Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
"Every week, every day, it’s continued to slow down” - Williams steps up into safety role
10/8/2024 4:44:00 PM | Football
The dual-threat quarterback led the team in tackles against Duke and Memphis after switching positions to safety.
MURFREESBORO - Things have sometimes worked out differently than planned for Middle Tennessee graduate student Xavier Williams. Since he came into high school seven years ago as a 5-foot-6, 130-pound quarterback, he knew it would take a little extra to see the field. Being so undersized, Williams made up for it with a solid work ethic and, with a bit of luck, grew into a 6-foot-2-inch 205-pound body that helped him earn a scholarship to play football in Conference USA with the Charlotte 49ers.
It's that dedication to hard work and the willingness to do whatever it takes that embodies the type of football player that Head Coach Derek Mason and the new-look Blue Raiders of 2024 are looking for. As a graduate student, Williams competed through fall camp to see where he'd land on the depth chart as a quarterback.
Once again faced with adversity, Williams put his head down, worked hard, and showed his worth as a football player. He made the move to the defensive side of the football and has become a key contributor at safety, a position ravaged by injury.
"I wasn't getting much time at quarterback, and we had some injuries in the defensive backs room, so when they asked me how I felt about (switching to safety), I was ready to go," said Williams.
Williams' most recent example of selflessness isn't the first time he's wanted to do whatever his team needs. Even after his growth spurt, Williams didn't see the field much at Ola High School in Georgia. He and his family moved to Colquitt County during his senior year, where Williams became the starter for the Colquitt High School Packers. Following a 6-0 start, Williams unfortunately tore his ACL on the first snap of the final regular season game against Tift County and couldn't compete for a state title.
Regardless, Williams was already committed to Charlotte and, following a successful ACL surgery, redshirted his true freshman season to rehab his knee. It was a long road back for Williams, who benefitted from enrolling early for spring practice and getting a year to fully grasp the offense, which would pay dividends in a 2022 campaign in which he played in six games and accounted for four total touchdowns, including a two-touchdown performance against Big Ten foe Maryland.
Williams followed his former Head Coach, Will Healy, to UCF in 2023 and did not see any action for the Golden Knights, but they did tinker with the idea of him playing safety in spring drills early in 2024. In a situation where it would be easy to get frustrated and give up, Williams did just the opposite and used it to his advantage before transferring to MTSU this past summer.
"The coaches have done an excellent job of easing me into it," Williams said. "They didn't just throw the whole playbook at me and expect me to know everything. Every week, every day, it's continued to slow down."
While at the high school level, you see more of what is widely known to fans as Ironman football, especially in lower classifications with teams with roster sizes in the 30s or so, it's almost unheard of at the FBS level of college football. One such example is Travis Hunter at Colorado, but for a player to switch from a position like quarterback to safety is unique in today's landscape.
The Blue Raider coaching staff identified Williams as a player who could help his group in the defensive backfield. Knowing that's what he was doing at Central Florida in the spring, Head Coach Derek Mason knew that Williams had the smarts and athleticism to play the position and not only play it but make an impact.
"He's always had the ability," Mason said. "Stepping into this role in just a couple of weeks tells you the football intellect and the ability to be productive in our game."
So far, Williams has made the most of his two starts at safety against Duke and Memphis. Filling in for the injured Brendon Harris, Williams has been the leading tackler in both games for Middle Tennessee, amassing seven against Duke and nine against Memphis in what was one of the team's better defensive games. Williams' career-high nine tackles against Memphis included two for loss, which was also a team-high.
"It's hard to step into a college football game against the opponents we play against, especially in the stretch (Williams) has played and has heavy production," Mason said. "(Williams) didn't know everything, but his processes, instincts, and natural athletic ability have taken over."
It's fair to say things haven't always gone according to plan for MTSU this year. Injuries have been an unfortunate part of the season, but no football coach in America will tell you that it's an excuse for anything that has happened. If you find the right kind of player, a guy who sees himself as a football player and a teammate willing to make any sacrifice to make things work, you can certainly overcome the dreaded injury bug.
"I'll always say I've been a football player, above all," Williams said. "I love ball, watching it and studying it. The biggest thing is just going out and playing it. I've been playing since I was young and try not to overcomplicate it."
