In every spring season, there’s always that one player that surprises early, stays steady, and remains a hot topic of conversation the entire month.
That player this spring was clearly defensive lineman Hafis Williams.
The sophomore started spring ball as a No. 2 defensive tackle, despite not playing a snap last year. And by the end of spring ball, Williams had auditioned his way into what could be a starting tackle spot this fall.
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Williams was one of the surprises of this spring's camp.
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Charlie Weis didn’t exactly know when the emergence of his sophomore would arrive, but the Irish coach saw it coming all the way back to last season when the freshman Williams was working on the scout team.
“The one thing that was a constant with Hafis last year, he went as hard or harder than anyone in practice every single day,” Weis said. “Every offensive lineman will tell you (Williams) was a pain in the butt. He only knew one speed, and it was 100 miles an hour…I wish everyone would play on the (scout) team with that same speed. The (scout) team would be that much better.”
It’s not unusual for a player to “dog it” on the scout team, typically out of disappointment of not running with the front-line players. That’s not how Williams does business. Obsessed with improvement, Williams never took a snap off last season, and his rewards showed up throughout the spring.
“It I didn’t play last year, it didn’t matter,” Williams said. “I was just making the team better every single day. Making the other guys better, and making myself better – that was my role and I wanted to make the best of it.”
A starting spot isn’t guaranteed – though plenty of playing time is – but Williams could end up one of three sophomore starters along the defensive line this season, and he might have been considered the longest shot of all of them.
Among the five Irish defensive linemen recruited last year, Williams came in with the least fanfare. Ethan Johnson, Sean Cwynar and Brandon Newman all were invited to the U.S. Army All-American Game, while Kapron Lewis-Moore was inserted into the starting lineup this spring without ever having played a down.
A foot injury sidelined Lewis-Moore most of the spring and Williams took full advantage of the extra reps, working with the first team at both the three technique and nose tackle.
One of the more memorable spring stories about Williams (probably forgettable for him) came when he was overcome with anxiety before an important scrimmage on March 28, forcing a fast trip to the nearest trashcan.
“Before every game and before every practice, I get butterflies, so it wasn’t really anything different,” Williams said with a smile. “It’s one of those things you try to do your best. I just felt overwhelmed at the time.
“That was all just nerves. I just wanted to work hard and everything just came, and I just had to ‘clear my throat.’ Once I did that, I felt great.”
Eating better and working harder, Williams played at a trimmed down 6-foot-1 and 295 pounds this spring, a long way since arriving last June as the chubby kid out of Elizabeth, N.J.
“Once I got here in the summer, I knew I had to start eating right, start hitting the weight room even more than I did in high school,” he said. “It’s just one of those things where you have to grow up and mature.”
What’s a good season?
Earning a place in the rotation, improving, staying steady, producing, and making a couple of big plays – not too much to ask.
One of the keys to a successful season for the Irish will be the development and production of the youthful defensive line, and Williams will be right in the middle of that mix.
Williams will get plenty of opportunities to accomplish all of his goals this spring, and those goals should include bringing similar production to what linemate Ethan Johnson enjoyed as a freshman last season.
With a solid spring behind him and some good scout team work against the No. 1 Irish offense last season, Williams is experienced enough to average almost two tackles a game and finish with about 20 to 25 stops.
Throw in a sack or two, and a fumble recovery, and that would be a nice season for the player who became Notre Dame’s most pleasant surprise this spring.
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