SOUTHAMPTON, Pa. - Senior linebacker Jeffery Williams' first game back after an injury-plagued 2009 campaign was productive, earning him the Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS National Defensive Player of the Week.

Williams (Frisco City, Ala. / Frisco City HS) collected 18 total tackles (nine solo), 2.0 tackles for loss, a half sack and an interception Saturday in the win over Brevard, playing almost every snap in a workmanlike game that saw the Gardner-Webb defense on the field for more than 37 minutes. Williams helped limit Brevard to just 3.5 yards per play and was around the football seemingly every snap.

The 6-0, 224-pound All-America candidate finished just one hit shy of his personal career-best for a single game, which came in a 19-tackle performance at VMI during the 2008 season - which saw Williams go on to earn third-team FCS All-America honors and Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Williams also reached a notable milestone Saturday, moving past the 300-tackle mark for his career. He has 304 career hits, which rank him just two tackles behind former NFL linebacker Jim Maxwell (2000-2003) for 15th on Gardner-Webb's all-time list.

Williams is the eighth player in Big South Conference history to collect 300 tackles, joining former Runnin' Bulldog linebackers Mario Brown (2005-2009) and Keppy Baucom (2002-2005) in that group.

Gardner-Webb will travel to Akron, Ohio, this Saturday (9/11) to battle the Akron Zips at noon.