Debo Williams: 'My goal is to be the smartest player on the field'
Debo Williams spent the first year at South Carolina largely trying to catch his breath and making his way through an SEC season.
The Delaware transfer, who got on campus in January during Shane Beamer’s first offseason, did and saw his opportunity grow in 2022.
Now, with snaps to be had in the linebacker corps, Williams is hoping to take yet another step forward as a redshirt junior.
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“I felt as though with me going hard in practice they felt that they could throw me into the fire. And that I could be ready for it. I was ready for that challenge. That first game, I had 10 tackles against Missouri,” Williams said. “And I felt like I proved myself that I could do this and play in the SEC. It’s a lot of gratitude to be able to do that…everything that I’ve been doing works. I just need to continue doing it and keep stepping.”
After playing primarily on special teams in 2021 with good results–he blocked two punts against Eastern Illinois–Williams played in every game last year with a pair of starts to his credit.
He finished with 43 tackles–4.5 for loss–with a sack and four quarterback hurries last season. He forced one fumble and blocked a kick as well.
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His coming out party was that game against Missouri where he had nine tackles in that game–a career-high–followed by four against Vanderbilt and seven against Florida.
It was largely a trial by fire for Williams, who now goes into a situation where he wants to know even more about the defense and what offenses are doing.
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“I need to know what the offense is doing before I can play physically. I need to know what I’m doing and know the whole playbook,” he said. “Need to know what my defensive backs are doing, the D-line is doing. Then I need to know what the offense is doing. My goal is to be the smartest player on the field at all times.”
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But he doesn’t want to give up his hard-hitting ability, either.
“I love it. It starts with a mentality. I want the opponent to know before he sees me, faces me or faces my team that it’s going to be a hard game and it’s going to be physical,” Williams said.
“By the end of the game, I don’t want them to want to play anymore. I said as a freshman I don’t want you to come back on the field. I’m trying to kill you when I hit you. I still feel the same way about that. That will never change.”
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Williams will compete for potential starter snaps in what is a talented linebacker room that includes Mo Kaba, Stone Blanton and Pup Howard, among others.
It’s a room South Carolina’s largely reshaped over the last four seasons and Williams likes where it’s at as the season starts.
“When I got here, people were moving out each and every year. All I know is I had to outwork everybody,” Williams said. “I want them to get here and outwork me. If they’re doing that then we’re all getting better.”
