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WATCH: Cadillac Williams emotionally celebrates with fans after first win as Auburn coach

Chandler Vesselsby:Chandler Vessels•11/12/22•

ChandlerVessels

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Cadillac Williams couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as he bounced up and down, waving a flag in front of a group of Auburn fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers had just defeated Texas A&M 13-10 to snap a five-game winning streak and also secure his first victory since taking over as interim head coach.

It wasn’t the prettiest win, but Auburn will take just about anything it can get at this point. From the looks on the faces of the fans that were celebrating with Cadillac Williams, it seems they were just as fired up about it as he was.

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Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter each rushed for 121 yards in the win, which was just Williams’ second as interim coach since the firing of Bryan Harsin. A former Auburn running back who is the school’s second all-time leading rusher, it’s clear this opportunity means more to Williams than it would just anybody else.

“It’s like a big family,” Williams said to SEC Network’s Cole Cubelic after the win. “My former teammates, my family here. I mean, players. I mean — look at this! Who don’t wanna come to Auburn? Look, man, Auburn football’s gonna be OK. It ain’t dead, baby. It ain’t dead. We comin’.”

Cubelic asked Williams how he breathed such life into a team that has, frankly, struggled to play well all year long.

“These kids, this staff, I mean people around the building, the Auburn family, these kids need to be loved. Need to be loved on. With the discipline. They need to know it’s OK to make mistakes,” Williams said. “They gone fall, but us coaches going to be there to pick ’em back up. And regardless, we’ve got their back. They had to open their hearts, and that’s all they did, to be honest with you.” 

Auburn improved to 4-6 on the season with the win and will next host Western Kentucky at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday

On3’s Andrew Graham contributed to this report.