EJ Williams on honoring his dad: "This game meant a lot to me"

Williams' mother Vontrelle holds a picture of her late husband. (Photo courtesy ACC)

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Dec 02 08:01:03 GMT-04:00 2020

Clemson’s Military Appreciation Day is special to many fans. More special than Homecoming or Senior Day, simply because it gives honor not only to the school’s military heritage but also to those who have fallen in the service of our country. For one Clemson player, this past Saturday’s game will be one he will never forget.

EJ Williams is a freshman wide receiver out of Phenix City (AL) Central who has drawn praise from his coaches for his work ethic and potential, and Williams responded in a big way Saturday by catching three passes for 38 yards during last Saturday’s Military Appreciation Day win over Pitt. Included in those numbers was a 5-yard touchdown reception, the first touchdown of his collegiate career.

The number that meant the most to Williams, however, was 39. Williams wanted to wear the No. 39 instead of his usual No. 6 as a tribute to his late father, Sgt. 1st Class Eddie Williams, Sr., who died at 39 years of age in 2010 after serving 18 years in the U.S. Army.

Head coach Dabo Swinney didn’t hesitate in allowing Williams to wear the number, and Williams said the day couldn’t have been scripted any better.

“I wouldn’t say I was really emotional, but I’d say it was a great feeling,” Williams said Monday. “I had asked Coach Swinney could I wear the number, and he said yes with no hesitation. It was just a great feeling to be out there wearing the number to honor my father, and it’s just a great feeling to get my first touchdown on Military Appreciation (Day).”

Williams said the support from his teammates and coaches meant something to him on a day when he wanted to honor his late father.

“This game meant a lot to me,” he said. “For me, the biggest thing was just honoring my dad and go out there and playing to the best of my ability, and when I get the chance, just show what I can do. And it’s a lot of support from the team. They were all proud of me for getting my first touchdown. It was a lot of support from them and that was also great for me to see, just to know that they’ve always got my back through whatever.”

During the interview, Williams stated that his dad was always his biggest fan, and some of his fondest memories are the days when he played flag football in the state of Texas, his dad on the sidelines with a big smile on his face.

“He got me started playing basketball, too,” Williams said. “But yeah, he just always wanted me to have a football in my hand, play sports and just always be the best that I could be. He always told me that I could be a great football player, great basketball player, and use my athleticism in a good way, just don’t let it go to waste.

“It just started off when I lived in Texas. He wanted to me to play pad football. But in Texas, they’ve got a certain age group, the age limits for full pads is kind of higher. But I started off playing flag. He came to all my flag games. He wasn’t really a talkative guy, and he just came to all the games and showed a lot of support. You could just really tell he was happy to see me out there just having fun and just playing football. It’s a sport that he really loved. So, I was just happy to see him happy.”