Kevin Gorman: William & Mary takes pride in being cradle for coaches in Steelers-Bills game

Jimmye Laycock doesn’t know what to expect when he visits Heinz Field this weekend to see the Buffalo Bills play the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game with playoff implications.

“I’ve never done it before,” Laycock said, “… but I’m looking forward to it.”

Laycock spent the past four decades coaching William & Mary football, so his first season in retirement allows him to attend an NFL game that serves as a rare, special occasion.

Mike Tomlin of the Steelers and Sean McDermott of the Bills — two of the leading candidates for NFL coach of the year — are former Tribe teammates who played for Laycock in 1993 and ’94 at William & Mary and credited their college coach with giving them the blueprint for success in their coaching careers.

Never occurred to me 25 years ago that I'd be writing about two of my classmates coaching against each other in @SNFonNBC. Bravo, Mike Tomlin (@CoachTomlin) and Sean McDermott -- you've made @TribeAthletics proud #HereWeGo #GoBills @steelers @BuffaloBills: https://t.co/MSSKWOKNDs pic.twitter.com/Y5xzzr6TjQ

— Nate Davis (@ByNateDavis) December 11, 2019

This has become a big week not just for Laycock but the College of William & Mary, a school more likely to produce U.S. presidents (Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and John Tyler) than NFL coaches.

Tomlin couldn’t contain his respect for Laycock, who compiled a 249-194-2 record in 39 seasons but hasn’t been to an NFL game since Steve Spurrier coached the Washington Redskins. That’s why the 71-year-old Laycock and two of his four adult children will receive royal treatment, with pre-game sideline passes and seats in the coach’s suite.

“It is just an honor, man,” Tomlin said. “I’m sure Sean shares the same mentality about Coach Laycock. Coach is a blueprint for me and always has been — just his approach to coaching, to teaching, to instructing. The supreme confidence he has, not only in his plan, but the process and the way that he relays that confidence to players and challenges players.”

Tomlin, 47, and McDermott, 45, were teammates for the Tribe but at different stages of their respective college careers. Where Tomlin was an upperclassman, a scholarship receiver who still owns the school single-season record for yards per catch (20.2), McDermott began his career as a walk-on before developing into a Division I-AA All-American at safety.

“Both of them were good leaders. Both of them were very much respected by their teammates,” Laycock said. “Mike was a very gifted receiver, had speed and made a lot of catches. Sean was like a coach on the field. He was probably not the biggest, fastest guy around but worked hard and made himself into a good player at safety, like a coach on the field.”

William & Mary coach Mike London, who was the Tribe’s defensive line coach in the early 1990s, couldn’t resist taking jabs at his former players before sharing his appreciation.

“Mike was a skinny wide receiver and Sean was a speed-challenge DB,” London said, with a laugh. “Mike was always intuitive about being a better receiver but wanted to know how the DBs played. Sean always wanted to know what the defensive linemen were doing up front and how it would affect the pass rush and coverage. When you’re in college and asking questions like that, it goes beyond the norm.”

McDermott laughed when asked about their playing days, cracking that Tomlin has always been a bit of an “orator” but adding that he was a team captain and leader for the Tribe.

“He was established,” McDermott said, “and I was just trying to get a pair of cleats back in the day.”

The respect between Tomlin and McDermott continues to this day, with Tomlin calling him a “class guy in every way.” McDermott said Tomlin was a role model for Tribe players — and, later, aspiring NFL coaches.

“To watch him go out and graduate and begin his coaching career the way he did and the way he climbed the ladder,” McDermott said, “I always looked up to him.”

When McDermott was hired to coach the Bills, Tomlin was the first to tell Laycock by sending a text message. After going 6-10 last season, McDermott has the Bills (9-4) on the brink of making the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. Tomlin, meantime, has led the Steelers (8-5) back in to wild-card contention after a 1-4 start. The victory at Arizona on Sunday clinched his 13^th consecutive season without a losing record.

“They do respect each other because both of them know what the other went through to go to school here — you have to study,” Laycock said. “It’s one thing getting the job and another to do a good job once you get it. They don’t get way up or way down. They keep things in perspective.”

London is looking forward to seeing Laycock’s reaction to his former players coaching against each other.

“You’re very prideful and honored to have two of William & Mary’s finest, who still give back to the school in meaningful ways and whose experiences here impacted their lives in a positive way,” London said. “For Coach Laycock to see two individuals he was responsible for their development, it will be great to see his influence.

“To me, it represents a best-of-both-worlds opportunity. You have a school with such stature but coaches who were influenced by Coach Laycock, so it carries on in their coaching tree. Watching those guys have success and have them mentioned with the same university is really special and unique.”

It’s a perfect way for a pair of protégés to honor their coach.

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