Josh Williams shares why he originally chose to walk on at LSU

LSU running back Josh Williams arrived in Baton Rouge for the 2019 season with something to prove. A three-star recruit out of Houston, Williams turned down offers from several FCS and Division II programs to walk-on to the Tigers.

Now a scholarship player, Williams has shown himself to be a steal after finishing second with 532 yards rushing and six touchdowns this past season. The fifth-year player is such a valuable leader to the team that he was one of three Tigers chosen to attend SEC Media Days.

There he opened up on his initial decision to walk on to LSU and why he always had belief in himself to make an impact despite being underrecruited.

“I had a couple of lower-level offers,” Williams said. “I know I had Drake, Dayton. I had a bunch of D-II. I had Houston. But ultimately, my decision to go to LSU was because I wanted to better myself. My whole life, I never really went to a football camp. I played competitive basketball, AAU, so I never really got the chance to get stars or be ranked.

“I never considered myself as a walk-on or looked at myself as not good because I just knew I never had the opportunity to show my talent. Coming into LSU as a walk-on, I just wanted to show that I can prove to myself and everyone that I can play at this level.”

Josh Williams spent his true freshman season as a member of LSU’s scout team as the Tigers went on to win the national championship. Then-coach Ed Orgeron was so impressed with the running back’s work ethic that he awarded him a scholarship the next season.

Williams played a reserve role over the next two seasons as well as serving as a return specialist on kickoffs. He flashed his potential in the season finale of his redshirt freshman year against Ole Miss, rushing for a team-high 55 yards on 12 carries.

His patience paid off in 2022 as he was named the Tigers’ starting running back ahead of the season. After a slow start to the year, Williams rushed for 409 of his 532 yards in the final five games of the season. That included the first two 100-yard games of his career, with a season-best 118 yards and a touchdown against Arkansas.

As LSU hopes to build upon a 10-4 finish and SEC West title this past season, Williams figures to once again be an integral part of the offense and split carries with Noah Cain. Thinking back on his journey to get to this point, his story is a remarkable reminder of what hard work can lead to.