'We had a blast': Cadillac Williams reflects on time as Auburn football interim head coach
AUBURN — Auburn football's Cadillac Williams was already a legend on the Plains for what he did as a player, rushing for nearly 4,000 yards from 2001-04 and helping the Tigers to an undefeated season as a senior.
But his legend grew in 2022, as he was named AU's interim head coach following the dismissal of Bryan Harsin in late October. Williams guided the Tigers to a 2-2 record over the final month of the season, besting Texas A&M in a thriller and comfortably topping Western Kentucky.
The win over the Aggies came in front of a sold-out crowd at Jordan-Hare Stadium, and was clinched with a strip-sack by Colby Wooden late in the fourth quarter.
"Let’s call a spade a spade, I never grew up saying I want to be the head coach at Auburn," Williams said Tuesday. "Even when I got done playing and I got into coaching, it never crossed my mind to be the head (coach). ... I'm still on cloud nine about it. Nobody can ever take that away from us, that 2022 team.
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"Those 24 seniors. We had a blast. Like, a blast. Us explaining it and us telling you all how it was, it's not doing it justice, guys. We had a blast."
Williams, who described himself as a bit of an introvert, pointed to his family and desire to help the younger generation as what energizes him. It's what helped him get through the pressure he felt during his four weeks as the interim, and it continues to assist him in his role as Auburn's associate head coach/running backs coach.
"Whenever you’re in your craft, you're in your job, you've just got tunnel vision," Williams said. "So, you don’t have time to reflect on what you’re doing. But wow, I got the opportunity to go out and recruit and go to high schools. I got the opportunity to read letters from different fans and people, and it literally broke me down. ... How much hope that we brought not only to the Auburn family, but people around the country, it was just crazy to hear. ...
"This is definitely God because the Lord knows in some way I’m slightly an introvert, really don’t want to be out there in front. But I actually enjoy blessing others. ... I’m just excited how much hope and how much joy that we brought people and showed people that when you’re united, you’re pulling together (and) you're selfless, magic can happen."
Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football: Cadillac Williams reflects on time as interim coach
