A wide-open spring battle for the College’s starting quarterback job just got even more crowded. North Carolina sophomore quarterback Mike Paulus will transfer to Williamsburg and be eligible immediately this spring. A UNC athletic department spokesman confirmed the intended transfer Friday.

If the transfer is approved, Paulus, a former Gatorade State Player of the Year for New York, will have two years of eligibility remaining.

The brother of former Duke basketball guard and Syracuse quarterback Greg Paulus, the 6-5, 215 pound quarterback played in four games his redshirt freshman season, finishing with 33 yards on 4-13 passing with two interceptions. He did not see any playing time this past season.

Coming out of Syracuse, New York’s Christian Brothers High School in 2007, the website Scout.com rated Paulus a four-star recruit and the no. 11 overall quarterback in his class. Rivals.com also gave him four stars, slotted him as the fourth best pro-style passer, and the 82nd overall player.

Despite his pedigree, Paulus will likely face stiff competition in practice for the starting job. With senior R.J. Archer graduating, junior Mike Callahan, sophomores D.J. Mangas and Terrance Schmand, and true freshman Brent Caprio were all set to duke it out over the course of the spring and summer. With Paulus now in the mix, a crowded quarterback battle will likely be the focal point of the College’s offseason.

College athletic department spokesman Pete Clawson declined comment, other than to say that the transfer had not been completed.

The Tribe is set to face North Carolina this coming season, journeying to Chapel Hill Oct. 30.

Through 30 minutes of William and Mary’s 14-13 defeat to Villanova in the FCS semifinals Friday, the Tribe was in control. The nation’s top-rated rush defense had held the potent Wildcat attack to 70 yards of total offense, and a 98-yard pass from quarterback R.J. Archer to wide receiver Cam Dohse midway through the second quarter had helped the Tribe take a 10-0 advantage into the half.

But the Tribe could only keep the Wildcats and their big play ability in check for so long. Villanova wide receiver Matt Szczur, taking the snap as quarterback, broke through the Tribe defense untouched and raced into the end zone for a 68-yard score six minutes into the second half.

On Villanova’s next possession, the Wildcats utilized a fake punt on fourth and eight from the Tribe 46-yard-line, running a reverse to Szczur, who picked up nine yards and the first down. The play set up quarterback Chris Whitney’s go ahead one-yard touchdown sneak nine plays later. The score, which also came on a fourth down play, give the Wildcats a 14-13 lead.

Szczur’s scamper was the first touchdown the Tribe had surrendered in the FCS playoffs, and it kicked off a monster second half for Szczur, who tallied 92 rushing yards in the second frame.

“I mean he’s a playmaker, no doubt,” defensive end Adrian Tracy said. “Going in we definitely had to key on him and realize that he could make or break your game. The first half we were able to make some plays on him, and in the second half it kind of dwindled away.”

Tracy and the Tribe defense had stopped Villanova on eight consecutive third down attempts to open the game before the fake punt, but allowed the Wildcats to convert all three attempts the team made on fourth down.

Besides the 98-yard pass play, the Tribe offense struggled to sustain drives. Running back Jonathan Grimes averaged just 2.7 yards per carry and totaled 59 rushing yards. The unit was nine of 18 on third downs, but the offense possessed the ball for just two minutes in the fourth quarter.

“In the second half we couldn’t get a good stop on them, couldn’t get a consistent stop,” Head Coach Jimmye Laycock said. “They kept the ball and they kept control. We wanted to be the ones controlling the ball, and they were the ones controlling the ball.”

After the game, Laycock emphasized that the playoff loss, while disappointing, didn’t render the season a failure.

“When you head into the playoffs, you’ve got to understand, it’s only one team that is going to end the year happy, only one team that’s going to end the year without ending on a losing note,” Laycock said. “That’s part of the deal. It’s not a great feeling, but that’s part of what you are undertaking by going through the playoffs.”

Dohse had a coming-out party of sorts for the Tribe, hauling in five passes for 148 yards, including the 98-yard score and a couple key third down conversions. Despite the big game, Dohse expressed disappointment in falling to Villanova for the second time this season. The Wildcats beat the Tribe 28-17 on Oct. 3.

