D.J. Williams

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

WILLIAMS’ 2002 GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS

WILLIAMS’ 2001 GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS

WILLIAMS’ 2000 ALL-PURPOSE STATISTICS