One Heck Of A Ride: By Darryl Williams

by Darryl Williams

Aww man … Where do I start? I've known this day was coming for a long time. I'd be lying if I said there won't be a lot of emotions for me tomorrow.

For one, it's Thanksgiving. Ever since I was a kid, I've loved Thanksgiving.

Let me tell you how Thanksgiving goes at my house. It's a MAJOR operation. The whole fam is there, including all of my aunties and cousins. Everybody is pitching in a dish they cooked. Mom always has the mac n' cheese on point. My aunties get the dressing and potato salad going, and one of them has a famous cake I can't ever wait to taste.

Everybody has a job at Thanksgiving at my house, even me.

It's on me to make sure everything is set up and ready to go before we take the table. They don't call me "The Big General" for nothing.

But this Thanksgiving is gonna be a little different. It's a special one for me.

It's Senior Night... It's the annual Battle for the Golden Egg against Ole Miss, the greatest rivalry in college football.

It's my last game ever inside Davis Wade Stadium, one of the greatest places on Earth.

But I wouldn't want this Thanksgiving any other way.

When I walk out of that tunnel tomorrow night and hear you guys cheering, cowbells clanging, feeling the chills, I'll remember that moment 20 years later.

I won't lie … I won't be able to hold back, and I'll be shedding tears. I'm sure my momma will be, too.

People have asked me "Darryl, what's gonna be going through your mind when you run out of that tunnel on Thanksgiving night for the last time?"

And, you know, I haven't really had an answer until now.

I can't help but say "What's life going to be like after Mississippi State, a place that I've invested so much into that's invested even more into me."

I'm blessed, put simply. It's been one heck of a ride.

But man, I can't wait to get out there and give it everything I've got to help us try to get one more victory on that field.

Nights like this … This is why we do what we do. It's why we strap on the pads, go out there, compete, and leave it all out there.

Like my uncle also told me before he passed, it's time to show up and show out.

To this day, I'm not sure where he got that from, but it's something he told me before my very first football game in little league at 6-years old … I've always carried that. I still wear a patch under my pads with those five words.

I can't help but think of him on nights like this. He's been one of my life's biggest influences.

Now, I'll be real here, I was never considered the top-ranked prospect in high school, or the highest-rated player on the field. But I guess I've always wanted it a little bit more.

I've always wanted to prove people wrong.

For me, I go out there and work my tail off each and every day to be the best I can be. When your back is against the wall, you gotta go out there and attack each and every week, day, game and rep with a purpose.

I've always strived to be top of my class whether that was on the field, or more importantly, in the classroom … I learned that from my momma.

My momma, mannnn … I'm choking up just thinking about her being the first person I'll see when I come out of that tunnel and then hugging her during the Senior Night ceremonies.

Talk about my backbone, that's a woman who has worked her tail off her entire life. I've seen her do so many things to make sure me and my siblings have had a wonderful life.

A hard-working mother, I can see where I get my work ethic from.

Never give up, she's always told me. The roads are never smooth. You're going to have a bump in the path, but you have to keep pushing.

Every time I get stuck, I just go back and think about her. Nothing is ever going to be given to you in this world, she's always said. You have to go out there and earn it each and every day.

Thank you, momma …. You're my champion, my biggest supporter.

More importantly, you're the reason I am the person I strive to be daily, the husband and father I hope to be one day.

You know, I don't care what anyone says, the greatest part about this game is that it's more than the play on the field.

I don't want to be known as a football player. I want to be known as a person that gives back to the community, gives back to the kids and makes an impact on other people. I want to touch lives, and I hope I've been able to do that during my five years here.

Man, win or lose, there's nothing better than leaving the stadium and being greeted by our fans, especially the kids.

I heard Ray Lewis say one time, "Make someone smile when you leave the locker room today." … His message has always stuck with me.

You know, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but when it comes down to it, people are going through so much more in the world than winning or losing a football game.

I mean, there's sooo much more to life than football, and I just want to be able to put a smile on somebody's face. After all, we GET to do this … Who's got it better? We're so thankful that others in this world make countless sacrifices that allow us to play this game we love.

