Williams Named Big South Freshman of the Week
October 15, 2007 | Football
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Gardner-Webb outside linebacker Jeffrey
Williams was named Big South Conference Freshman of the Week for
the second time on Monday afternoon.
The Frisco City, Ala., native (Frisco City HS) collected a
career-high 13 total tackles on Saturday at No. 8 Wofford,
including a career-best eight solo stops and a tackle for loss.
Williams (6-0, 210) was also named the league's top freshmen
following the Bulldogs' game at Mississippi State on Sept. 22.
Saturday's effort continued a promising trend for the standout
rookie, who set a new career-best tackling mark for the third time
in three games. Williams had 11 hits against Austin Peay (9/29) and
12 stops at No. 5 Appalachian State (10/6) in his previous two
starts.
"He's always around the football and is a really smart player,"
said GWU head coach Steve Patton. "To be a team's leading tackler
as a true freshman says something about Jeff's overall ability.
He's physically gifted, but also has great instincts and a very
high football I.Q."
Williams' intelligence on the field should not be surprising, as he
graduated near the top of his senior class at Frisco City (Ala.)
High last spring. He also earned All-State honors on the gridiron,
averaging an Alabama-best 19.6 hits per game and over 10 yards per
carry as a fullback.
This season, Williams paces Gardner-Webb's young defense (only two
senior starters) with 64 total tackles through six starts. He ranks
second in the Big South Conference and No. 13 nationally in tackles
per game (10.6), and ranks second nationally among all NCAA
Division I freshmen (FBS or FCS) in total hits and hits per
game.
Most notable is Williams' production against top competition. He
has averaged 11.5 tackles against a four-game road slate that
includes games at Ohio University, Mississippi State, No. 5
Appalachian State and No. 8 Wofford.
Williams has added 5.0 tackles for loss, a sack and three pass
break ups as well during his freshman campaign.
Gardner-Webb (2-4) opens Big South Conference play on Saturday
afternoon at VMI. Kickoff is set for 1 pm ET in Lexington, Va.
