大象APP

Back didn鈥檛 know where the versatile Williams fit into his lineup.

Back pondered and then remembered something about the running back and defensive back: Williams鈥� r茅sum茅 before his arrival in Tucson.

Williams was a two-year contributor at defensive back for the South Carolina Gamecocks and was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team in 2017, before transferring to Georgia State, where he became an All-Sun Belt running back and rushed for 1,559 yards and 11 touchdowns.

After college, Williams had a minicamp stint with the Green Bay Packers and briefly played for the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL.

Back said: 鈥淚 sat there and thought about, 鈥榃ait, we鈥檙e going to give up a fast running back who rushed for a ton of yards and played in the USFL and played defensive back in the SEC for what? A guy that we had last year and couldn鈥檛 catch?鈥� That鈥檚 a terrible trade. We kept him and he鈥檚 been like a nat. He鈥檚 always in your ear, he鈥檚 always asking questions, and he鈥檚 annoying sometimes, but you love that, because it鈥檚 24-7 football.

鈥淗e鈥檚 a film junkie and he鈥檚 become a great player. We want him to be a leader, but he鈥檚 just so goofy sometimes that it鈥檚 hard for him to lead because everyone just laughs at him. His play on the field has been dominant. He鈥檚 a football player who loves the game.鈥�

Back trusting his intuition paid off for the Sugar Skulls, because the 5-9, 190-pound Williams has been one of the Sugar Skulls鈥� most valuable players this season.

鈥淚t has honestly been a blessing,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淚 just want to give Coach Back a big thanks for giving me an opportunity to play here. At the beginning of the season, I had no idea what I was going to do.鈥�

Earlier in the season, when starting running back and IFL veteran Davonte Sapp-Lynch dealt with injuries, Williams stepped up at running back and recorded 35 carries for 174 yards and a team-best eight rushing touchdowns. Williams had three rushing touchdowns in Tucson鈥檚 47-26 win over the Massachusetts Pirates last month.

Back said Williams 鈥渋s a little water bug for us.鈥�

鈥淗e鈥檚 so fast, you have to tell him to slow down,鈥� Back said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 just a football player. ... Jam is a stud.鈥�

It鈥檚 been a roller coaster year for the Sugar Skulls (4-6), which host the Northern Arizona Wranglers (1-10) on Saturday at 大象APPArena, but Williams played a pivotal role in Tucson鈥檚 two best wins of the year against in-state rival Arizona Rattlers.

Last week, 大象APPrallied to beat the Rattlers 50-47 in triple-overtime fashion at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, after trailing 21-9 at halftime. It marked the Sugar Skulls鈥� first win over the Rattlers in Glendale since 2023. Tucson鈥檚 win also snapped its three-game losing streak and extended Arizona鈥檚 losing streak to three games. 大象APPwon the regular-season series against the Rattlers for the first time in franchise history.

鈥淭his game showed our guys that we can battle back through adversity,鈥� Back said. 鈥淚t was a nice thing to see and we just have to build off that momentum.鈥�

With Sapp-Lynch back in the starting lineup, Williams returned to defensive back and had two interceptions against the Rattlers last week. His second interception was in triple-overtime, which set up kicker Kevin Macias for the game-winning field goal. Williams was recently named IFL Defensive Player of the Week for his defensive heroics.

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 give up,鈥� Williams said of Tucson鈥檚 win over Arizona. 鈥淭his team, we have so much fight and we鈥檙e so connected and together. Our coach always tell us that we need playmakers to make plays, and I feel like we stepped up to that challenge on the biggest stage in the IFL.鈥�

Williams also punctuated the Sugar Skulls鈥� first win over the Rattlers with a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown as time ran out.

The do-everything Williams fell in love with football growing up in Athens, Georgia, and lived 10 minutes down the road from Sanford Stadium, home of the Georgia Bulldogs. As a kid, Williams played in a YMCA football championship at Sanford Stadium.

鈥淗earing 95,000 people during a Georgia home game is a unique thing to see,鈥� Williams said.

Williams graduated from Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia, and signed with South Carolina in 2017 to play for head coach Will Muschamp, 鈥渨ho developed me like no other,鈥� Williams said.

Williams was teammates with Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn, Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel and Commanders defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw, among others.

Williams鈥� time at South Carolina 鈥減repared for who I am today and it taught me how to be a professional,鈥� he said.

鈥淐ome in every day, take care of your body and understand your assignment, so you can be at the top of your game,鈥� Williams said.

Two weeks before Georgia State lost to Wyoming in the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium in 2019, Williams transferred to GSU to play running back for head coach Shawn Elliott.

Moving from defensive back to running back 鈥渨as a crazy transition, but I鈥檓 thankful Coach Elliott believed in me and allowed me to perform and help the team out,鈥� Williams said.

Williams ranks fourth all-time in career rushing yards at Georgia State.

Following brief stints in the NFL and USFL, 鈥淚鈥檝e been looking for an opportunity (to play football) ever since,鈥� Williams said.

鈥淚 needed some film and I know I can play at the professional, so why not come over here and showcase my abilities?鈥� said Williams. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to give up on football so easily, because I didn鈥檛 get an opportunity to play in the NFL. I want to prove myself and show my worth, like I鈥檓 doing right now.鈥�

Learning the rules of eight-man indoor football and 鈥渢he speed of the game was a little different at first.鈥�

Like everyone else in the IFL, Williams is hopeful his time with the Sugar Skulls as a defensive back and running back will draw interest from the NFL.

鈥淚 want to play in the NFL, because I believe in myself,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淚 feel like God has blessed me with abilities to perform at a high level. This is something I鈥檝e been doing my whole life. I don鈥檛 want to give up on my dreams. I want to push and provide that life for my son and my family that I鈥檝e been dreaming of my whole life. I know I have the ability to do it. It鈥檚 just about staying focused and executing.

鈥淚 want to be in the NFL. I came here to showcase my skillset, because I feel like I never had an opportunity to show my skillset. This is an opportunity to show my skillset and how I play as a professional.鈥