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Nebraska's James Williams Shares Emotional Journey After Standout Game Against Rutgers

James Williams delivers a standout performance against Rutgers, revealing emotional details about his past. Following the game, he opens up about his journey, highlighting the personal growth that has shaped him into a key player for Nebraska.

Maren Angus-Coombs

Nebraska defensive lineman James Williams celebrates after a sack against Rutgers.
Nebraska defensive lineman James Williams celebrates after a sack against Rutgers. / Amarillo Mullen
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James Williams watched the last two months of the 2023 Nebraska football season from the sidelines. His personal life has bled into his athletic life and it was best for him to take a redshirt.

On Saturday afternoon in a 14-7 win over Rutgers at Memorial Stadium, Williams proved why that decision was best for him.

Williams sacked Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis twice in the second half and sealed the game in the final minute by forcing an incompletion with pressure.

After big plays, Williams with a LeBron James-inspired celebration called the silencer: marching forward, knees high in the air as he pushes his palms toward the ground, and the opposing sideline quiets. But that wasn't the celebration that caught most of the attention.

It was a moment between him and defensive line coach Terrance Knighton that brought of the emotions.

“If you would have told me that a year ago, I would have never believed you," Williams said after the game. "T-Knight is all I have. The D-line is all I have…to be out there and celebrate such a great moment that we brought upon ourselves. It was so emotional. I hope we get to do it more."

Williams, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound pass rusher from Parkville, Mo., finished his senior year at Park Hill South with over 100 tackles and 18 sacks but received no offers. Despite being named conference defender of the year and a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, he remained under the radar.

This brought Williams to Iowa Central, where he focused on improving his grades while dominating on the field. In his one season with the Tritons, he recorded 19 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and six sacks, playing a key role in holding opponents to under 100 rushing yards per game.

Fast-forward to Saturday and Williams is thriving.

“I think James is a guy that’s trying to do better," head coach Matt Rhule said. “He’s doing really well in school. He’s growing in every facet of his life. I’m very proud of him. He practices really hard and as a result, he plays really hard."

A year ago, Williams "was a shattered human being." Knighton picked him up and became the influence he needed to become whole again.

“I just have been through so much since I've been here," Williams said. "I've only been here since last July, very late June, and I've been through hell and back. I lost family, I lost so much. To be here today, in this moment, is not where I thought I would be.”

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

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