Mr. Consistency
April 25, 2022 | Football, Joel Coleman
Austin Williams is so much more than a pass catcher for Mississippi State football.
STARKVILLE – Six years. That's how much time has passed since Austin Williams verbally committed to play football at Mississippi State.
To put that into perspective, when Williams begins his final season with the Bulldogs in the fall, there'll be many kids who'll be entering the first grade around the same time who weren't born yet when Williams originally pledged to play at MSU.
Yes, Williams is a Bulldog veteran to say the least. He's seen teammates and coaches come and go. Through it all, Williams has been a constant.
It's why, as MSU head coach Mike Leach described Williams' play on the field a couple of weeks ago, he could've also been explaining who Williams is as a person and what he's meant to Mississippi State.
"He's consistent," Leach said. "He kind of leads the charge in consistency."
Merriam-Webster defines consistent as being marked by harmony, regularity or steady continuity. The dictionary might also consider inserting Williams' picture to further drive home the point.
Williams is indeed reliable.
You can count on him to perform on game day, having caught 116 passes over his career with 95 of them coming the last two seasons. Since Leach took over the program in 2020, only Makai Polk and Jaden Walley have tallied more receiving yards than Williams' 989. Since 2019, Williams owns the Southeastern Conference's lowest drop rate at 0.9 percent per Pro Football Focus. Talk about dependable.
Williams' success is like clockwork away from the gridiron, too.
He's a five-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Bulldog Honor Roll and MSU President's List. He already holds two degrees. He's a two-time CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American, an SEC Community Service Team selection and the list goes on and on.
What's the secret to it all?
"He just works his butt off," State inside receivers coach Drew Hollingshead says of Williams. "That propels him to all the success he's had, and it's throughout his whole life. Whether it's the success in the classroom or the success on the field, everything he's gotten, he's earned it."
Williams knows no other way to go about his business but to put his head down and grind.
"He's Mr. Reliable," teammate Caleb Ducking said of Williams last fall. "All day, every day, he's business. It's off the charts."
Williams' intensity and focus have helped him become, not only a key producer for MSU, but a vital component for the overall success of the offense. You see, Williams' attention to detail has allowed him to hit the practice fields this spring with an incredible understanding of the Leach Air Raid.
"I feel really comfortable at this point," Williams said. "We've had so many reps. There've been a couple of springs and camps and two seasons under my belt [with Coach Leach]. I love how I feel honestly."
It's affording Williams the chance to share his wisdom with others.
At Thursday's practice, converted cornerback William Hardrick stood off to the side with Williams during a team period. This wasn't some water break, either. Williams was giving Hardrick individualized instruction.
Scenes like those have become commonplace. This is the player Williams is now for the Bulldogs. He's an athlete, yes, but he's also a teacher.
"With the addition of Jarnorris Hopson and then [Hardrick] coming over to the offensive side, [having Williams] is almost like having an assistant-assistant coach out there," Hollingshead explains. "When those guys are in, we're trying to get them as many reps as we can. [Williams is] out there coaching them and taking them through the details of every route, every concept. It helps a lot just having his knowledge because he's been through it all, so it's been good. It's been really good."
It could also be a precursor to a future career for Williams.
"I've always had it in my heart and thought about coaching, so I enjoy it," Williams said.
What's one of the biggest tips Williams likes to share with younger receivers?
"Just try to soak in everything you can," Williams said. "Watch everybody around you. Pick up things. Steal things. Whatever looks good. If you see a receiver with a good release, pick it up and use it in your game. Add it to your own package."
With a little guidance, perhaps Hopson or Hardrick can be the next Williams. And if listening isn't enough, they can always just watch Williams and soak it all in.
Williams is the epitome of what coaches want their players to be from a developmental standpoint. He's at a stage where he needs no one to point out his mistakes. He recognizes them immediately himself.
"A couple of examples just from [Thursday's practice], there was something that [Williams] missed and before I could even get to him, he was coming over to me and telling me exactly what he saw, what he did wrong and how he can fix it," Hollingshead said. "That sets a good precedent for some of those younger guys, too. When they see that happen, they kind of take that on like, 'OK, what were the details within that route? What happened during the play? How could I fix it? What would be better in that situation?' When they see him do it, because he's had so much success and he's been here for so long, I think that helps kind of permeate the want to get better within the receiver room, which has been really awesome."
Still, Williams by no means considers himself a finished product. With one year left in maroon and white, he's not settling. It's just not who he is. It's not in his DNA.
Spring practice wraps up for State this week, but as for Williams, the work won't stop.
"I'm just going to get after it and try to have the best offseason of my life honestly," Williams said. "I'll do whatever I can to get in the best physical and mental shape. Just get ready to roll into fall camp and get this thing going."
And when it gets going, no one has to wonder what Williams will provide.
There are just some things in life you can count on. The sky is blue. The grass is green. Cowbells are loud. And Austin Williams will go all out to put himself and those around him in the best possible position to succeed.
"He's not the biggest, he's not the fastest and he's not the strongest, but he gets himself open," Hollingshead said of Williams. "He rewards himself by doing the right things and I think the ball just ends up finding him. That'll happen to guys. When you do things the right way, the ball kind of finds you. That's in life, too. Success will find you if you do things the right way and you work hard and do the things you're supposed to do. That's his story and I think that elevates our team because when they see that, it kind of spreads through everybody and he's been just a great example for the last six, seven years and I think it's bled over to a lot of the team. It's been really cool to see for sure."
Players Mentioned
