The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Williams: From Walk-On Tryouts To A Starting Role
10/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Steve Irvine
uabsports.com
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- Darious Williams' unique journey toward performing a vital role on the UAB defense didn't end last Saturday when he lined up with the first team defense for the first time.
And his lone college highlight certainly won't be the interception return for a touchdown gift-wrapped by North Texas quarterback Dajon Williams.
But no one - Williams included - could have glanced ahead at the beginning of fall camp and predicted the sophomore from Jacksonville, Florida would be this involved. After all, he didn't exactly arrive in Birmingham with lofty expectations.
But, truly understanding his amazing journey from walk-on to starter requires starting from the beginning.
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Williams was a football-basketball standout at Creekside High in the Jacksonville suburb of St. John's. He received some recruiting interest but did not meet NCAA qualifying standards. He found a spot at Division III Marietta College in Ohio, where he had 38 tackles, five interceptions, included two returned for touchdowns, and two pass breakups as a true freshman in 2011. But he left the school after his first year.
"There were a couple of family issues, my mom was sick and stuff, so I had to stay home for a couple years," Williams said.
He worried football was over but, after his mom's health improved, began to search for a new college home. He remembered a former Marietta College teammate, who was from Alabama, suggesting that UAB might be a good program to search for a spot. So he enrolled at UAB, began classes in January and worked out to prepare for walk-on tryouts in February.
However, tryouts didn't go as planned for Williams.
The tryout session, according to Williams, lasted just 10-15 minutes and footballs weren't used. The defensive backs ran a couple of 40-yard dashes, went through some footwork drills and were done. Williams didn't leave with a good feeling.
"I definitely didn't think there was enough information that they would be able to pick people up for the team," Williams said.
He was wrong. Not long afterward, he got the invitation to join the team for spring practice. He admittedly had some rust after not playing for two years but began impressing the coaches fairly quickly. However, he still took a realistic approach to where he fit.
"I was just hoping to make the actual roster, not just the spring roster," Williams said. "The actual traveling roster was my hope and really I was just hoping to maybe play special teams. Toward the end of spring, they were actually thinking about how good I could possibly be and getting me on the field."
He still entered fall camp toward the bottom of the depth chart but began getting some early notice. He played well throughout, including the first two fall camp scrimmages.
"I think he was third or fourth on the depth chart and you were just like `We're going to play this guy,'" said UAB head coach Bill Clark.
Clark said the reasons to get Williams involved were clear-cut.
"He has great cover skills," Clark said. "He doesn't say two words, he just comes to work every day. He's a technician, sharp. He's really done a great job. He's a playmaker. Corner is such a technical position, a guy who will do all the little things is big. He's got talent, too, but he does all the little minute details."
Once the season began, Williams did indeed have a spot in the rotation. He played about 10-12 snaps in the season-opening win over Troy and his role increased each week. Last week, with regular cornerback starter Jimmy Jean banged up and limited during practice, he was elevated to the top of the depth chart.
Williams suspected he would get the start about Wednesday and was still running with the first team during Friday and Saturday walkthrough work. On Saturday, he trotted out with the first team on North Texas' first offensive series.
"It was just a good feeling knowing I could start the game and show them I could compete and play (well) throughout the whole game," Williams said.
Early in the third quarter, with North Texas trapped deep in its own territory, Williams dropped in the middle of the field in zone coverage. The UAB defensive line pressured from the outside, linebacker Alonzo McGee shot through untouched up the middle and the North Texas quarterback tried to throw the ball away. Instead, the ball floated directly to Williams, who caught it and easily scored from nine yards out.
"The whole time I was just reading the quarterback and the D-line was just putting pressure on him and made him throw the ball up," said Williams, who always added four tackles said. "It was just sitting up there so long, I was like `Oh my gosh, I don't know if I'll catch it or drop it or what.' He threw it right to me, basically gave me a gift. It was an early Christmas gift."
He now moves forward with the probable gift of extended playing time. And he isn't taking anything for granted.
"I pray to God every night for everything he put me through and leading me here," Williams said. "Every now and then, especially on game days, I just take time to soak it in. It's a blessing."
