What new Missouri State president Richard 'Biff' Williams envisions for Bears athletics

Richard "Biff" Williams doesn't believe it's a secret how supportive he is of intercollegiate athletics.

The new Missouri State president, who was announced Monday morning and will begin July 1, is a certified athletic trainer and said he built his career around supporting student-athletes.

"I think it's one of the great front doors of every university," Williams said. "Missouri State University has a rich history of great intercollegiate athletics and that's not going to change."

Williams will succeed current Clif Smart as the university's 12th president. His resume, particularly over his decade as the president at Utah Tech, includes several achievements in elevating athletics programs.

At Utah Tech, previously Dixie State, Williams helped transition the school from a Division II program into one that's now an FCS member in football. There were also several facility upgrades, including adding a 5,000-seat grandstand and expanded press box at Utah Tech's football stadium.

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Williams takes over during a fascinating time in Missouri State athletics. The school is often rumored to change conferences and make a jump from playing in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to playing in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

Missouri State has been a member of the Missouri Valley Conference since 1990.

As recently as last week, Missouri State was listed in a national report by The Athletic linking it to Conference USA. The school has also found itself linked to the Sun Belt Conference in recent years.

Smart has been outspoken about his beliefs that Missouri State athletics will move to FBS at some point. During a summer interview, he went on record saying: "There's not a question in my mind that, at some point, Missouri State will be playing FBS football."

Williams was asked about a potential move to the FBS during his town hall appearance at Missouri State on Feb. 15. He took a careful approach, talking about the ever-changing landscape of college athletics and that needed conversations will be had about the athletics program's vision. He expanded on those remarks on Monday.

"My approach with strategic planning is, 'Let's sit down, let's create a vision and let's go after that vision,' and I think that we should be the very best in all those areas, from the classroom, to the court and in the community," Williams said. "I believe that strategic plan that you currently have in place for intercollegiate athletics does that but I think you will see that we're really going to try to elevate in everything we do on campus and intercollegiate athletics will be one of those things."

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Williams' announcement also comes during a frustrating time in Missouri State athletics because of what Smart labeled as a "disappointing" season for the men's basketball team. The Bears, led by sixth-year head coach Dana Ford, finished ninth in the Missouri Vallely Conference during the regular season ahead of its Thursday opening-round game at the conference tournament.

Smart, in a halftime radio interview with Art Hains on Sunday, was asked about his accomplishments at the university. He was also asked about what he's leaving behind for the next president.

"There's clearly work to do on the athletics side," Smart began. "You know, we didn't have the kind of season that we hoped to have for men's basketball and that's been disappointing."

Smart has been noncommittal about Ford's future as the men's basketball coach, who has one year remaining on his contract. Ford said following the Bears' win over Illinois Chicago that he hasn't been told anything regarding his future.

Williams was asked if he'll have any involvement in leadership decisions at the administrative and/or athletics jobs before he takes over as president.

"That will probably depend on where the board is at and with (Smart)," Williams said. "I imagine that if it's going to affect the future, that they might consult me a little bit but I definitely realize that President Smart is the president to the end... and this is his swan song. This is the opportunity where he needs to really get to celebrate.

"I had the opportunity to eat lunch with him on my interview and he is one of the most genuine people that I've ever met. He definitely loves that institution. I don't want to step on any toes. But I believe from that interview when I spoke with him that he will want to include me in things that might affect the presidency. I'm really going to allow the board and President Smart to include means they see fit."

Williams will replace a very hands-on president in its athletics program who worked alongside MSU athletics director Kyle Moats. The two have been side-by-side throughout the popular and unpopular decisions made since Smart became the school's president in 2011. Moats was hired in 2009.

Williams said his role as president will be "to support Kyle Moats and what he's doing with intercollegiate athletics." He said the athletics program will "strive to be the very best" and that he'll use his role to determine the resources that are needed to do that and figure out "where does intercollegiate athletics want to go?"

"Winning is about, 'what is our GPA?' Missouri State has a very high GPA for intercollegiate athletics, so maintaining that," Williams said. "How are we winning in the community? Where are our student-athletes in the community? How are we winning on the court, on the field and other areas?

"So when I say 'win,' it's not just wins and losses. It's winning all throughout life and what are those student-athletes doing in their lives after they leave and have we prepared them?"

News-Leader education reporter Claudette Riley contributed to this report.

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or X at @WyattWheeler_NL.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State president Richard 'Biff' Williams on Bears athletics