0, 0-0 SoCon)
Roster
Schedule/Results
2023 Statistics
Game Notes
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No. 15/16 William & Mary (0-0, 0-0 CAA)
Roster
Schedule/Results
2023 Statistics
Game Notes
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TURNAROUND TIME
Coming off a season in which it went 1-10, the VMI Football Team continued Danny Rocco's trend of turning teams around in year one, going 5-6 overall with an even 4-4 record in Southern Conference play. The season marked just the fourth time in 20 years in which VMI won five overall games and four league contests, earning Rocco National Coach of the Year Finalist honors for the seventh time in his illustrious career. The Keydets would cap off their impressive 2023 with a 27-24 win over No. 14 Western Carolina, scoring their first top-25 win since 2021, tying for fifth in the SoCon standings.

ROCCO'S RETURNERS
Thirteen starters and four of the eight All-SoCon honorees from 2023 are back in the red and white this year, led by Hunter Rice on the offense and Eric Rankin on the defense. Rice had a breakout year in his junior season, ranking fourth in the country in rushing touchdowns, with 14 scores on the ground and was named to the All-SoCon Second Team. Rankin, meanwhile, quickly became the leading tackler for VMI, totaling 93.0 stops last year which ranked fifth among Southern Conference performers. Serving as a captain alongside Rice and Rankin, Dorien Starnes (Second Team) anchored the defensive line, leading all SoCon lineman with 41.0 tackles. Ivan Thorpe (All-Freshman) looks to be a top threat in the passing game, totaling 251 yards and a touchdown in nine games.

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Despite the success of VMI in 2023 (T-5th, SoCon) and returning 13 starters, the Keydets didn't get a ton of respect in the Southern Conference Preseason Poll, voted to finish seventh by the league's coaches. There was no media poll this season, and coaches could not vote for their own team.

All-Conference wise, Hunter Rice (RB), Tyriq Poindexter (OL) and Dorien Starnes (DL) were named to the First Team, while Eric Rankin (LB) was named to the Second Team Defense and Ivan Thorpe named Second Team Specialist.

2023 Leaders
Passing
Collin Ironside – Yards (1416), Touchdowns (4). Average (177.0)

Rushing
Hunter Rice – Yards (889), Touchdowns (14), Average (78.82)

Receiving
Aidan Twombly – Receptions (38), Yards (558) and Touchdowns (3)

Defense
Evan Eller – Tackles (107.0), Eric Rankin – TFL (10.0-39), Rankin/Starnes – Sacks (3.5)

SCOUTING THE TRIBE
Selected 16^th in the AFCA Coaches Preseason Poll and 15^th in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Poll, William & Mary was voted fourth in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Preseason Poll, just four votes shy of third place (UAlbany). Last year, the Tribe started 4-0, including a 23-6 win over Wofford in Williamsburg before going 2-5 down the stretch. William & Mary likes to run the ball, averaging nearly 200 yards per game (196.9) on the ground, ranking 13^th in the nation in that stat. The Tribe run game is powered by left tackle Charles Grant, a two-time All-CAA selection who is on the NFL Draft radar while getting preseason All-American recognition, allowing just one sack in the last two seasons. Bronson Yoder (RB) and Trey McDonald (FB) joined Grant on the CAA First Team, with Malachi Imoh (RB) Ryan McKenna (OL) and safety Marcus Barnes (S) earning preseason honorable mention. Yoder, who was limited to just four games last year, was named to the Gary Payton Award Watch List and is a Phil Steele Preseason All-American.

The Tribe are led by Head Coach Mike London, who enters his sixth year at the helm of the program. London has had a decorated career at the FCS Level, including coaching the Richmond Spiders to a National Championship in 2008.

THE SERIES
William & Mary leads the all-time series 53-33-2, with the Tribe riding a 25-game winning streak. The two sides last met in 2011, when William & Mary prevailed 24-7 in Lexington. The last time a Danny Rocco-coached team faced the Tribe, it was Rocco's Delaware Blue Hens who came out on top 24-3 in Newark. During his time in the CAA, Rocco would post a record of 6-1 against William & Mary (2-0 Delaware, 4-1 Richmond).