James Williams

[Coach Macho]

You are a S Fla coach and it can be easy to fall in love with kids we see play in high school. Instead you gave us a very strong opinion in the other direction about a local 5 star player who has all world measurables. Most people in your shoes would have found a reason to defend JW, or would tell us to be patient or make an argument about a generally dysfunctional defense and season being the reason for JW not succeeding.

Simply put, there are very few people in your position who would so strongly call out a local “star”.

I hear you. I just ust figured most of what I said is common knowledge by now.
I didn't think I said anything "bold" or groundbreaking.

I mean...
Are there still people in here who think he's a genuine 5-star defender?
I'd love to know what Hurricanes games they're watching so I can tune in. LOL

Scheme and coaching aside...
Elite defenders get ball carriers on the ground. And he hasn't excelled at that under Steele, Manny or under his high school DC's.

 

[AtlAtty]

I hear you. I just ust figured most of what I said is common knowledge by now.
I didn't think I said anything "bold" or groundbreaking.

I mean...
Are there still people in here who think he's a genuine 5-star defender?
I'd love to know what Hurricanes games they're watching so I can tune in. LOL

Scheme and coaching aside...
Elite defenders get ball carriers on the ground. And he hasn't excelled at that under Steele, Manny or under his high school DC's.

At a minimum there are;
1. people who want to believe we landed a 5 star recruit so they will defend any player ranked that way
2. People who will defend a player because of the region the player is from.
3. People who blame coaches for everything regardless of the player under performing under different coaches, as you noted.

I personally just liked how strong you came with your opinion. In a world full of equivocation, you came straight at it, feelings be damned. We on this site and in this country, and frankly JW himself, need more of that level of honesty from people with actual knowledge. So thank you.

 

[DTP]

Williams was a de facto linebacker in our short yardage/goal line defense. He has an aversion to contact. I don’t just mean his weak attempts at tackling. You have to be willing to take on blockers to play linebacker and he wants none of that.

 

[AtlAtty]

Williams was a de facto linebacker in our short yardage/goal line defense. He has an aversion to contact. I don’t just mean his weak attempts at tackling. You have to be willing to take on blockers to play linebacker and he wants none of that.

This is the problem isn’t it.
Not fluid or quick enough to play safety and in space
Not strong/violent enough to play linebacker.

Can he catch?

 

[Cribby]

At a minimum there are;
1. people who want to believe we landed a 5 star recruit so they will defend any player ranked that way
2. People who will defend a player because of the region the player is from.
3. People who blame coaches for everything regardless of the player under performing under different coaches, as you noted.

I personally just liked how strong you came with your opinion. In a world full of equivocation, you came straight at it, feelings be damned. We on this site and in this country, and frankly JW himself, need more of that level of honesty from people with actual knowledge. So thank you.

He’s getting some honesty from this staff , lots of it

 

[Cookie917]

Fvck it...

I'm just gonna keep it a buck...

Much like the CB Tarvaras McFadden from Heritage...
He got his 5 stars because of the unusual measurables that he had for his position. (combined with some athleticism)

He's not an actual 5-star football player.
Some of y'all will stick up for this kid until he leaves simply because he is a local 5 star. The kid is not a good defender. Elite defenders tackle ball carriers. Period.

There is no position on defense for a kid who won't tackle and has his own agendas.

I do think there is some middle-ground in which you are underselling him. You say he is not a good defender, then immediately follow with elite defenders get people on the ground. I agree elite defenders get people to the ground.

Has he been elite at safety? No. I do not think anyone disagrees, but also to call him not good I think is a stretch. Does he make silly penalties and miss more tackles than he should? 100%

However lets not forget he was our leading tackler this year. He had 40 solo tackles which is 5 more than second place (Kam) and like 60 tackles total Now I get it the D was not great at times this year and JW rarely came off the field so it makes sense for him to have those tackles but how many tackles would you say he missed this year? 10-20? The top DBs in the Nation (as far as tackles) are around 50-60 solo tackles so if he is able to clean that up he could be a leading tackler in the nation, he does seem to always be around the ball.

 

[CoachChin]

I hope he is open to the honesty.

 

[Coach Macho]

I do think there is some middle-ground in which you are underselling him. You say he is not a good defender, then immediately follow with elite defenders get people on the ground. I agree elite defenders get people to the ground.

Has he been elite at safety? No. I do not think anyone disagrees, but also to call him not good I think is a stretch. Does he make silly penalties and miss more tackles than he should? 100%

However lets not forget he was our leading tackler this year. He had 40 solo tackles which is 5 more than second place (Kam) and like 60 tackles total Now I get it the D was not great at times this year and JW rarely came off the field so it makes sense for him to have those tackles but how many tackles would you say he missed this year? 10-20? The top DBs in the Nation (as far as tackles) are around 50-60 solo tackles so if he is able to clean that up he could be a leading tackler in the nation, he does seem to always be around the ball.

I'm of the belief that it's not a good sign if a 3rd level defender is leading your defense in tackles. (it almost always should be a Linebacker)

So he gets zero props for being the leading tackler on a currently bad defense.

Like...that can't possibly be the production argument for a 5-star #1 Safety in the nation.

