By Dave Johnson
W&M Athletics

As the offensive line coach at William & Mary, Mario Acitelli had plenty on his plate as it was. Now, going into his third season on the staff, he has the added responsibilities of offensive coordinator.

There's more pressure, to be sure, but Acitelli isn't doing it alone. He has been able to rely on his offensive staff — Mike London Jr. (receivers), Jack Armstrong (tight ends), Perry Jones (running backs), and Ted Hefter (quarterbacks). And he has a bunch of proven names on the depth chart, from the skilled positions to the guys up front.

"The offensive line has four guys who started at least five games last year," Acitelli said. "We have a quarterback who has started 32 games. We have three running backs who have played significant roles. We have several receivers and two tight ends who have played a bunch.

"There are a lot of pieces in place. Now, it's all about taking the next step forward."

The offensive line returns seniors Charles Grant (29 career starts), Ryan McKenna (23) and Bart Francois (22). Grant is a preseason All-American, McKenna has been a rock at center, and Francois didn't allow a sack last season. Sophomore Kadin Lynch was the CAA's highest-rated guard by PFF last year.

Quarterback Darius Wilson and running back Bronson Yoder go into their final seasons already among the program's career leaders. Wilson has 5,025 passing yards and 6,341 total yards, both ninth in school history. Yoder, who missed all but four games last year with an injury, has 2,660 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns, both eighth.

Malachi Imoh is just outside the top 10 with 2,108 yards.

The Tribe returns its top five receivers — JT Mayo, Hollis Mathis, Sean McElwain, Imoh, and Trey McDonald — from last season. Mathis, a Swiss Army Knife, comes into his final season with 3,066 all-purpose yards. Also back is DreSean Kendrick, who had 26 catches for 366 yards in 2022.

Joining the wide receiver room are transfers Damian Harris (81 catches, 963 yards in his last two seasons at Bucknell) and Isaiah Lemmond (59 receptions, 738 yards in two years at VMI).

"To have guys coming back and new guys joining us who are really talented, we feel like we have a high-powered offense," Wilson said. "Now we just have to perform and show people what we're capable of. We have a lot of desire and hunger. We feel like we have a lot to prove."

Mathis echoes that.

"I don't think we see ourselves as this highly touted offense," he said. "We see ourselves as the offense for the 2024 William & Mary football team. We want to be however productive we have to be to win games."

A major story heading into the season is Yoder, who seemed on his way to a memorable final season before a shoulder injury ended it against Maine on Sept. 23. Since he had played no more than four games, NCAA rules allowed him to return in '24

"I was so distraught after the injury and honestly, I wasn't sure what I was going to do," he said. "For a while, I thought I was going to hang it up. It wasn't until the Albany game (Nov. 4) that I was like, 'I want to come back and be a part of this team.'"

Yoder is known as a physical runner with much of his yardage coming after contact. That, he said, isn't going to change.

"God's given me the ability to run fast and run hard," Yoder said. "I run physical, and I don't have any other way of running. That's the way I play. Even the first practice in pads, there wasn't even a thought in my mind that I'd injured my shoulder.

"Obviously, I'm going to work to improve myself as a football player. But my running style is going to stay the same."

W&M has plenty of depth in the backfield, so Yoder won't be needed for 20-plus carries. Imoh led the team in rushing with 855 yards — 6.8 per carry, sixth among all Championship Subdivision backs. Martin Lucas, all 250 pounds of him, rushed for 261 yards and four touchdowns last year.

"Bronson looks like the Bronson of old … as physical as he's been in the past," Tribe head coach Mike London said. "We just want to make sure we're smart about how many reps he plays."

Acitelli, who played on two FCS national championship teams at Appalachian State, said adjusting to his new role is "the most mentally stimulating thing" he's ever done.

"Probably the biggest difference is the big-picture view you have to have compared to as an O-line coach," he said. "Jack Armstrong, our tight ends coach, has done a great job of helping with the offensive line so I can look at more big-picture stuff.

"Even though my title changed, there really are a lot of other people who are assuming extra responsibilities on a day-to-day basis to make it possible. And it's been a lot of fun."