Williamson’s play resonates loudly on defense, special teams for Coastal Carolina

Marcus Williamson would prefer to let his play on the field do the talking.

The Coastal Carolina junior has said a lot already, despite limited playing time.

Williamson set a single-season program record and tied a Big South record with four blocked kicks last year as a sophomore, and hopes to keep making noise as he’s expected to be the Chanticleers’ starting defensive end when the season begins next week.

“I believe I’ll have a good season [on defense]. I also contribute on special teams with field goal blocks, and plan to have a great season there as well,” the former Lake City High School standout said. “I try to keep a steady routine, get good reps, eat good, stay in the film room, ask my coaches questions and do whatever I can to get better for the season. That’s what all of our guys do, and our motto is BAM – ‘Be A Man,’ so all of us take responsibility for that and bring it with us to the field.”

While Williamson played in all 12 games last season, he started only one game at defensive end as standout players Roderick Holder and Calvin Hollenhorst overshadowed him on the depth chart. Williamson made the most of his time on defense, racking up 27 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, and also led the team with six quarterback hurries.

Holder and Hollenhorst have both graduated, and Coastal Carolina head coach Joe Moglia has no doubts about Williamson’s ability to perform as he moves into the starting role.

"He's got a great attitude, he's very focused and he works hard. He's also strong, he's quick, he's tough and brings a lot of skills to the table," Moglia said. "He studies a lot, and understands his job. I think he's very intense. All those things come together very nicely and hopefully he's going to have a great season."

Chants defensive line coach Cory Bailey believes Williamson will need to be accounted for by opposing offenses the entire game.

And regardless, teams are in for a rough time when he is on the field. Chants senior offensive tackle Chase Tidwell can attest to that as he has gone up against Williamson multiple times during spring practices.

"You're going to have to know where he's at, at all times. That's the kind of player he is," Bailey said of Williamson. "In pass situations, he's dominant. Against the run game, he's so fast and he gets himself back there so quick. So, you're going to have to handle him"

Said Tidwell: "[Williamson] gives 100 percent every play, every snap; he's a tough guy to block. He's got the speed of a linebacker, but the strength of a [defensive end], and when you put those two things together – he gets off that ball pretty quick – it's a tough day."

Williamson – who stands 6 feet, 3 inches tall – has also gained some mass, jumping from 235 pounds to about 250 with a tough offseason workout regimen. Bailey said Williamson has worked extremely hard to get where he is and expects him to hit the ground running as the Chants open with a road game against Lamar next Friday.

"He killed himself this summer. He takes a lot of pride in [his development] and he’s everything you want in a player,” said Bailey, also the program’s recruiting coordinator. "He's had an amazing camp, had an amazing spring and has worked really, incredibly hard to build himself up. He was a little thin when he first got here, now he's almost 250 [pounds] and he can run the same. He's a fun guy to coach and a special player."

Notably on special teams, where Williamson feels at home. He’s shined as a special teams player, even back in his days at Lake City as Williamson blocked eight punts in his junior and senior year before taking his game to the collegiate level.

What goes into all those blocked kicks?

“Practice, hard work and drive,” Williamson said. “You’ve got to want and expect to block a kick. You can’t just go into it with a weak mindset, thinking ‘Oh, it’s just special teams.’ Every time I’m out there, I expect to block a kick. When I don’t, I get mad. I guess that’s what has helped me get to where I am, just working hard every day and having that drive.”

While Bailey has noticed how much effort Williamson puts in, he said it pretty much comes natural to him when it comes to blocking kicks. But senior defensive tackle Jabarai Bothwell certainly helps him out as well.

"He and (Bothwell) are partners in crime and they work really closely together. JB does a great job of knocking the guard off path, and Marcus is phenomenal using his body to get skinny and he's got a great vertical,” Bailey said. “So he's able to get skinny and get in the gap and get up. He just has a knack for it."

Williamson is proud to say that he’s the only player in Chants football history to block four kicks in a single season, but he’s not stopping there.

“We have a lot of great players come through here that have done a real good job on field goal blocks. I have the record, that’s cool. I’m trying to break it again with everything I’ve [learned] now,” Williamson said. “I’ve gotten better, so I expect that record to get better as well.”

Williamson started his collegiate career at Hampton University, but quickly transferred to Coastal Carolina and was forced to sit out his redshirt freshman season due to NCAA transfer rules. While it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing, he is just fine with how his story has been told so far.

“I’m grateful to come to Coastal and this program. I wish I could have started out here, but – don’t get me wrong – I learned a lot at Hampton and I feel like coming here has developed me into a pretty good player,” he said. “And it doesn’t get much better with the coaches we have here and I’m very thankful. I thank God every day for this opportunity.”

He’ll certainly make the most of it going forward.

And as for his potential?

"The sky is the limit for him,” Tidwell said. “He's got all the tools, he's a hard worker in the weight room, classroom and on the field. You name it, the kid works hard at it and he can do anything."

Moglia certainly agrees.

"I think he can play at the next level,” he said.

But for now, Williamson knows he must keep his foot on the gas.

“I work hard every day. It’s been my dream since I was child, playing professionally. It starts out here on the field, and in the classroom and if I just stay consistent and keep my head up, good things will happen and hopefully that dream comes true,” said Williamson.

He’s a good student as well – albeit a quite one – and was named to the 2015-16 Big South Presidential Honor Roll for posting at least a 3.0 GPA for the academic year.

"He's kind of a quiet guy,” Tidwell explained. “I haven't hung out with him a whole lot off the field, but – from what I've seen when we're at school and stuff like that – he just goes about his business. Kind of a quiet guy."

On the field, it’s a different story.

This story was originally published August 25, 2016 at 9:58 PM with the headline "Williamson’s play resonates loudly on defense, special teams for Coastal Carolina."