You're hoping to get more out of a recruit like that.

 

[Coach Macho]

At a minimum there are;
1. people who want to believe we landed a 5 star recruit so they will defend any player ranked that way
2. People who will defend a player because of the region the player is from.
3. People who blame coaches for everything regardless of the player under performing under different coaches, as you noted.

I personally just liked how strong you came with your opinion. In a world full of equivocation, you came straight at it, feelings be damned. We on this site and in this country, and frankly JW himself, need more of that level of honesty from people with actual knowledge. So thank you.

I'm sure most on this board already know that I dislike sugar coating ****.
Sometimes it's a flaw of mine.

 

[nobeastofburden]

I'm of the belief that it's not a good sign if a 3rd level defender is leading your defense in tackles. (it almost always should be a Linebacker)

So he gets zero props for being the leading tackler on a currently bad defense.

Like...that can't possibly be the production argument for a 5-star #1 Safety in the nation.

I ain't giving up on the kid but I would say half his tackles were just pushing guys out of bounds that were already going out of bounds.

 

[rsa coral gables]

I ain't giving up on the kid but I would say half his tackles were just pushing guys out of bounds that were already going out of bounds.

followed by talking smack to them while already out of bounds. i've never seen anyone do this as often as he does.

 

[Shooter McGavin]

I'm of the belief that it's not a good sign if a 3rd level defender is leading your defense in tackles. (it almost always should be a Linebacker)

So he gets zero props for being the leading tackler on a currently bad defense.

Like...that can't possibly be the production argument for a 5-star #1 Safety in the nation.

All this. But idiots like Krazy will vouch for him because of his stats. He probably had just as many missed tackles than actual tackles. Idc if he had 95 tackles on the year it's never good when your starting safety has that many tackles. He's one player I will not defend anymore.

 

[JustAFanHTX]

You are a S Fla coach and it can be easy to fall in love with kids we see play in high school. Instead you gave us a very strong opinion in the other direction about a local 5 star player who has all world measurables. Most people in your shoes would have found a reason to defend JW, or would tell us to be patient or make an argument about a generally dysfunctional defense and season being the reason for JW not succeeding.

Simply put, there are very few people in your position who would so strongly call out a local “star”.

I’m not south florida guy but I played against a guy who macho just described who found a way to go pro.. Tony Brown bounces around the nfl but was a 5 star simply off measurables. Tony was 5’10 170 as a 8th grader. Grew to 6’2 210 as a senior and ran 4.3. WORST football player I’ve ever seen. But had gifts only god could give. Went to Bama and is sticking around the nfl. James Williams was always that same guy for me. I have no actual proof that he’s a good football player. He was bigger and freakier than everyone and used that as much as he could to get by

 

[Shooter McGavin]

followed by talking smack to them while already out of bounds. i've never seen anyone do this as often as he does.

We had a lot of guys do this. It's embarrassing.

 

[Shooter McGavin]

I’m not south florida guy but I played against a guy who macho just described who found a way to go pro.. Tony Brown bounces around the nfl but was a 5 star simply off measurables. Tony was 5’10 170 as a 8th grader. Grew to 6’2 210 as a senior and ran 4.3. WORST football player I’ve ever seen. But had gifts only god could give. Went to Bama and is sticking around the nfl. James Williams was always that same guy for me. I have no actual proof that he’s a good football player. He was bigger and freakier than everyone and used that as much as he could to get by

That dumb block in the back in the SEC championship against Florida and Saban chased him down the sideline *****ing him out.

 

[Cookie917]

I'm of the belief that it's not a good sign if a 3rd level defender is leading your defense in tackles. (it almost always should be a Linebacker)

So he gets zero props for being the leading tackler on a currently bad defense.

Like...that can't possibly be the production argument for a 5-star #1 Safety in the nation.

I agree, the safety should not, the LB should be the one stopping them, however that has NOT happened and it is flowing to him and he is making stops. Maybe if the LB's played better he would have less opportunities to miss tackles because he would not have the opportunity.

All I was saying is 5-star ranking aside I think it is selling him short to call him "not good." Comments such as not an elite safety, or playing out of position, or not as good as his ranking, I would have no issue with.

 

[nobeastofburden]

followed by talking smack to them while already out of bounds. i've never seen anyone do this as often as he does.

Yeah I mean we like the swag but dude. We talk about officials ******** us, JW could have had 20 more personal fouls. Let a lot of iffy sideline pushes go on him. Or maybe I'm conditioned now to expect a flag on us even if close. He seemed to get some freebies out there, at least I thought so.

 

[JustAFanHTX]

That dumb block in the back in the SEC championship against Florida and Saban chased him down the sideline *****ing him out.

I ran against Tony in track (beat him a few times but we went back & forth) and watched him play. He played with a safety alongside him who’s name I forget but his first name was Raleigh. Outplayed him in every way and ended up at PV. Tony was a liability at corner so they played him at safety and they played cover 2 heavily to keep him safe.. he was still bad

 

[DTP]

He led the team in tackles because he rarely came off the field. The linebackers all rotated heavily.

 

[407cane]

I tore my labrum in college and that **** is no joke

This also means he’s probably not leaving