“We beat ourselves in a lot of situations,” Dohse said. “We didn’t convert in some of the times we should have. Against a great team like this you’ve got to make all the big plays when they are there. It’s certainly not any consolation, we’re still leaving with the same feeling we did last time.”

The loss marked the end of Archer and Tracy’s collegiate careers. Tracy leaves the school as the Tribe’s all-time leader in sacks. But like Dohse, he wasn’t taking comfort in the close defeat.

“All season long, from the very beginning, us captains that stayed for the summer realized we had something special brewing, and we wanted to capitalize on every opportunity,” Tracy said. “For the most part, we did with an 11-3 record, but those three losses are just — I mean, you are a competitor, you hate losing.”

Laycock had a more balanced outlook.

“When you look at it and you say, you’re in the final four, you say you’ve won 11 ball games, that’s a pretty good year, I think that’s a good year no matter who you are, where you are or what you’re playing,” Laycock said. “Given the fact that we play in this league, and the fact that we’ve gone and won two playoff games, and we’re playing in the semifinals, and we lose by one point on the road in a short week. When you look at all the things and you roll it all together, it’s a great year. It could have been better, sure. But sometimes you’ve got to sit back and put things in perspective.”

We’re blogging live from the College of William and Mary’s semifinal matchup against Villanova. Jump in with your questions and comments. The game is on television (ESPN2) and can be watched online (ESPN360.com).

William and Mary has lost to Villanova 14-13. Check back with Flathatnews.com shortly for a game story.

William and Mary head coach Jimmye Laycock had only one thing to say after his team captains presented him with the game ball following the Tribe’s 24-3 victory over Southern Illinois in the quarterfinal round of the FCS playoffs, a landmark 200th win for the coach.

“When we get to number 202, then I’ll be happy,” he told his team with a smile.

For the no. 6 Tribe, win number 202, a victory in the FCS National Championship game, can only come if the College can secure number 201 this Friday. With a rematch against CAA rival and second-ranked Villanova (12-1, 7-1 CAA) looming in a FCS semifinal game that will be broadcast on national television, that won’t be easy. Each program will be looking to go through to the FCS Championship game for the first time in history.

The contest features two teams that are very familiar with one another, as the Wildcats handed the College its first loss earlier this season, a 28-17 decision in Villanova, Pa. This time around, however, redemption is the least of the Tribe’s worries, as the stakes are much higher.

“At this point, if you need more juice, you are in trouble,” Laycock said. “It’s a situation where each game is bigger than the previous game. Right now, we have to focus on playing the Villanova team we are facing this weekend, and we have to make sure we are prepared.”

The Tribe believes that it is facing a slightly improved Villanova squad compared to the one it faced in October.

“The one thing I have noticed when looking at the film on Villanova is that there have been some subtle changes since we have played them,” Laycock said. “It’s not like we are saying, ‘Okay, take the same plan, go against the same setup’, but you do know the personel, you know how good they are.”

As was the case last week against the Salukis, the majority of the storylines leading into Friday’s contest center around the battle between Villanova’s potent offense and the Tribe’s top ranked defensive unit. In the quarterfinals, the College held Southern Illinois’ heralded running back Deji Karim, a finalist for the Walter Payton award, to just 27 yards on 12 carries.

This week, the Tribe defense must contain a Villanova offense that boasts a plethora of explosive weapons.

Primarily, the College must defend Chris Whitney, a multidimensional quarterback who can make plays through the air and on the ground. In addition to boasting a strong arm, Whitney enters the game as the Wildcats’ leading rusher, having accumulated 848 yards on the ground this season.
Complimenting Whitney is wideout Matt Szczur, the CAA Offensive and Special Teams Player of the Year. Szczur ran for two scores against the Tribe earlier this season, and is widely regarded as one of the most explosive offensive players in the nation.

“He’s a great player,” junior linebacker Evan Francks said. “No team has really stopped him yet. We have a few things we are going to do … I think that if we prepare the right way, we will be able to stop him.”

