D.J. Williams
17  D.J. Williams
Class:
Senior

Hometown:
Pittsburg, California

High School:
Concord De La Salle HS

Height / Weight:
6-2 / 249

Position:
Linebacker

Experience:
3L

Major:
Liberal arts

WILLIAMS IN 2003
  • Butkus Award Candidate
  • All-America Candidate
  • All-BIG EAST Conference Candidate
  • WILLIAMS' CAREER BESTS
    Tackles 16
    Florida State, 2002
    Solo Tackles 8
    at West Virginia, 2002
    Assists 9
    Florida State, 2002; Pittsburgh, 2002
    Tackles For Loss 3
    FAMU, 2002; Pittsburgh, 2002
    Quarterback Sacks 2
    Pittsburgh, 2002
    Passes Broken Up 2
    Connecticut, 2002

    AT MIAMI: Solid candidate for national honors this season... had an excellent season in 2002 as the starter at weakside linebacker... was one of the top linebackers in college football last season... was one of 11 Butkus Award Semi-Finalists in 2002.

    2002 (JUNIOR): One of 11 semi-finalists for the Butkus Award... a second-team All-BIG EAST selection by the league's head coaches... registered 108 tackles (55 solos) to rank second on the team... was tied for the team lead in tackles for losses with 16 for 45 yards... had four quarterback sacks for 25 yards in losses... broke up eight passes and forced two fumbles... made eight tackles (three solos) and broke up a pass in the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State... made six tackles, one for a loss, and broke up a pass against Virginia Tech... had six tackles (five solos), including a sack and two tackles for losses, at Syracuse... had a game-high 16 tackles (seven solos), including two sacks and three tackles for losses, and forced a fumble against Pittsburgh... earned BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honors for the outing against Pittsburgh... made seven tackles (four solos) at Tennessee... had six tackles at Rutgers... made 12 tackles in the win at West Virginia... had a career-high 16 tackles in the win over Florida State... made seven tackles (four solos) and broke up two passes against Connecticut... had nine stops against Boston College... made two tackles at Temple... was a disruptive force against the Florida running game, making nine tackles in a 41-16 win at Gainesville... had four tackles, three for losses including one sack, in the win over Florida A&M.

    2001 (SOPHOMORE): Settled in as the starter at weakside linebacker after moving from fullback following the 2000 season... quietly compiled a solid season... finished seventh on the team in tackles with 43... started all but one game of the season, missing the Troy State game with an ankle injury suffered on the game's first play at Pittsburgh... made a team-leading 10 tackles in the season opening victory at Penn State... had five stops in a shutout victory over Rutgers... was limited to two tackles in the win at Florida State... forced a fumble and had four tackles in the 45-3 victory over West Virginia... had five tackles against Temple... had five stops, including two for losses, in the victory over Boston College... had seven tackles in a 59-0 shutout victory over Syracuse... had four tackles in the 65-7 win over Washington... had one stop in the win at Virginia Tech... produced perhaps his finest game as a UM linebacker in the 37-14 win over Nebraska in the 2002 Rose Bowl, collecting four tackles (three solos), including a quarterback sack for a 10-yard loss on Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch... also forced a crucial fumble against Nebraska.

    2000 (FRESHMAN): Playing at fullback, Williams earned honorable mention Freshman All-America honors from Rivals.com... played in 11 games at fullback and on special teams... rushed 16 times for 50 yards and caught 12 passes for 143 yards... scored his first receiving touchdown on a beautiful 17-yard catch of a Ken Dorsey pass against Temple... had his top receiving day with 54 yards on three catches against West Virginia, including a 24-yard reception... suffered a hip injury against West Virginia that kept him on the sidelines against Rutgers... returned to action against Florida State and caught three passes for 13 yards and rushed for 16 yards on five carries in the victory over the top-ranked Seminoles... scored a touchdown on a short run against FSU... played through the pain of a shoulder separation suffered against Virginia Tech... caught three passes for 33 yards, including a 21-yard catch, in the shutout win at Syracuse... caught the go-ahead touchdown pass (a 19-yard catch in the third quarter) in Miami's 37-20 win over Florida in the Nokia Sugar Bowl... made four tackles (three solos) on special teams during the regular season.

