EJ Williams back healthy and ready to be 'in that attack mindset' for Indiana

When EJ Williams arrived in college he came with high expectations. As a top-60 prospect and heading to Clemson, certain standards came with his potential. But five seasons in and those expectations have lowered after injuries have plagued his career.

After playing in 33 games across his first three seasons — playing less than 12 games just once — Williams has totaled just 12 games in his two years at Indiana.

That was highlighted by a stint in the transfer portal after four games last year, albeit a team rule he had to abide by.

“I didn’t really want to go into the portal to start off with, but it was like a team rule that coach Cignetti has that guys that redshirt can’t be a part of the team, so I understood that,” Williams said on Thursday. “I wanted to do what was best for me, so I decided to go into the portal.”

Trending: Can Fernando Mendoza replicate Kurtis Rourke’s record-breaking success at Indiana in 2025?

After a mid-December talk with Curt Cignetti, both sides made it clear that they wanted back. Now, without Miles Cross, Myles Price and Ke’Shawn Williams, the expectation is for Williams to produce at a higher level than what he’s shown in the past two seasons.

“I want to be part of something special like that here at IU, knowing our past and our record and stuff that was here the year before,” Williams said. “It was a good feeling seeing my guys like Coop, Elijah, Myles Price, Miles Cross, Ke’Shawn [Williams] all make the plays I knew they had made in practice that I was seeing every day. All in all, I was happy to see them have that success that I know they had put the work in to have.”

His importance was emphasized even more after the season-ending injury to slot receiver Tyler Morris this week. Now an already thin group is without a piece that was expected to be a significant contributor.

“We’re thin number-wise, that’s for sure right now,” Cignetti emphasized this week. ” … I like our top-line guys. I like [Omar] Cooper, [Elijah] Sarratt, EJ [Williams], and [Charlie] Becker. I like those guys and I think Bond and Kendrick have a future,” Cignetti said. “So will we go shopping for another capable guy in case we have an injury? Perhaps.”

While injuries are a concern for any team, it’s now heightened with the history of EJ Williams. The inconsistency with his availability is a concern, especially when he’s being relied upon to be a top producer at the position.

Indiana knows it and so does EJ Williams.

“The focal point for me is to stay healthy, stay in the training room and be able to prehab,” Williams said. “Then, just hone in on learning concepts instead of just one position, learning the defense so you can think clearly while you are out there running routes, and just make everything polished at the top of routes and releases. And hone in on blocking in the run game, too.”

Williams had just two catches for 49 yards last season but was playing arguably the best stretch of his college career to end the 2023 season. Over the final four games he caught 20 passes for 247 yards.

Now he’s ready to get back to that level in his final season at Indiana.

“The mindset never changes for me,” Williams said. “When I’m available on the field, I always play fast, go 100%, be the person that I know it could be. I’m always in a good head space with things like that. So, because it’s always something I’ve battled my whole career, really, up until like, my sophomore year at Clemson. So I just really just try to focus in on having a clear head. Always be in that attack mindset, be determined, just know when the time comes, do what you’re supposed to do.”

“I’ve been part of a lot of really good football teams … you know when you’re going to have a good season … These guys that Cig brought in, turning this team into a powerhouse program in the Big Ten. Of course I wanted to be a part of something like that.”