Indiana freshman linebacker Cam Williams met with the media for the first time Wednesday afternoon to his goals at IU, NFL players he looked up to growing up, and more.
Watch his full comments in the embedded media player above, with a complete transcript available below.
How did track help you with football?
"I got better form than I would (have) if I didn't do track, so it eases the speed part a little."
You know some of your fastest times?
"No, I can't give up the fastest time in anything right now. I haven't done the 40 in a minute."
I mean in track.
"Oh in track? Fastest time for hurdles, I'd say about a 14.1, 14.1-14.2."
How about the 100?
"Fastest 100 I ran was junior year. I didn't really run 100 meters, so I think the fastest 100 I ran was 11 seconds flat."
Is there anything that's surprised you since you arrived here that you're excited to tackle?
"I wouldn't say it's everything I expected, but just the workouts surprised me because it's a new intensity I have to bring every day in the workouts. Everybody's striving to be better, everybody's striving to be the best in the Big Ten, so being surrounded by a group of guys that's really motivated, that pushes me every day. That's not a surprise, but it's something new I've got to get used to, having a group of guys that's actually motivated to get better."
What drew you to the linebacker position? Is that something you've always played since you were little?
"Oh yes. When I was little, I actually played running back, and I was a pretty tall running back as you could imagine. My dad, he just wanted me to be safe, he wanted me to give the hits instead of take them. He kind of drew towards the linebacker spot and I just grew a love for it ever since. He pointed me to people like Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher. Chicago Bears, that's a very big thing in my family. That's who I look to, the legends, to help my game."
Where at linebacker do Coach Allen and Coach Wommack see you fitting? Or is that something they're leaving the door open for right now?
"Coach Wommack specifically, he sees me at a lot of different spots. Quite frankly, I told him I'm willing to do anything to help the team and I'm not going to seclude myself from one spot. Linebacker, yeah, I'm going to do it, but I'm looking at different spots as well to help the team out. I don't know if I can speak too much on it, but yeah, they're looking at different spots for me specifically to use my speed and agility."
You talk about being a utility player and you bring a lot of great facets to the game - your length, your speed, your strength, at a young age being a bigger linebacker than normal. How are you bringing all of that to this team and what can you do with it?
"I feel like my quick-burst speed is a big reason why they bought me here, because I have a lot of speed. Track, that really did help with my quick-burst speed, so I feel like I bring that to the table. I think that's what they saw, so they're really trying to progress my quick-burst to get across the field, sideline to sideline, faster. That's what they've been pushing and I feel like that's what I've brought to the table. I know that I'm different when it comes to that, I know myself I'm different when it comes to that. I've got top of the line, top in the country type speed on the field and I know they're going to put me in a position where I'm going to be amongst the top linebackers in a few years in college football. I'm looking forward to all of it."
Is that a goal of yours, to be one of the top linebackers in the country?
"Oh yes, most definitely. I'm looking to break thresholds here. I want to bring IU to greatness, and I think this staff can do it."
What's your wingspan right now?
"I don't know, quite frankly. Really, they just measure us, take the number and we don't really know."
Are you a guy that guys a lot of deflections pass rushing and stuff?
"Yeah, plus they're working on my technique more, too, so I look to get more of those this year."
Who are some other guys that are helping you along and easing this transition?
"Specifically, my other freshman friend DK (Bonhomme). Me and him, we talk everyday basically about the position and how we can improve, just going over plays and studying the playbook together. Coach Wommack, he's making everything a smooth transition, he's been explaining things a lot to me. Thomas Allen, the son of head coach Allen, he's been talking with me a lot too on what I can do to better myself and the position. Also Kwon Jones, he's been helping me a lot too, so everybody, Cam Jones, he's been helping me a lot. Everybody in my position, all the older guys, DK, they've been trying to make sure I'm coming in as smooth as possible and perform to the best of my ability every snap, so those are the people that have really helped."
How's the strength and conditioning helped? Feel like you're getting stronger?
"Oh, definitely. Coach Ballou, he makes sure you feel stronger after every day. Definitely feeling stronger and feeling faster every day. I'm feeling way more conditioned than when I walked in the door and quite frankly I feel way more confident in my game than when I stepped in the door, so yeah."
Who's the funniest classmate of yours?
"That's funny. (Laughs). Sio (Nofoagatoto'a), that guy, that man, he's a crazy guy. Him, DK, CJ Person, those dudes, all the d-linemen, they're just hilarious."
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