In October, the College witnessed Villanova’s offensive explosiveness firsthand. On the first play of the game, the Wildcats scored on a 57-yard pass from Whitney to wideout Brandyn Harvey. Villanova then became the only squad to post more than 20 points against the Tribe.

Accordingly, the College’s main defensive goal this weekend is to subdue the Wildcats’ big play abilities, and keep things close early.

“We are going to make sure that we don’t let them get up early so that we can get the lead and force them to do things that they are not used to doing,” senior safety David Caldwell said.
Offensively, the Tribe has two main objectives heading into its rematch with Villanova’s defense — minimize turnovers, and improve on red zone efficency.

While the College managed to amass 472 yards of total offense, including a career high 354 passing yards for senior quarterback R.J. Archer in the earlier matchup, the unit committed two costly turnovers. More importantly, the Tribe drove deep into Villanova territory five times, but managed to only record one touchdown.

“We were not nearly as efficient as we need to be in the red zone,” Laycock said. “We moved the ball okay up there, but we had to settle for field goals when you cannot settle for field goals.”

The College hopes to benefit from another strong performance from sophomore tailback Jonathan Grimes. The second-year player was instrumental in last week’s victory against Southern Illinois, as he rushed for 133 yards and three touchdowns.

With the prospect of traveling to Chattanooga, Tenn. and playing for a national championship hanging in the balance, Friday’s contest promises to be one of the closest games of the season.

“Win or lose, we both know each other,” Francks said. “It’s going to be a battle, it’s going to be a great game, and whoever wants it more is going to win.”

It certainly was not easy, but William and Mary capped an improbable 15-point comeback victory in the final seconds Saturday with a stoic performance against defending CAA champion VCU. The 75-74 win stretches the College’s (6-2, 1-0 CAA) winning streak to six games and halts the Ram’s (5-2, 0-1 CAA) four-game unbeaten mark.

After taking an early 5-2 edge, the College did not lead by more than one point until seizing a 71-69 advantage with 1:16 left in the game. Senior guard David Schneider broke a 74-74 tie with 3.1 seconds left after making one of two free throws and the Rams’ Ed Nixon missed an open look as time expired to seal the Tribe’s win.

“It is the most important [win so far this season] because it is our first conference game,” Head Coach Tony Shaver said. “People may laugh at that and think Wake is more important, but this is more important than that. I really don’t think without the Wake win, you maybe don’t get this win. All of those build confidence in our team.”

It was a game of two even, polished teams. The Tribe shot 46 percent while the Rams shot 45 percent. VCU held a 31-30 edge in rebounds while the College turned the ball over one fewer times, eight versus nine, than their opponent.

The game came down to adjustments — Shaver made them, VCU did not.

To combat a sluggish offense and VCU’s impenetrable first half pressure, Shaver pulled his three and four guards back and focused his team on quicker, crisper passes. As VCU pushed its defense out to the perimeter to combat the Tribe’s three-point shooters, Shaver had sophomore forward Quinn McDowell slice to the basket for easy backdoor cutters. And finally, as the Tribe’s big men got into foul trouble, junior center Marcus Kitts ended the game with four fouls and sophomore forward JohnMark Ludwick fouled out, Shaver was not afraid to stick McDowell down low to match-up with future NBA lottery pick Larry Sanders.

Not only did the Tribe break VCU’s pressure and secure easy inside lay-ins, McDowell played a man’s game down low. Outmatched by five inches and 25 pounds on Sanders, McDowell surprised Sanders with a physical presence of his own.

“It just goes back to really trying to play physical with him,” McDowell said. “It seemed like he really wanted to try to play a finesse kind of game. That’s why you work every day, to get strong so games like this you can do what you can to get him out of a rhythm and disrupt his timing.”

Shaver said McDowell told the team in a timeout that he wanted to guard Sanders and made the on-the-court adjustment. McDowell minimized Sanders’ presence and finished the game with 16 points on six of eight shooting.

The College struggled in the first half to generate any offense. The Rams shot 56 percent from the floor including eight of 15 from three to build a 40-27 halftime advantage.

But the second half was a different ball game.

“In the first half we didn’t execute, we did a lot of individual stuff,” Schneider said. “[In the second half] we settled down and handled their pressure and we knocked down some big shots and got some big stops on the other end.

