Reed Williams

Classroom

Williams is a double major in finance and marketing and has a cumulative 3.87 GPA (3.85 last year). He was a 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American first team selection, a three-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star, a member of the WVU Dean’s List every semester (8 semesters), the WVU Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll every semester (8 semesters), the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, NSCS Academic Honor Society, Golden Key National Honor Society and the Huntington Bank Junior Board of Directors.

Character

One thing West Virginia football has always been known for is its hard-hitting, blue-collar, bust you in the mouth style of defense. Redshirt senior middle linebacker Williams, a Moorefield, W.Va., native, envelopes all of those characteristics and has all the other intangibles, both on and off field, that make him the poster boy to represent the defense and the WVU football program. In the community, Williams has taken part in many service projects. He has spent time with the boys and girls clubs as a role model for the children. He has participated in reading days, visited children in the hospitals, worked with Special Olympics and been the keynote speaker at banquets. Being a leader on a football team sometimes requires a person to make tough decisions. Last year was no different as Williams was confronted with the toughest decision he has ever faced. Williams earned a starting role in the WVU defense as a sophomore and became one of the defensive playmakers. Then the next season as a junior, he led the team in tackles (107), assisted tackles (59) and forced fumbles (3).  The Mountaineer defense ranked among the top in the nation in most statistical categories and the team finished with an 11-2 record and a No. 6 national ranking, the third-straight Top 10 finish for WVU. His season culminated with nine tackles, including seven solo stops, two tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble against Oklahoma in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl, earning defensive most valuable player honors. However, Williams was playing with two bad shoulders and had to have them surgically repaired during the offseason. The surgery went well, but the recovery took longer than anticipated. He was very limited during preseason camp, and it carried over into the season. Knowing that the team needed him, Williams hurried the recovery process and was in the lineup for game three. He played in both the Colorado and Marshall games, before realizing his shoulders needed more time to heal and to get stronger before being able to take the field again so he decided to redshirt. The decision that he made was a tough one as he didn’t want to give the appearance that he was a quitter because he had some pain in the shoulders. He also didn’t want to let his teammates down because he couldn’t be in there to lead them on the field. In the long run, the decision was for the best, as Williams was able to assist his teammates from the sidelines, while taking the time to let his shoulders heal properly and build up his strength. He now is preparing for his final season, is healthy and ready to lead the defense from the middle once again.

Community

Williams gives many hours of his time to help groups in the community who are sick and less fortunate than him. He has visited the Parkersburg Boys and Girls Club and spent time with the kids as a role model. He has gone to local schools to participate in reading days and talked to kids about the importance of education and to stay away from drugs and alcohol. He worked as a volunteer with the boys and girls club in Martinsburg, visited sick children in the WVU Children’s Hospital, worked as a volunteeer with Special Olympics and spoke at the Paden City High School Sports Banquet. He was one of the judges for the WVU faculty and staff “American Idol” night. He was a Marion County Division of State Police “Child Advocacy” Fundraiser speaker. He was the kickoff speaker for the Fairmont Little League Baseball Banquet, and he has signed many items for kids and groups to auction for charities and for sick people in the hospital.

Competition

Williams redshirted because of shoulder injuries in 2008. He was the team’s leading tackler in 2007 with 107 tackles and was tied for the team lead in unassisted tackles (48) and in forced fumbles (3). He was named the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Defensive MVP – nine tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss and forced a fumble against No. 3 Oklahoma. He was selected as the Ideal Mountaineer Man, awarded by WVU coaching staff. He was a vital cog on the 2007 WVU defense that was No. 7 nationally in total defense, No. 8 in scoring defense, No. 9 in turnover margin, No. 14 in pass defense and No. 18 in rushing defense. In 2007, he was No. 6 in the BIG EAST in total tackles and No. 3 in assisted tackles. He helped lead WVU to the 2007 BIG EAST Conference title. In the 2007 BIG EAST rankings, the Mountaineer defense finished No. 1 in scoring defense, No. 1 in rushing defense, No. 2 in total defense, No. 3 in turnovers gained and No. 3 in pass defense.