Jimmye Laycock: by the numbers
Jimmye Laycock, legendary head football coach at William & Mary, announced his retirement Sunday, effective at the conclusion of the 2018 Tribe season. These are a few highlights of his nearly 40 years at William & Mary. - Ed.
Winning Tradition
One of the most successful head coaches in the history of college football, Jimmye Laycock is the second-winningest active Division I head coach with 245 victories. Additionally, his 109 career conference victories rank second all-time. En route to posting the impressive totals, Laycock has recorded 24 winning seasons.
NCAA Playoff Appearances
Laycock has guided W&M to 10 NCAA Playoff berths, which includes a pair of semifinal appearances (2004, 2009). Under his direction, the Tribe also earned postseason bids in 1986, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2001, 2010 and 2015.
Conference Championships
Despite competing in what is widely regarded as the nation’s most challenging conference at the FCS level, Laycock has guided W&M to five league titles. W&M’s last championship came just three seasons ago in 2015, while the Tribe also claimed conference crowns in 1996, 2001, 2004 and 2010.
National Rankings
In addition to earning 10 NCAA Playoff berths and winning five conference titles, W&M has finished the season nationally ranked 13 times. In 2010, W&M climbed all the way to No. 1 during the regular season before earning the No. 2 seed in the NCAA FCS Playoffs.
All-Americans
Evidence Laycock’s legendary career can be found in the success of his players, as 45 standouts have combined to earn 125 All-America honors. Former quarterback Lang Campbell is one of the most honored Tribe standouts, as the 2004 season saw him earn the prestigious Payton Award, given annually to the nation’s top offensive player in the FCS ranks, consensus first team All-America honors, as well as the A-10’s Offensive Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
W&M players have also garnered tremendous recognition at the conference level under Laycock’s tutelage, as the Tribe has produced an astounding 255 all-league selections since 1993. Former All-American running back Jonathan Grimes accounted for 11 of those honors, as he became the most decorated player in conference history in 2011. Former All-American cornerback B.W. Webb nearly matched that impressive feat when he finished his career in 2012 with nine postseason all-conference honors. Both Grimes and Webb went on to post successful professional careers in the NFL.
Tribe in the NFL
W&M has produced a tremendous number of professional players during Laycock’s tenure, an impressive list that is highlighted by 40 former Tribe standouts who have signed NFL contracts. Additionally, the Tribe’s six NFL draft picks since 2009 rank second in the entire FCS and behind on Virginia and Virginia Tech in the Commonwealth.
Coaching Tree
Laycock’s remarkable influence is also evident in his impressive and vast coaching tree that extends into the highest level of football, as two of his former players are currently head coaches in the NFL – Mike Tomlin ’95 (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Sean McDermott ’98 (Buffalo Bills). Laycock’s impressive coaching tree also includes current Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Dan Quinn, who served as an assistant on W&M’s staff in 1994.
Academic Success
As the architect of what is easily the most extended run of success in W&M’s 125-year football history, Laycock has never compromised academic standards for athletic success, as his program earned recognition from the NCAA in each of the first seven seasons the organization awarded outstanding academic achievement and garnered a 100 percent official NCAA graduation-rate report twice.
Legacy
The accumulated successes, both on and off the field, have led to an era of unprecedented interest and support for his program. In addition to the consistent growth in attendance and building of the Laycock Football Center, evidence of this is illustrated by the $28-million Zable Stadium renovation project that was completed during the summer of 2016. The rejuvenated stadium, which includes an upper deck, luxury suites and a spacious state-of-the-art press box, provides an enhanced game day experience for both student-athletes as well as Tribe alumni and supporters.
Playing Career
As a 1970 graduate of W&M, Laycock played football under two legends of the game. For three years, he learned the details under the watchful eyes of Marv Levy, the legendary former head coach of the Buffalo Bills. In his last season, Hall of Fame Coach Lou Holtz schooled Laycock in the finer aspects of psyche and motivation. As a sophomore, Laycock was a starter in the defensive secondary, but he was soon switched to quarterback.
A native Virginian, Laycock played football, basketball, baseball and golf at Loudoun Valley High School, where he won 12 letters and has since had his number retired and been inducted into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame.