“We are a very persistent group. I think when we cut it to about six or seven, once you get into a flow it is a lot easier to come back from, and then it came down to our execution.”

The Tribe committed only two second half turnovers to dwindle away at VCU’s once 15-point margin, connecting on 11 consecutive baskets. With 9:42 left in the game, senior guard Sean McCurdy leveled the score at 59-59 on a three-pointer. McCurdy recorded eight points in the final ten minutes to finish with 15 points for the game.

After the Tribe took a 74-71 advantage with 23 second remaining, Nixon drove the ball to the basket for VCU, converting a dunk while being fouled carelessly from behind by senior forward Danny Sumner.

“I was quite honestly very disappointed in that play,” Shaver said. “Just what we know we should not do in that play. But we survived it.”

Nixon drained the free throw to tie the game at 74-74 before Schneider won the game at the line with 3.1 seconds remaining.

The College is off until Dec. 19 when the team hosts Vassar College.

“We need to take it one game at a time and just focus on who we have to play next,” McCurdy said. “That is what we have been doing all year, and I think that is what we need to continue to do.”

Notes: The Tribe held Larry Sanders to 14 points and 10 rebounds … Ed Nixon went five for seven from the floor for 18 points to lead the Rams … the 6-2 mark is the best start for the College since 1992 … JohnMark Ludwick led the Tribe with five rebounds … VCU had won 14 of the previous 15 meetings with the Tribe … the lead changed 16 times.

After shutting down the offenses of playoff squads New Hampshire, Richmond and Weber State in successive weeks, the Tribe defense rolled into Carbondale, Ill. Saturday ready to face their toughest challenge of the season. Sixty minutes of play later, they proved yet again why they are the best defense in the FCS, holding Southern Illinois to a mere 187 yards of total offense to spur a 24-3 whitewash.

The win moved the no. 6 College into the FCS semifinals for the second time this decade, where it will face no. 2 Villanova in Philadelphia.

Southern Illinois had entered the game averaging 36.6 points and 230 yards rushing, and early on it looked like it would have little trouble replicating those numbers.

Quarterback Paul McIntosh took the first snap of the game 34 yards around the right side to the Tribe’s 36-yard line, and the Salukis settled for a 46-yard field goal to go ahead 3-0 early.

After a three-and-out for the College, Southern Illinois moved right back down the field. The Salukis reached the Tribe 22-yard line in 10 plays, but kicker Kyle Dougherty was short on a 39-yard field goal attempt, and the Salukis came up empty. It would be the last true scoring opportunity for the home side all afternoon.

After managing nine yards on their first three drives of the day, senior quarterback R.J. Archer finally got the Tribe offense moving early in the second quarter. Archer completed his first pass of the day on a 15-yard gain to senior wideout D.J. McAulay, and the drive ended with senior Brian Pate nailing a 36-yard field goal to even the score.

After the defense forced a three-and-out, Archer got the Tribe moving again with a 27-yard completion to junior wideout Chase Hill, but the College stalled just into Southern Illinois territory. On fourth and five, Head Coach Jimmye Laycock gambled, calling up a fake punt that saw junior punter David Miller break free for a 12-yard scramble to pick up the first down. Three plays later, sophomore tailback Jonathan Grimes rumbled into the end zone on a six-yard carry and the Tribe was up 10-3.

After the break, the defense continued to shut down the Saluki offense, as the home squad was unable to penetrate beyond the College’s 30-yard line. Grimes capped a Tribe drive with another touchdown run to put the Tribe up 17-3 and move Southern Illinois into desperation.

With nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, quarterback Chris Dieker, on in relief of McIntosh, went for it on fourth down and five at the Tribe 40, but his pass fell incomplete and the Salukis’ hopes effectively with it.

Archer took the Tribe right back down the field and Grimes picked up his third touchdown of the game on a nine-yard run to set the final margin at 24-3.

The win was the College’s 11th of the season and the 200th of Laycock’s career. More importantly, it puts the Tribe one victory away from a trip to Chattanooga, Tenn. for the FCS title game, a point the College has never reached.