Report: Nebraska promoting Keith Williams to director of player personnel

BarkleyTruax

Nebraska is promoting Keith Williams as their new director of player personnel, per report. He had been serving as an assistant director of player personnel since 2022.

A former Husker offensive lineman, Williams briefly spent time in the NFL before transitioning to the coaching side of the game. He’s had stops at Missouri Baptist and Bethel University, where he serves as the assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach.

He was retained by head coach Matt Rhule while he was building his initial staff after being hired by Scott Frost before the 2022 season.

Before his coaching career, he played 50 games for Nebraska during his playing career, logging 34 starts along the way. He was a second-time All-Big 12 selection during his senior season in 2010 and went on to be drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

During his time at Bethel University — a Division III school — Williams spearheaded an offense in 2021 that featured four of the nation’s most prominent playmakers. That included Nolan Chowbay, who passed for 3,232 yards which ranked No. 2 in the country at the DIII level. Williams coached wide receiver James Dixon to an All-American freshman season that saw him catch 14 touchdowns and haul in 1,116 receiving yards. Running back Deontay Tate had a 1,000-yard season while wideout Dieuly Aristilde contributed 768 receiving yards in just eight games.

All together, Williams coached that 2021 squad to be ranked No. 9 at the DIII level with 5,037 yards of total offense while averaging 457.9 offensive yards per game.

Now, after two seasons, he steps into a new role as the main director of player of personnel within the Nebraska program.

Nebraska expected to hire TCU GM Anthony Crespino

Nebraska is reportedly expected to hire TCU general manager Anthony Crespino, according to Matt Zenitz.

It’s the latest addition to Matt Rhule’s Husker staff for the 2024 season. Prior to TCU, Crespino served as the Chief of Staff at SMU under Sonny Dykes.

He then followed him to TCU but will head to Lincoln for the 2024 season.

“Crespino spent two years (2016-17) as assistant director of football operations at Northwestern and two seasons (2014-15) at Texas State as the director of football operations and director of player personnel,” his TCU bio read. “It was his second stint with the Bobcats, having also served in San Marcos in 2012 as an assistant director of football operations and recruiting coordinator under former TCU Head Coach Dennis Franchione.

“Prior to his return to Texas State, Crespino was the director of player development at Penn State in Spring 2014 and the director of operations at Western Michigan in 2013.”