Courtesy UNI Athletics Communications
By Michael Haller, UNI Athletic Communications Intern
Player Profile: #98 Defensive linemen Xavier Williams –
“We are a lot more experienced this year,” Williams said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who came back, a lot of guys that are coming back off of injury and a lot of young guys stepping up.”
After a 2013 season where UNI’s opponent averaged a score under 19 points per game and less than five yards per play, the senior is expecting even more from his defense as a whole unit.
“We were good last year, but I think this year we can be even better,” he said. “We can be a little more fearsome, a little more complex with the schemes that we run. I think that is something people are going to have to look out for.”
The Panthers currently hold a 190-49-1 overall record inside of the UNI-Dome, which Williams thinks gives a great advantage for the Panthers. Williams favorite part about playing for UNI, is the home turf and the home fans.
“I love the Dome,” he said. “That’s probably something that not a lot of people get to experience. Especially when it gets full and the crowd starts rockin. On third-and-one it gets crazy.”
Williams has started in 22 of the last 23 games for the Panthers and has found a home for himself in Cedar Falls and at UNI. When asked why Williams came to UNI he said, “I felt like this was a place where I could really be comfortable and have good support around me.”
Williams, a graduate of Grandview High School, visited the UNI campus as a recruit. That visit ended up playing a key factor into his decision to become a Panther.
“They followed me through my junior year all the way into my senior year,” Williams said. “They recruited me hard. I remember the person that recruited me, Rick Nelson, I really liked him and had a great time whenever I talked to him.”
Coming from Grandview, Missouri, Williams was a first-team All-Conference high school player in 2009 where he played for his hometown Grandview Bulldogs. Williams was also a two-time state wrestling qualifier. Williams favorite sport however, seems to have always been football.
“I started when I was six,” he said. “I went right into tackle. I was never a fan of flag football, but yeah I started really young. I loved the sport.”
Williams even mentioned his “Epic and sometimes violent” back yard games he would play with one of his idols, his older brother.
“Athletically, I probably look up to my brother and older sister,” Williams said. “They’re both former college athletes now at this point. They graduated not too long ago. But those are always my idols. They are my biggest supporters.”
After college, Williams plans to follow his heart and continue to work on the football field.
“After college, I think my heart is really into coaching football,” the senior said. “I think I want to try to give that a shot.”
Williams has been a resident of the Cedar Falls area since he started here as a freshman, leading him to have a connection with the community and city together.
When asked whether he wanted to go back home to coach or stick around in Cedar Falls, Williams said, “I think I might try to stay around up here. If that doesn’t work out, then maybe go wherever the road takes me I guess.”
The 6’4, 311 pound senior seems to expect big things from UNI this season. After redshirting in 2010 and playing in only five games in 2011, he has grown to starting all 11 games in 2012 and finishing the 2013 season with 74 tackles which means the sky seems to be the limit for this senior.