It would help if you deviated from the original plan, doing whatever is necessary to find your path to success. As Middle Tennessee continues to move forward with some of the new players that have been thrust into action, Blue Raider fans should look no further than their new safety as an example of a guy willing to work to continue getting better at his new craft—something for the Georgia native that's always been a part of the plan.
It's that dedication to hard work and the willingness to do whatever it takes that embodies the type of football player that Head Coach Derek Mason and the new-look Blue Raiders of 2024 are looking for. As a graduate student, Williams competed through fall camp to see where he'd land on the depth chart as a quarterback.
Once again faced with adversity, Williams put his head down, worked hard, and showed his worth as a football player. He made the move to the defensive side of the football and has become a key contributor at safety, a position ravaged by injury.
"I wasn't getting much time at quarterback, and we had some injuries in the defensive backs room, so when they asked me how I felt about (switching to safety), I was ready to go," said Williams.
Williams' most recent example of selflessness isn't the first time he's wanted to do whatever his team needs. Even after his growth spurt, Williams didn't see the field much at Ola High School in Georgia. He and his family moved to Colquitt County during his senior year, where Williams became the starter for the Colquitt High School Packers. Following a 6-0 start, Williams unfortunately tore his ACL on the first snap of the final regular season game against Tift County and couldn't compete for a state title.
Regardless, Williams was already committed to Charlotte and, following a successful ACL surgery, redshirted his true freshman season to rehab his knee. It was a long road back for Williams, who benefitted from enrolling early for spring practice and getting a year to fully grasp the offense, which would pay dividends in a 2022 campaign in which he played in six games and accounted for four total touchdowns, including a two-touchdown performance against Big Ten foe Maryland.
Williams followed his former Head Coach, Will Healy, to UCF in 2023 and did not see any action for the Golden Knights, but they did tinker with the idea of him playing safety in spring drills early in 2024. In a situation where it would be easy to get frustrated and give up, Williams did just the opposite and used it to his advantage before transferring to MTSU this past summer.
"The coaches have done an excellent job of easing me into it," Williams said. "They didn't just throw the whole playbook at me and expect me to know everything. Every week, every day, it's continued to slow down."
While at the high school level, you see more of what is widely known to fans as Ironman football, especially in lower classifications with teams with roster sizes in the 30s or so, it's almost unheard of at the FBS level of college football. One such example is Travis Hunter at Colorado, but for a player to switch from a position like quarterback to safety is unique in today's landscape.
The Blue Raider coaching staff identified Williams as a player who could help his group in the defensive backfield. Knowing that's what he was doing at Central Florida in the spring, Head Coach Derek Mason knew that Williams had the smarts and athleticism to play the position and not only play it but make an impact.
"He's always had the ability," Mason said. "Stepping into this role in just a couple of weeks tells you the football intellect and the ability to be productive in our game."
So far, Williams has made the most of his two starts at safety against Duke and Memphis. Filling in for the injured Brendon Harris, Williams has been the leading tackler in both games for Middle Tennessee, amassing seven against Duke and nine against Memphis in what was one of the team's better defensive games. Williams' career-high nine tackles against Memphis included two for loss, which was also a team-high.
"It's hard to step into a college football game against the opponents we play against, especially in the stretch (Williams) has played and has heavy production," Mason said. "(Williams) didn't know everything, but his processes, instincts, and natural athletic ability have taken over."
It's fair to say things haven't always gone according to plan for MTSU this year. Injuries have been an unfortunate part of the season, but no football coach in America will tell you that it's an excuse for anything that has happened. If you find the right kind of player, a guy who sees himself as a football player and a teammate willing to make any sacrifice to make things work, you can certainly overcome the dreaded injury bug.
"I'll always say I've been a football player, above all," Williams said. "I love ball, watching it and studying it. The biggest thing is just going out and playing it. I've been playing since I was young and try not to overcomplicate it."
It would help if you deviated from the original plan, doing whatever is necessary to find your path to success. As Middle Tennessee continues to move forward with some of the new players that have been thrust into action, Blue Raider fans should look no further than their new safety as an example of a guy willing to work to continue getting better at his new craft—something for the Georgia native that's always been a part of the plan.
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