Bobby Williams

For other people of the same name, see Robert Williams (disambiguation).
Bobby Williams
Sport(s) Football
Current position
Title Assistant coach
Team Alabama
Conference Southeastern
Biographical details
Born November 21, 1958 (1958-11-21) (age 53)
Place of birth St. Louis, Missouri
Playing career
1978–1982 Purdue
Position(s) Running back
Defensive back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1983–1984
1985–1989
1990
1990–1999
2000–2002
2003
2004
2005–2006
2008–		 Ball State (RB/S)
Eastern Michigan (Backfield)
Kansas (WR)
Michigan State (RB)
Michigan State
Detroit Lions (WR)
LSU (WR/Asst.)
Miami Dolphins (RB)
Alabama (TE/ST)
Head coaching record
Overall 16–17
Bowls 2–0
Statistics
College Football Data Warehouse

Bobby Williams (born November 21, 1958) is the current tight end and special teams coordinator for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Between 2000–2002, he was the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans football team.

Contents

Playing career

During his time at Purdue University between 1978–1982, Williams was a four-year letterman for the Boilermakers football team and a captain in his senior season.[1][2] He started for three years in the secondary, after spending his freshman season at running back.[1] He graduated in 1982 with a degree in general management.[1]

Coaching career

After spending one season as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Williams got his first coaching position as a running back and secondary coach at Ball State, where he remained for two seasons.[1][3] He spent the next five seasons as an offensive backfield coach at Eastern Michigan.[1][3]

On December 6, 1999, Williams was named as the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans football team.[4] Williams coached the Spartans to a 37-34 win over Florida in the 2000 Citrus Bowl in his first game as head coach. In his first full season as head coach, the Spartans began their 2000 season 3–0, with wins over Marshall, Missouri, and Notre Dame, before losing four consecutive and finishing the season 5–6.[5] The Spartans did improve in the following season, though were inconsistent, and finished the regular season 6–5, which included a win versus rival Michigan in the infamous "Clockgate"[6] which led to several NCAA rule changes. In the 2001 Silicon Valley Classic, Michigan State defeated Fresno State 44–35, finishing the season 7–5 and giving Williams his second bowl victory.[7] With the victory, he became the first coach in Spartans history to win a bowl game in his first attempt.[1] Nearing the end of his third season, Michigan State was 3–6 and last place in the Big Ten when the Spartans decided to fire Williams as head coach.[8]

After leaving Michigan State, Williams went into the NFL as a wide receiver coach for the Detroit Lions.[9] During his time with the Lions, he was reunited with wide receiver Charles Rogers, whom he had recruited and coached at MSU. After one season in the NFL, Williams returned to college as a wide receiver coach, as well as an assistant head coach under Nick Saban at LSU.[1] After Saban left LSU for the Miami Dolphins, Williams followed him to become a running back coach for the team several months later.[2] However, after two seasons, Williams was fired at his position.[10] On January 18, 2008, Williams again rejoined Saban at Alabama, accepting the position of tight end and special teams coordinator.[2]

Personal life

Williams is married to Sheila Williams. The couple has two children - a daughter, Nataly, member of the Theta Sigma chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. and a son, Nicholas.[1]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Michigan State (Big Ten) (1999–2002)
1999 Michigan State 1–0‡ W Citrus 7 7
2000 Michigan State 5–6 2–6 T–9th
2001 Michigan State 7–5 3–5 T–8th W Silicon Valley
2002 Michigan State 3–6* 1–4* T–8th
Michigan State: 16–17 6–15 ‡Nick Saban coached the first 11 games of the season.
*Fired after 9 games.
Total: 16–17
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title
#Rankings from final Coaches' Poll.
°Rankings from final AP Poll.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Bobby Williams". RollTide.com. http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/williams_bobby00.html. Retrieved 2009-04-19. 
  2. ^ a b c "Alabama hires former Michigan State coach Bobby Williams". USA Today. 2008-01-18. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2008-01-18-2683409811_x.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-19. 
  3. ^ a b Bobby Williams at Rivals.com. Retrieved 2009-04-19
  4. ^ "Michigan State ends speculation: Spartans make a popular move, promote assistant with no head-coaching experience". The Detroit News. 1999-12-06. 
  5. ^ "Coaching Records Game by Game: 2000". College Football DataWarehouse. http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_game_by_game.php?coachid=2508&year=2000. Retrieved 2009-04-16. 
  6. ^ "Last-Second Smoker Pass Spells Defeat For No. 6 Michigan". Michigan State University Athletics. 2001-11-03. http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/110301aaa.html. Retrieved 2009-04-19. 
  7. ^ "Michigan State wins Silicon Valley Classic". CBC Sports. 2001-12-31. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2001/12/31/ncaa-siliconvalley011231.html. Retrieved 2009-04-19. 
  8. ^ Wieberg, Steve (2002-11-04). "Troubled times at Michigan State". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bigten/2002-11-04-cover-mich-state_x.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-19. 
  9. ^ "Bobby Williams". Detroit Lions. http://www.detroitlions.com/bio.cfm?bio_id=112. Retrieved 2009-04-19. 
  10. ^ "Dolphins fire running backs coach". Miami Herald. 2007-04-20. 

External links