I love this game so much.

I fell in love with it when my dad brought me out to the field for the very first time at age six in little league in Bessemer, Alabama. I remember it like it was yesterday … I was a defensive lineman back then, and got a sack during my first game.

That's when it all started.

They say you need to be able to describe who you are to people, otherwise people will do that for you, whether you like it or not.

Well, I can tell you this, on the field, my play is built on mental toughness and grit … I'm aggressive, tough and nasty. I want you to feel me each and every rep. I want to see you put your hands on your hips and not be able to withstand what's coming at you each and every rep. When it's all said and done, I want to see you tap.

There's a saying around here among the offensive line – M.T.M.W – Make Their Mommas Worry … We want to make their momma's in the stands say "Don't do my baby like that!" … That's a rule we live by in our position room.

But it ain't all about me, never has been and never will be.

It's about the other 119 guys on that roster, the coaching staff, all the other people behind-the-scenes that help make this thing go, this world-class University and this great state.

If there's one thing this place has taught me … it's leadership. I'll take that lesson everywhere I go in life.

Like I said earlier, they call me "The Big General." My teammates gave me that nickname after my sophomore year. I'm so thankful for them. This past spring, I was lucky enough to be voted one of the team captains by them, and, man, what a privilege it's been.

So as a leader, I'm big on accountability. I hold everyone accountable, including myself.

Honestly, I'm probably my biggest critic.

I guess that's because I've always had to do the "little things" right to succeed, be a "technician."

At the end of the day, in life, what you put in is what you get out. You have to be a grown man to play in this league. It's the best against the best in all of college football, and either you're gonna bow up or get broken.

You've gotta be tough. Nothing comes easy. But, then again, nothing worth having does.

I've been blessed with some incredible teammates here … brothers for life. When I first got here and was young, I didn't know everything. But guys like Martinas Rankin, Elgton Jenkins and Deion Calhoun led the way for me, and since then, I've always strived to transmit what I learned from them to the guys younger than me.

Another guy that I've really connected and built a bond with is Brian Cole II, a guy I treat like a brother. We've always held each other accountable and stayed on each other about doing the little things right. He's had a big impact on me during my time at Mississippi State.

There's something special about Mississippi State. It's family. I realized that the first time I stepped on this campus.

I remember signing my national letter of intent in 2015 and coming in as a freshman, I was so nervous.

I'll never forget when my momma dropped me off, she hugged me, tears down her face. I didn't break in front of her, but once she left, I cried my eyes out.

But my momma and I knew she was leaving me with a family, the Hail State Family.

Hail State … Man, those two words are so much more than a mantra or rallying cry. It means something. It's a culture, a lifestyle … It's built on family. When I hear those two words, I can't help but feel pride.

There's a grit and blue-collar work ethic about this place.

Man, these last five years ... It's taught me growth. It's taught me how to be a leader. It's taught me how to be a competitor, and not just in football but in life and academics.

When I say I'm a competitor, it's not just on the field, it's in the classroom.

School is so important to me and always has been. Getting a degree from Mississippi State is so meaningful. It's something nobody can ever take away from you. Walking across that stage on Dec. 13 and shaking President Dr. Keenum's hand is going to be an unforgettable moment.

This place has taught me so much to the point of I know I can take this experience and use it in my everyday life once I leave here … I am so thankful and blessed for every single one of my coaches during my time here … THANK YOU.

I'll never forget the Hail State Family … Man, y'all always have my back, and as much as I chose you, you chose and welcomed me … From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU.

Thank you for helping me become the person I am today.

Thank you for all you've done for not only me, but for my immediate family.

Thank you for helping me get my degree ... Thank you for helping me become a better football player on and off the field.

It's been an honor to be a small part of your university, your community and your state these last five years.

And tomorrow night will be an experience I'll never forget.

Hail State Forever.

Darryl Williams // #73
Mississippi State
Senior Center and Team Captain

Mississippi State University Athletics

One Heck Of A Ride: By Darryl Williams

Players Mentioned

Deion Calhoun

Brian Cole II

Elgton Jenkins

Darryl Williams

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