WILLIAMSBURG -- The nicest thing about the brand spanking-new Jimmye Laycock Football Center is not the grand entrance that will eventually include memorabilia from William and Mary's illustrious 114-year gridiron history.

Nor is it the players' spacious locker room, which includes two 40-inch, widescreen LCD TVs on one wall and a huge whirlpool with a treadmill in an adjoining room.

And it's not the state-of-the-art meeting rooms that are networked together with a video system that gives each coach and player easy access to game and practice film.

According to Laycock, the Tribe's longtime football coach, "The ability to function [in one place] is probably the No. 1 thing about it."

Until spring practice earlier this year, W&M's football program operated out of various offices and rooms in William and Mary Hall, as well as Zable Stadium, where the archaic locker room was located.

"This is so much better," Laycock said. "During spring practice, the players came over here. They dress here. They meet here. They study here. Do whatever they want here. We've got all our stuff here. The functional part has been unbelievable for the players and the coaches."

Not surprisingly, the players have fallen in love with the new facility, which cost about $11 million and was funded by private donations.

"We spend so much time here together, and that camaraderie pays huge dividends on the field," said rising senior Elliott Mack, who led the Tribe in receiving last season.

"One example was we watched the March Madness tournament in the locker room. I looked around and it was good to see all the guys interacting so well with each other. It was truly genuine . . . more than anything I've seen since I've been here."

The Laycock Center is expected to have a huge impact on recruiting, if it hasn't already. In the past, Laycock and his coaches tried to avoid the facilities, or lack thereof.

"We tried to develop a relationship and tried to get away from showing them anything other than the campus," Laycock said with a laugh. "As far as football facilities, we got by for a long time with not much.

"We still aren't going to change our emphasis. I don't want guys to pick a school because of a nice stadium, nice lights, nice locker room. That goes into the formula, of course, and it helps. It gets your attention. What it does is it speaks of commitment. Here's a school that's one of the strongest academic schools in the United States, and they've made this commitment to football."

Laycock said the Tribe was able to see some results in recruiting this year.

"We were finished with our signees earlier than we ever have been before," Laycock said. "We were able to host a full junior day right after signing day. When you've got a guy on campus, you don't have a lot of time to spend with him, so you'd better get a lot of bang for your buck."

The new building has given the players a special feeling.

"It just makes you look like a big-league program," rising senior Derek Cox said. "The appearance on the outside gives you that whole big-league feeling. The things within this building set you up for more success."

W&M will have a dedication program for the Laycock Center on June 21, but it will be an invitation-only affair. The public will have an opportunity to tour the facility during an open house June 29 from 2-5 p.m. Contact John Packett at (804) 649-6313 or jpackett@timesdispatch.com.