2 - Jimmy Williams

Position: Cornerback
Class: Senior
Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 216 lbs.
High School: Bethel
Hometown: Hampton, Va.

 

2005 Highlights
· A candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation's top collegiate defensive back
· A candidate for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to the national defensive player of the year

One of the top corners in the collegiate ranks ... A preseason All-America pick by Playboy and Athlon ... A first-team All-ACC selection as a defensive back last year and one of 12 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation's top collegiate defensive back ... Has started 26 straight games, the third-longest active streak on the team entering the season ... Started at free safety in 2003 before being moved to cornerback during 2004 spring practice ... Led the team and the ACC in interceptions with five last fall, including one for a score against Maryland ... Tied for third on the team in tackles ... Showed continued improvement at the position during 2005 spring practice ... Combines excellent size with outstanding speed ... Rated the top cornerback in the Division I-A ranks by The Sporting News ... Earned the Don Williams TEAM UNITED Award for outstanding leadership following spring practice ... Will be counted on to continue as a leader this fall ...

A Talk With... You made it and you're finally a senior. How does it feel? It's a great feeling, I know that. It's time for me to be one of those players that the younger guys look up to. I just want to lead this team. What are you looking to accomplish this year? I want to get back to "The Show" and another ACC Championship. We have a young team and we're trying to set a dynasty this year and keep this program going. What are you going to remember the most about Virginia Tech football? How I learned to love it. At first I wasn't sure but then I met the team and the guys. It's more of a family than a team. You're around them everyday and we've done so much together. How do you want Jimmy Williams to be remembered at Virginia Tech? Crazy, unpredictable, and you could never guess what he would do next. Always trying to have fun. If you could meet one person in the whole world, who would it be? Definitely Michael Jordan. Who do you consider to be your hero? My dad, because he stopped his career and life to come back and take care of me. You just don't see too many dads doing that. For three years you have listened to and been around Coach Beamer, a guy known around the country. But what do you know that most of those people don't? He's more worried about the little things then the big things. He'll get mad about what socks or cleats we're wearing than some of the bigger things in a football game. But if the team can accomplish those smaller things and we show up together, then some of those bigger things will take care of themselves.

2004: Played in and started all 13 games at cornerback ... Had 37 solo tackles and 23 assists ... Included in those 60 tackles were 5.5 tackles for loss ... Led the team with five interceptions ... Also had 14 pass break ups and a quarterback hurry ... Saw action on 638 defensive snaps and 121 on special teams in the regular season ... Played 59 snaps on defense in the opener against USC, recording four tackles and a pass break up ... Recorded his fourth collegiate interception in the Western Michigan game, setting up Tech's first touchdown of the game ... Had six tackles and a break up against Wake Forest ... Also had an interception, which he returned 15 yards ... Had three tackles and a break up at North Carolina ... Also had an interception in which he returned 11 yards ... Had three tackles, including one for a loss, and two pass breakups against Maryland ... Also intercepted a pass and returned in 34 yards for a touchdown ... Had seven tackles against Virginia, including a touchdown-saving run-down of Alvin Pearman on a 78-yard run ... Had five total tackles in the big win at Miami ... Led the team with 10 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, in the Sugar Bowl against Auburn ... Also had an interception ... Intercepted a pass in the Maroon-White game, returning it 39 yards, that led to a field goal ... Ran a 4.36 40-yard dash in spring testing ...

2003: Started all 13 games at free safety ... Led the defense in snaps played during the regular season with 702 ... Also played 153 snaps on special teams for a total of 855 total snaps ... Finished second on the team in tackles with 114 ... Had 63 solo stops and 51 assists ... Included in that total were four tackles for loss ... Also had five passes broken up, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries ... Registered seven solo tackles and five assists in the win over Texas A&M ... Scored his first collegiate touchdown at Rutgers, returning an interception 55 yards for a score ... Also had five solo tackles and two assists ... Played 83 snaps against No. 2 Miami, recording six solo tackles, six assists, two tackles for loss and a pass broken up ... Had four solo tackles, an assist and an interception on defense against Boston College ... Also recovered the ball on a muffed Eagle punt return ... Played 77 snaps on defense at Virginia, recording nine solo tackles and six assists ... Also had three solo tackles on special teams ... Posted nine tackles in the Insight Bowl, including one behind the line, and also broke up a pass ... Moved to cornerback prior to spring practice ...

2002: Played in all 14 games, mostly on special teams ... Registered 29 solo tackles and 17 assists this season ... Also had a pass broken up, a tackle for loss and an interception ... In his first college action, against Arkansas State, recorded five solo stops, five assists and a pass broken up ... Stepped in on defense against Rutgers when Willie Pile went down with an injury ... Recorded a solo tackle and his first career interception while in the game ... Also had a solo tackle on special teams ... Made several big plays in Tech's win over Air Force in the San Francisco Bowl ... Recorded seven solo stops and three assists, including a tackle for loss, against the Falcons ... Ran a 4.4 forty during spring testing ... Was named the team's most improved player on defense following spring ball ...

High School: A versatile athlete who played quarterback, safety, wide receiver and outside linebacker during his prep career ... Played at Hampton High until transferring to Bethel prior to his senior season ... Was coached by Mike Smith at Hampton and Tracy Parker at Bethel ... Named All-Peninsula District as a junior and senior, earning first-team honors in 2001 ... Was in on over 100 tackles as a safety and OLB at Bethel ... Intercepted seven passes, returning two for touchdowns ... Also contributed a pair of quarterback sacks ... Compiled over 1,000 yards of total offense as a quarterback, passing for five touchdowns and rushing for six ... Completed 7 of 11 passes in one outing for over 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns ... Rushed for 112 yards on 12 carries in another contest ... Returned punts and kickoffs ... Posted 86 tackles his junior year and picked off four passes ... Had eight pass receptions that season for 217 yards and three TDs ... Registered over 200 tackles and 13 interceptions during his career ... Played on a state championship team while at Hampton ... Ranked the No. 17 safety in the nation by Rivals and the No. 21 free safety in the nation by Student Sports ... Rated the No. 51 player in the Mid-Atlantic Region by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report ... An All-Atlantic Region pick by PrepStar ... Listed as the No. 26 player in Virginia by The Roanoke Times and the No. 27 prospect by SuperPrep ... Selected to the Newport News Daily Press All-Star team as a senior ... Also a two-time all-district selection in basketball ...

Personal: James Franklin Williams, Jr. ... Born 3/8/84 in Hampton, VA ... Son of James, Sr., and Elizabeth Williams ... Majoring in apparel, housing, resource management.