How Smoky Mountain star Da'Mare Williams almost didn't play football
Smoky Mountain star Da’Mare Williams loved football and watched it every second he could.
But the 6-foot-2, 187-pound East Carolina defensive back commit didn’t start playing until he started high school.
His mother wouldn’t let him play.
“I begged her and begged her, and she finally gave in,” Williams said. “My stepdad was a big influence.”
That decision has paid off. He has been one of the Mustangs' top performers as a wide receiver, cornerback and safety.
He reeled in eight FBS and FCS offers this past offseason. He committed to ECU over Miami (Ohio) and Virginia Tech in late June. Williams’ offer sheet and talent are why he is No. 6 on the Asheville Citizen Times and Hendersonville Times News Elite Eight, a collection of WNC's top college football prospects for the Class of 2024.
Growing up watching Odell Beckham Jr.
Williams said he grew up cheering for the New York Giants, so it’s not surprising to hear that Odell Beckham Jr. is one of his favorite players.
“He’s just so elusive, so shifty, his routes, everything about him,” he said. "The swagger that he brings. I definitely look up to him. I want to be like him.”
His desire to replicate Beckham on the field could be considered only a success in 2022. Williams had plenty of highlights, flying over players to make a terrific grab for a touchdown or a clutch interception.
Unlike other prospects in the Elite Eight, Williams didn’t have to make a position change, having started his career as a wide receiver and defensive back.
On offense, he believes his speed and catching ability are his greatest strengths.
“I’m confident to say that I can catch any ball thrown to me,” Williams said.
Then he said his speed, tackling and coverage abilities are his strongest assets on defense.
Coach Ricky Brindley believes it’s Williams' length that makes him special.
"Having the hips that he has with that kind of length just makes him a really good matchup for us no matter who we're seeing or who we're facing," Brindley said. "We feel like our guy can match up with them."
Setting his eyes on the next prize
With his recruitment settled, Williams is focused on winning Mountain 7 Player of the Year.
“I want to win conference player of the year, that’s my main goal,” he said. “Conference player of the year, defensive player of the year or offensive player of the year, just any of those.”
He has worked on adding muscle to help him capture one of those awards, going from 175 pounds to 187.
“I’m more confident now that I’m bigger,” Williams said. “I can stack up with the bigger guys.”
He’s also focusing on improving his coverage abilities because he knows every receiver in college will be talented. He is specifically working on his man-to-man coverage for when he’s put on an island on defense.
In addition, Brindley said Williams has become a much better leader this offseason.
“I think Da’Mare has taken ownership in this team,” he said. “Being the guy that can help lead us to victories. And he understands that his role is going to be very heavy and very prominent on both sides of the football as well as special teams.”
Williams also wants to help Smoky Mountain win a conference championship before graduating.
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“We need to lock in,” he said. “We need to cut all of the distractions out. Focus on the season, focus on our main goal and play as a team all season.”
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: How Smoky Mountain star Da'Mare Williams almost didn't play football
