 Williams and the Wave celebrate after hauling in a touchdown vs. SMU.
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In a season that has seen the Tulane passing game reach new and exciting heights, no one has been more essential to the offense's success than junior wide receiver Jeremy "Caddy" Williams.
In the first four games alone, Williams has caught 24 passes for 263 yards and four touchdowns, statistics which become even more impressive when one takes into account that Williams has hauled in four of the five touchdown passes produced by the Wave aerial attack, however, this season. His prolific output is not surprising to those who know the facts of his football life.
Jeremy Jawann Williams was born on Jan. 23, 1987, in Baytown, Texas. He began playing football at age nine after his athleticism was discovered by a local coach. In those days, Williams idolized the great running back Barry Sanders, and thus he began his high school playing career as a half-back. Noticing his height and athleticism, the coaches at Sterling High School moved him to receiver in his junior season.
"The first game I moved to wide receiver from half-back, I had four touchdowns," Williams said. It was at his new position that he began to receive attention and acclaim along with touchdown passes.
Williams' high school career ended on an upswing as he earned a unanimous choice on the all-district team as both a wide receiver and a returner, and was named the offensive MVP of his district as a senior.
Williams' athleticism and ability also caught the eye of coaches recruiting from Tulane University.
"They were the first school to really start looking at me and giving me hype," he said. "When I came on my visit they told me that I could play early, and they wanted to throw the ball a lot."
Williams sat out the 2005 season as a redshirt, but emerged almost immediately as a starting receiver the following year.
As a redshirt freshman, Williams caught 40 receptions for 484 yards and two touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named to the honorable mention Freshman All-American team. He continued to improve the next season, catching 46 passes for 773 yards and five touchdowns and leading the team in each of those statistical categories.
Now, as a junior, Williams is getting used to his status as Tulane's undisputed number one receiving option.
"With our offense, I don't have to make many adjustments," he said. "The safeties either have to play me or the play the run, so I depend on André [Anderson] running the ball well so I don't get double coverage."
Even at the start of what looks to be a career-year, Williams hasn't lost his relaxed attitude. "Everybody on the team calls me Caddy, " he said. "Because I'm real lackadaisical and cool about everything." And in a season that's already had its fair share of highs and lows, the Wave is lucky to have someone to count on in the calm, cool and collected Jeremy Williams.
2008 Woodie Awards
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