Trevion Williams hungry for return to the field in 2024

It’s not that his excitement was diminished at all last preseason, but Trevion Williams is on a different level of eagerness this training camp.

Three games into the season last year, Williams went down with a knee injury that would spell the end of his redshirt freshman year. After playing in three games in year one, Williams was poised for a breakout second season and was set to be a huge part of Mississippi State’s defensive line depth.

After missing most of the season and rehabbing in the offseason, Williams is now back and preparing to be better than ever in year three.

“I feel great to be back. I’m happy to be back out there with my boys doing what I love,” Williams said. “The toughest thing was keeping a positive mindset and I’ll be back soon and not to rush the process.”

Dinkins joining Williams back on defensive front for Bulldogs

Right beside Williams rehabbing in 2023 was one of his best friends and classmates in defensive tackle Kalvin Dinkins. While Williams’ season at least lasted three weekends, Dinkins only played in one game last year as he went down with a foot injury that would linger all season long.

The two friends drew closer during the season while going through a frustrating rehabilitation process and their hunger for the game grew exponentially. It made them even more grateful for the opportunities ahead.

“We most definitely kept each other motivated. We talked positive to each other,” Williams said of he and Dinkins. “It’s not going to be long before we’re back out there so we did our rehab, the treatment and all of the things that we needed to do to get back feeling good.”

For defensive line coach David Turner, he’s had a close eye on both players as they’ve gotten closer to 100%.

Williams is back and has been full-go for the better part of the last few months while Dinkins is getting back in the swing of things after encountering another setback in the spring. The good news for Turner is that both are primed to help the defensive line immensely by game one on August 31 if things continue to track well.

“They’re right on schedule. I think they’re eager to get back and I’m eager to get those guys back. Hopefully we can keep them healthy,” Turner said of his sophomores. “They’re progressing well. They’re running and doing football related agilities, so the deal is now to get them back out there, get them acclimated and go from there.”

Despite making just six career tackles to this point, Williams is one of the Bulldogs more experienced linemen; at least among those that have worn the maroon and white.

State added high school defensive linemen Terrance Hibbler and Kai McClendon, Ashun Shepphard and Corey Clark from junior college and transfer portal players Kedrick Bingley-Jones and Sulaiman Kpaka to go along with returning players. Williams has seen this group acclimate pretty well and he and his teammates are helping the process.

“They’re adjusting. As you first come in, it’s a little slow,” Williams said of the transition of new faces. “It’s up to the vets and the people that have been here to bring them along and get them acquainted to what they need to do.

“My expectations for this group is to be physical, tough. We’ve got a lot to work on with it being a new group that’s coming in. We’ve got physicality, effort, urgency and stuff like that.”

Expectations are high among the group of linemen, but those outside of the building don’t share the sentiment. The thoughts of others don’t matter much to Turner and his crew as they’re going to let their work do the talking.

As for Williams, he’s just ready to hit another team again. On August 31, all the frustrations that are a year old will be let out at Davis Wade Stadium.

“I just want to go ball hard, that’s it,” Williams said. “Whatever happens after that happens.”