    HIGH SCHOOL: De La Salle... USA Today Defensive Player of the Year... regarded as the top defensive player nationally... rated the top player in the nation by SuperPrep, as well as the No. 1 prospect on the Far West Team... listed as the National Defensive MVP, Western Region MVP and No. 1 linebacker on PrepStar's 1999 Top 100 Dream Team... a SuperPrep All-American, rated the No. 1 linebacker nationally... listed as one of the Magnificent Seven prospects nationally by recruiting analyst Max Emfinger... member of championship team... part of a program that recorded a national record 100 consecutive wins... had 130 tackles and rushed for 1,974 yards... also tallied 87 solo tackles, six sacks, five fumbles caused, three fumbles recovered... also broke the school record for touchdowns in a season with 42 (33 rushing, five receiving, three punt return and one kickoff return)... timed at 4.45 in the 40... coached by Bob LaDoucer.

    PERSONAL: Chose the Hurricanes over FSU, California, Texas and Michigan... son of Genos D. Williams, Sr. and Sherri Gonzales.

    "D.J. has everything you could want from an athletic standpoint. Now he's becoming one of the best linebackers we've had around here."
    - Vernon Hargreaves
    U.M. Linebackers Coach

    WILLIAMS' CAREER STATISTICS

    DEFENSETACKLESFUMBLES
    YearG-STTUTATTFLQBHSacksFFFRPBUInt
    200213-12108555316-4504-2520-080-0
    200111-95125264-630-010-000-0
    200010-04310-000-000-000-0
    Totals34-21163838020-5134-2530-080-0

    OFFENSERUSHINGRECEIVING
    YearG-SAttYardsAvg.TDLPNo.YardsAvg.TDLP
    200010-216503.1191214311.9124
    Totals10-216503.1191214311.9124

    WILLIAMS' 2002 GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS

    TacklesSacksFumblePass
    OpponentUTATTTTFL-YdsNo-YdsFFFR-YdsInt-YdsQBHPBU
    Florida A&M3143-81-500-00-000
    at Florida4591-20-000-00-001
    at Temple0220-00-000-00-000
    Boston College3691-10-010-00-000
    Connecticut4372-30-000-00-002
    Florida State79161-20-000-00-000
    at West Virginia84120-00-000-00-000
    at Rutgers4260-00-000-00-001
    at Tennessee4370-00-000-00-001
    Pittsburgh79164-162-1410-00-000
    at Syracuse5162-101-600-00-001
    Virginia Tech3361-10-000-00-001
    Ohio State (Bowl)3581-20-000-00-001
    Totals555310816-454-2520-00-008

    WILLIAMS' 2001 GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS

    TacklesSacksFumblePass
    OpponentUTATTTTFL-YdsNo-YdsFFFR-YdsInt-YdsQBHPBU
    at Penn State46100-00-000-00-020
    Rutgers2351-10-000-00-000
    at Pittsburgh0000-00-000-00-000
    Troy StateDID NOT PLAY - Injured
    at Florida State0220-00-000-00-000
    West Virginia3140-00-010-00-010
    Temple3251-10-000-00-000
    at Boston College2352-40-000-00-000
    Syracuse4370-00-000-00-000
    Washington2240-00-000-00-000
    at Virginia Tech1010-00-000-00-000
    Totals524810013-434-2520-00-007
    Nebraska (Bowl)3141-101-1010-00-000

    WILLIAMS' 2000 ALL-PURPOSE STATISTICS

    OpponentTouchesYardsAvg.TDLP
    McNeese State2157.5013
    at Washington000.000
    at West Virginia56412.8024
    at RutgersDID NOT PLAY
    Florida State8293.6113
    at Temple5255.0117
    Louisiana Tech22110.5013
    Virginia Tech000.000
    Pittsburgh000.000
    at Syracuse5357.0021
    Boston College144.004
    Regular Season Totals281936.9224
    Florida (Bowl)4328.0119
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