Name: Dominique Williams
Position: Defensive Back
Number: #9
Year: Senior
Height: 6-feet
Weight: 218 pounds
Hometown: Brockton, MA
High School: Brockton
2013 Stats: Williams played in every BC game for the first time, appearing in 13 games and starting nine. His 65 tackles included 44 solo. He registered a career-high 13 tackles against New Mexico State, eight against Clemson, and seven against North Carolina. His sole interception came in a big spot against Florida State, and he totaled 3.5 tackles for loss of yards. In the offseason, he won the annual Jay McGillis Scholarship at the conclusion of the Boston College Spring Game given in memory of the former Eagle standout and fellow Brockton native.
2014 Projections: Williams could have a monster season in '14, following in the footsteps of past Jay McGillis winners Paul Anderson, Jamie Silva, and Wes Davis. He'll join players like Doug Bessette and Jim Noel as local products to win the award. And he'll be the starting roverback at the free safety position ready to deliver a hit when called upon. If he continues an upward swing in the Don Brown Defense, 80-100 tackles and a couple of game-breaking INTs aren't out of the question.
How'd He Get Here: Williams wasn't heavily recruited out of high school, with interest from Iowa, Maryland, and Syracuse. He was recruited by Sean Devine in a year where four of the Massachusetts top 10 prospects all committed to BC.
What'd Recruiting Sites Say: Rivals calls him a two-star prospect with "good size." They also describe him as "very physical." 247 Sports had Williams as the 2nd best prospect out of Massachusetts for the class of 2010.
Twitter Feed:You can follow Dominique on Twitter @Mr_508.
Tweetable:
Desire can't be sold and passion wasn't bottled up and given to me. The only thing to quench hunger, Is more hunger ! pic.twitter.com/BGazgCLGve
— Nique Williams (@Mr_508) May 24, 2014
Uniform History: The #9 might not have the richest history with some of the guys who've passed through the Alumni gates through the years, but it has its notable. Larry Anam (2003-2006) wore it more recently, but who could forget wideout Derrick Crittenden (1996-1999)?
And then there was Louis "Luke" Urban. The 1919 and 1920 team captain wore it proudly while a four sport athlete in Chestnut Hill. Playing football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey at different points over his tenure, he served as basketball head coach while playing for the team during his sophomore, junior, and senior years and led the football team to a perfect 8-0 record and the school's first ever "Eastern Championship" in '20.
After sticking on as BC head hoops coach until 1921, he left for Canisius. He would play for the Boston Braves professionally in baseball and had stints in both pro football and basketball. In 1940, he became head coach of Durfee High School's basketball team, instilling the basketball culture that would become so thick in Fall River, finally settling for 20 years and winning two New England championships. A BC Varsity Club Hall of Famer, the gym at Durfee is named after Urban, and his jersey (not his number) is one of those retired at Alumni Stadium.
Linkage:
Williams Named Jay McGillis Scholarship Recipient (BCEagles.com)
Brockton Bond Between Boston College's Williams and McGillis (Brockton Enterprise)
Highlights: Oh man does this take me back. Williams was a dual threat. In addition to playing defensive back, he was a monster running back for the Boxers. In the playoffs, he had a couple of touchdowns on offense as a high school running back but the Boxers couldn't overcome Xaverian that year in the playoffs.