Bucknell University Athletics
Williams Develops Into a Leader
10/26/2009 8:00:00 AM | Bison Club
Oct. 26, 2009
By Becky Hart, Bucknell Athletic Communications
Casey Williams may be a man of few words, but that does not mean that he is a man of few admirable qualities. Humble, a work horse, quick to accept a challenge and a leader could all describe the ideal student-athlete. They do describe the Bison linebacker.
Some qualities stand out among the rest, and for Williams, that characteristic that has been recognized repeatedly by his teammates and coaches is leadership. Five times a game captain last season, Williams repeatedly played the role of motivator and mentor. Despite having the confidence of his teammates who voted him as one of the squad's captains on a weekly basis, not all the leadership duties have come naturally to Williams.
"Even in high school I was never the vocal one, but I kind of found that I had to be a little bit more here because we have guys that like to just go out and do things instead of stand up and say something. So I found that that was a little more difficult for me to do," Williams says of how he has had to adjust in his position as captain. "And Greg (Jones) is kind of the same way. I think he'd rather be quieter, but we both step up and be more vocal at times, whether it's at halftime getting guys going or me standing on the sideline trying to get the offense going. It's fun to be in a position where you can try and motivate guys. To me, that's the best part about trying to take that leadership role, to get everyone on the same page and win."
Game captain is not a role Williams takes lightly and he certainly does not see it as a reason to relax in his other duties with the team.
"I think guys have respect for me because, I may not be the most talented, but I work hard and I do what's asked of me," said Williams. "It's nice to have respect from your peers, but along the same lines, I still have to go out and play as hard as I can every snap, every game."
Williams has been limited in his playing time this season, somewhat reducing his opportunities to fill an official position of leadership each Saturday. The native of Moon Township, Pa., suffered a sprained MCL in Bucknell's first game of the season at Duquesne and was sidelined in each of the Bison's next three games. Williams describes not being a captain during that stretch simply as frustrating, but he did his best to make up for lost time upon his return to Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, tallying a career high-tying 10 tackles against Georgetown. The senior followed up that performance with six total tackles at Penn the next week. Those outings earned him back-to-back recognition from the team, first as the Bison's Defensive Player of the Week and then as the Special Teams Player of the Week.
It is no secret that Williams is not the only Bison to be bitten by the injury bug this season. Bucknell has had to work its way through some key losses in personnel and, although the obstacles have been trying, Williams sees the bright spot among the problems.
"As a whole, we've definitely had some issues. Our quarterback has been in and out. Our other linebackers have had some problems here and there, but with all that said, we have depth," says Williams. "We're able to fill in some of those positions. Some young guys have gotten a chance to play, a couple freshmen here and there. It's part of the game. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. And that's with every team in the league. How long can you make it?"
Getting those younger players in the game now should be a benefit in the seasons to come, a situation that Williams has first-hand experience with from his early days as a Bison.
"That's always a bonus for the future, kids getting in early and being able to play. As a freshman, I played special teams. I didn't get in much on defense, but that definitely helped me my sophomore year, being able to get in there and being able to adjust to the game speed and those kinds of things."
The Bison's injuries have obviously affected how the season has played out so far. Throughout his team's struggles and successes, Williams has been trying to keep things in perspective. Although half the season is gone, Bucknell still has a majority of its Patriot league schedule on tap and optimism is running high.
"We're 3-3, so it could always be better, it could also be worse. It's definitely frustrating because we have a lot of older guys, a lot of veterans who have been there before, good and bad," says Williams, who then pointed out the opportunities left for the remainder of the season. "You look at the big picture. We're 1-0 in the Patriot League, and we still have our five games left and we could still win a Patriot League title. We're excited about that."
Williams' game plan for improving Bucknell's 2009 record and keeping the excitement going is straight forward.
