LEXINGTON, Va. - The Washington and Lee University football team opens up their 2024 campaign on the road as they take on the Salisbury University Sea Gulls in the season opener for the second straight season.
Game Information:
When: Saturday, September 7, 2024
Where: Salisbury, Md.
Stadium: Sea Gull Stadium
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
Gameday Forecast: 77°, Partly Cloudy, Wind NE 8 mph
Gameday Links: Watch | Live Stats | Tickets | Flipcard
Series History:
This marks the second meeting between the two programs. The Generals and Sea Gulls opened the 2023 season at Wilson Field, where Salisbury secured a 28-7 victory, capitalizing on 21 points from four W&L turnovers. Jacob Romero led all rushers with 115 yards on 29 carries, scoring the Generals' only points of the game. Salisbury's Jaden Davis rushed four times for 93 yards, including an 83-yard touchdown run. Defensively, SU's Jimmy Celentano led all tacklers with 15 total tackles.
Scouting the Sea Gulls:
The Sea Gulls are coming off a 6-4 season (4-2 NJAC) under 26th-year head coach Sherman Wood, who has guided the program to 13 consecutive winning seasons.
Salisbury returns seven starters on offense, including First Team All-NJAC offensive line selection Tre Price. Price and the front line led the team to the 24th-best rushing offense in Division III last season, averaging 209.8 rushing yards per game. Quarterback Ben Hutchins returns for his junior season with the Maroon and Gold. The Hazlet, N.J. native played in all ten games last season, throwing for 531 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 300 yards and two scores. Wide receiver Alex Richards also returns as the Sea Gulls' primary target; last season, Richards caught eight passes for 150 yards, averaging 18.75 yards per reception.
On defense, Salisbury welcomes back six of their 11 starters from last season, including All-NJAC selections Frankie Giannetti and Sa'Veon Olfus. Giannetti, a First Team All-NJAC honoree, was a consistent threat to opposing offensive lines, recording 28 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. He also forced three fumbles, recovering two last season. Olfus, an Honorable Mention All-NJAC selection at defensive end, recorded 22 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and tied with Giannetti for second on the team with 3.5 sacks. Leading tackler Kilo Mack returns to the secondary for his junior season. Mack led the team with 53 total tackles, including 28 solo tackles, and broke up three passes across ten games.
This Season for the Generals:
The Blue and White are coming off an 8-3 season (6-1 in ODAC), which earned them the right to host the inaugural Cape Charles Bowl at Wilson Field against Lycoming College.
This year, the Generals return ten offensive starters, including All-ODAC selections Jacob Romero, Tucker Jacobsen, Harrison Donovan, Marcus Payne, and Evan Novak. On the defensive side, the Blue and White bring back seven starters from 2023, including Will Mahmud, Will Knight, Jack Johnson, and Charlie Fleming.
Jacob Romero became the first 1,000-yard rusher for the Generals since Josh Breece '22 reached the milestone in 2018. Romero carried the ball 226 times for 1,093 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 99.36 yards per game. Anthony Crawford, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and VaSID Rookie of the Year, was the perfect complement to Romero in his rookie season, recording 409 yards on 110 attempts with a team-high ten touchdowns. Jacobsen, Donovan, and the rest of the offensive line unit helped the Generals post the fourth-best rushing offense in the nation last season, averaging 288.4 yards per game on the ground.
Jack Johnson is the leading returning tackler for the Generals' defense. In his sophomore season, Johnson recorded 67 total tackles, including two tackles for loss, broke up six passes, and intercepted two. His standout performance earned him second-team All-ODAC honors. Will Mahmud, the Generals' sack leader last season, also returns to the defensive side of the ball. The Downingtown, Pa., native registered 54 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and a team-high 5.5 sacks, while also breaking up five passes and forcing two fumbles.
ODAC Preseason Poll:
The Generals were picked to finish second in the Old Dominon Athletic Conference's preseason coaches' poll. No. 10 Randolph-Macon are the preseason favorites for the sixth-straight season, receiving six of the eight first place votes. You can read the entire ODAC Preseason Preview, HERE.
- Randolph-Macon (6) | 48 pts.
- Washington and Lee (1) | 43 pts.
- Bridgewater | 33 pts.
- Hampden-Sydney (1) | 31 pts.
- Shenandoah | 26 pts.
- Averett | 22 pts.
- Guilford | 11 pts.
- Ferrum | 10 pts.
National Statistical Rankings:
The Generals' running game ranked fourth in Division III last season, averaging 288.4 rushing yards per game. The Blue and White's rushing offense has been ranked in the top ten nationally for ten consecutive seasons. The Blue and White also ranked 20th in the nation in third-down conversions, successfully picking up a first down on 50% of their attempts. Additionally, they converted 60.5% of their fourth-down attempts, which ranked 34th in Division III. Washington and Lee had the 14th-best red zone offense, scoring a touchdown 88% of the time. The offensive line played a crucial role in protecting the quarterback, allowing only three sacks all season, which was the fourth-best in Division III last year. Defensively, the Blue and White ranked 44th in Division III in rushing defense, allowing just 98.8 yards on the ground per game.
Around the ODAC:
Friday, Sept. 6
#10/10 Randolph-Macon at Dickinson College | 6 p.m.
Bridgewater at Susquehanna University | 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 7
Guilford at Greensboro College | 12 p.m.
Shenandoah at Methodist University | 1 p.m.
W&L at Salisbury University | 1 p.m.
Hampden-Sydney vs. Delaware Valley | 1 p.m.
Ferrum vs. #5/5 Mount Union | 1 p.m.
Averett vs. N.C. Wesleyan University | 6 p.m.