William & Mary Athletics

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 2x National Champion
• 3x FCS National Semi-Final Appearances
• 4x FCS National Quarter-Final Appearances
• 6x Conference Champion
• 19 All-Conference Players Coached
• 4 All-Americans Coached
• Holiday Bowl Champion
• Alamo Bowl Champion
• Military Bowl Champion
• 12 NFL Players Coached
• 4 NFL Draft Picks Coached

Mario Acitelli was promoted to Offensive Coordinator during the offseason and will return for his 3rd season as the Tribe’s Offensive Line Coach. Over the 22 and 23 regular seasons, the Tribe OL has proved to be a dominant force in the CAA and the nation. Below are the stats from the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined.


                        
In addition to his unit’s collective success, multiple member of Acitelli’s group were recognized individually for their outstanding play. Charles Grant earned All-America honors for the second-straight year, while he was joined on the All-CAA team by Ryan McKenna.

Under Acitelli’s direction, the Tribe’s offensive line established itself among the nation’s top units and was a dominant force in W&M’s record-breaking 2022 campaign. The 2022 season was the best statistical season for the offensive line in school history. Through the regular season, the Tribe ranked 1^st nationally in Sacks Allowed per game (0.64), 2^nd in Explosive Runs (97), 3^rd in Rushing Yards per game (274), 3^rd in Rushing Yards per carry (6.3), and 6^th in Rushing Yards before contact (1307). Additionally, the Tribe piled up 35 rushing touchdowns – the third-most in school history – as well as 448.8 total yards per game and 33.5 points per game – averages that rank fourth and fifth, respectively, on the program’s all-time single-season list.
 
That success helped propel W&M to new heights as a program, as the Tribe equaled a school record with 11 victories, won a share of the Colonial Athletic Association title and advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals.
 
Acitelli’s positive impact can also be seen in the development of one of the nation’s top linemen in Colby Sorsdal, who was a consensus All-America selection and garnered an invite to the prestigious East-West Shrine Bowl before being selected by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Joining Sorsdal on the All-CAA First Team was left tackle Charles Grant, who also garnered national accolades as a member of HERO Sports Sophomore All-America Team. 

An assistant on W&M’s staff from 2014-18, Acitelli returned to Williamsburg in January 2022 with tremendous coaching credentials that included stints at LSU, North Carolina and Texas.  
 
In addition to his success as a coach, Acitelli’s exceptional playing career at Appalachian State was highlighted by a pair of FCS National Championships, All-America honors and earning the prestigious Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which is awarded to the Southern Conference’s top offensive lineman.
 
Acitelli rejoined the Tribe after coaching at LSU, Elon and North Carolina during the previous three seasons. In 2021, he served as the lead offensive analyst at LSU, working primarily with the running backs. Ty Davis-Price benefited from Acitelli’s tutelage and rushed for more than 1,000 yards this fall, highlighted by a single-game school-record 287-yard effort against Florida.
 
The prior season, Acitelli worked as the special teams coordinator and tight ends/tackles coach at Elon, helping special teams unit establish itself as the top-ranked group in the Colonial Athletic Association. In addition to producing the league’s top-ranked punter, his unit also included the nation’s 12th-ranked kick returner.
 
In 2019, Acitelli served as a special teams analyst at North Carolina where he helped the Tar Heels rank 14th nationally in blocked kicks and improve their win total by five games from the previous year.
 
Acitelli made a tremendous impact on W&M success during his five seasons in Williamsburg (2014-18) coaching the fullbacks and tight ends, as well as serving as the special teams coordinator for his final two years.
 
During his five seasons in Williamsburg, Acitelli’s position group consistently ranked among the best in the CAA, as five Tribe standouts combined to earn eight all-conference accolades during his tenure. Highlighting those honorees was three-time All-CAA tight end Andrew Caskin, who earned a rookie camp invite with the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. Additionally, all-conference tight end Nick Muse set single-season school records for receptions per game, yards per game and yards per catch by a tight end.
 
In addition to those honors, a trio of fullbacks – Andrew Weidinger, Darnell Laws and Tyler Crist – earned all-league accolades under Acitelli’s direction.
 
Caskin and Weidinger also distinguished themselves by being selected as semifinalists for the prestigious Campbell Trophy, which is announced by the National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame and is awarded annually to the nation’s best football scholar-athlete.
 
Acitelli joined the Tribe’s staff in 2014 after serving as a graduate assistant at Texas for the prior three seasons where he assisted on both sides of the ball. In addition to coaching the Longhorns defensive scout team, he assisted with on-field instruction for the offensive line and tight ends.

Prior to working at UT, Acitelli served as a student assistant coach at his alma mater, Appalachian State, in 2010. In that role, he coached the defensive scout team and assisted with multiple aspects of the program, including on-field instruction for the offensive line.

A four-year starter and team captain for the Mountaineers, Acitelli was a member of the 2006 and 2007 National Championship teams. Additionally, he won the 2009 Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which is awarded to the Southern Conference’s top offensive lineman, and played all 72 snaps in the team’s upset win at No. 5 Michigan in 2007.

Acitelli earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Appalachian State in 2010 and a master’s degree in advertising from Texas in 2013.
 
Acitelli is married to the former Sara Cline. The couple have two children, Leona and Graydon.