"Defensively we've been playing really well, playing really hard. I think we have the most forced turnovers in the league. We're just looking to keep expanding on that and hopefully put our offense in a position to score more often. We've done it in the past, but we need to do it more consistently," explained Williams. "And offensively, they need to start clicking. They're a play away from being as good as they have been in the past. We have confidence in them; we're just waiting for that one break-out game."
Williams had his big game this year coming back from injury, and has shown on several occasions that he can be successful with special teams. He has played a number of positions throughout his career in the Orange and Blue, but no matter where he is on the field, Williams' goal has always been the same - work hard to help the team win.
"I tried to always do what was asked of me. I was like a role player, whatever I was needed to do, I tried to step up and do it to the best of my ability," says Williams of how he hopes to be remembered after he leaves campus. "Last year as a junior I had to split time with somebody. He was a senior, he was good player and I found my niche in special teams. I played really hard and did the best I could there. So it was just wherever I could fit in and help us win is what I tried to do."
Williams' advice to his younger teammates and those entering the program behind him is to do the same.
"For me personally, I got my shot because I stuck in there and I worked as hard as I could. My sophomore year I started at safety the first game and I did something to my knee so I was out for a game. When I came back I was a third-string linebacker. They moved me," Williams recalled. "So instead of getting down, I kept at it and I ended up playing in the game I came back because the two guys ahead of me got hurt. Had I folded my cards, maybe I wouldn't have traveled, maybe I wouldn't have done this or that. But you've got to just keep working hard. Don't lose sight of the big picture, why you came here, what you're here for and what you want out of it."
That willingness to put in the extra effort is a common theme in Williams' story. Along with leadership abilities and teamwork, a strengthened work ethic is at the top of his list of ways Bucknell has helped prepare him for life away from Lewisburg.
"With sports, with football, (it's) the work ethic," Williams says of what his almost four years at Bucknell have provided him. "You've got to have that throughout life. We work hard on the field, off the field, weight room, everywhere. This season in practices, we've worked ridiculously hard in practice. I think that shows. Just from a defensive standpoint, we play a lot harder. We've been playing well.
"And the leadership role," Williams adds. "That's being able to stand up and take responsibility for yourself and accountability for your actions. That's huge."
An economics major, Williams has succeeded away from the football field as well, being named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and the Dean's List during his career. In the community, he took a job at the Susquehanna House with some football alumni, continuing to add to his experience. It also served as another outlet for Williams to flex his leadership muscles.
"We worked with troubled youth and underprivileged kids. It really opens your eyes because a lot of people don't grow up in bad areas, especially around here, so you get a different perspective on things," says Williams. "It was frustrating at times because the kids don't always make the best decisions and you want to tell them what to do, but you have to work with them."
With such an intense work ethic and focus, it would be easy to lose sight of some other important things. Williams has combated that with his "big picture" outlook on life. For him, it is not about getting the recognition or the glamorous job. He originally chose Bucknell for the acceptance the team gave him immediately. He began playing football as a third grader when "pads don't fit you right" and stayed with the sport because of the rush that only it can give.
"It's always been my favorite game," says Williams of football. "I might have actually been better at baseball in high school than I was in football, but I didn't care for it as much. I didn't put as much time into it. There's no feeling you can get from any other sport but football. It's a different kind of excitement. It's a different kind of thrill."
While he does not have his specific career path mapped out just yet, Williams does know what he wants in the end, and it's not the fancy job with the big payout that he is after.
"I would rather just have a nice house, a nice family and be comfortable. It would be nice to make a lot of money, but it's not my big issue."
Regardless of where Williams ends up and what he does after his time at Bucknell comes to a close, one thing is clear. Those admirable qualities he brought with him to Bucknell and then strengthened throughout his four years - the ability to be humble and work hard and an eagerness to take on challenges and leadership roles - will serve him well. For those still in the Orange and Blue, those qualities will continue to paint the portrait of the ideal student-athlete. They will also continue to paint the portrait of Casey Williams.
Note: This story appeared in the Oct. 24 football game program vs. Lehigh.
