What Does Tulane Receiver Mario Williams Need to Do to Capitalize on His Talent?

Tulane offensive coordinator Joe Craddock tells Tulane fans what the key to utilizing Mario Williams this season will be.

Nov 4, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Washington Huskies cornerback Thaddeus Dixon (9) tackles USC Trojans wide receiver Mario Williams (4) during the fourth quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: / Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports

Mario Williams is one of the most explosive receivers in college football, and he’s certainly shown that since arriving at Tulane University. A quarterback’s best friend is somebody like Mario, who can take a check down and turn it into a touchdown on any given play. 

Williams spent the first season of his career with Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma before transferring to University of Southern California for two seasons to follow Riley. Williams broke out his first season at USC, totaling over six hundred yards and five touchdowns, but he saw his numbers regress during his junior season.

With such immense talent, what must Mario Williams do to capitalize on his first season at Tulane? First-year Tulane offensive coordinator Joe Craddock had this to say.

“I keep telling him, like look dude, the more you know, the more I can move you around, the more I can get you touches in different ways and not just have you in one spot stationary all the time. I’ve obviously challenged him with that a lot because the more he knows and the more he can move around, the more different things I can do with him.”

Versatility within the offense will be the key to Mario Williams's success in his first year in Uptown. Moving Williams around will allow Coach Craddock to involve Williams creatively, such as getting him the ball on jet sweeps, touch passes, or wide receiver screens.

Whether or not Williams is able to fully learn the offense, his impact on the team’s culture has already been felt. From the first day of spring camp, Williams’ outgoing personality has made him one of Tulane’s best leaders on the field and on the sidelines. The only thing Williams seems to love more than celebrating after creating an explosive play is celebrating with his teammates when one of them makes a play. Mario Williams appears to be picking up the offense well, and I fully expect him to make a leap in his first season at Tulane and play himself into NFL draft conversations.