Tennessee’s coaches knew they needed help in the secondary last season. Stats can lie, but not in this case. The Vols were last in the SEC in passing defense. Dee Williams is on campus to try to remedy that.
Williams is expected to contribute immediately for the Vols, especially since he has experience in junior college. Williams, who transferred from East Central (Miss.) Community College, enrolled in January, participated in spring practice and should provide the Vols with a playmaker in the defensive backfield.
Williams was rated the No. 3 cornerback and No. 8 overall junior college prospect by 247Sports before signing with the Vols. He led the NFCAA with seven interceptions and was second in the nation with 14 passes broken up. There’s certainly some play-making ability in Williams’ game. That was evident in October when Williams returned a punt for 87 yards and a touchdown against Copiah-Lincoln Junior College.
Williams also returned kickoffs for East Central so there’s potential there if Tennessee’s coaching staff decides to use it. However, Williams’ tenure at Tennessee will ultimately be judged by how well he plays in UT’s secondary, likely at cornerback.
The Vols would love for Williams to show off some tight coverage skills. They’d also love for him to flip the field with a pick or two. Tennessee was tied for fourth in the SEC last season with 13 interceptions. Williams should fit right in. He’s known for being around the football and turning in game-changing plays.
Williams was a difference maker for Mary Persons High School in Forsyth, Ga. The two-way star had six interceptions in high school during his senior season. He returned four of those for a touchdown. He also forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and blocked a field goal. Not bad.
Tennessee didn’t have a full roster of defensive backs during spring practice. That was good for Williams, who received more opportunities to refine his skills.
“We call them valuable reps,” Tennessee defensive back coach Willie Martinez said. “They’re expensive. If you’re going to take a rep here, we’re counting on you. We trust you.”
The challenge for Williams and Tennessee is to get him prepared and on the field as soon as possible. Williams surely benefitted from spring practice in his quest for early playing time, especially since the Vols didn’t have a full complement of defensive backs. Many were held out of spring practice for health issues. Those absences allowed Williams to get more practice snaps while the others watched and helped guide him.
Williams is learning. That takes time. That’s time that Tennessee is running out of since the Vols open preseason camp on Monday. Williams’ teammates have to help speed up the transition from junior college to the SEC.
“He’s done a good job with that,” Martinez said during spring practice when asked about Williams and the Vols’ chemistry in the secondary. “We’re doing a great job of leadership within the group.”
2 Responses
Sounds good for the DB positions this fall. Help is a need there.
Yep. He looks like a good one.