'Unheralded' Scooby Williams envisioned his big-time showing vs. State
We all have dreams. Often, they go unfulfilled.
Sometimes, though, they’re dropped right in your lap.
That was the case for Texas A&M linebacker Scooby Williams.
On his best day as an Aggie — perhaps as a college football player — Williams realized his dream last Saturday when Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr., under pressure, threw an interception right to him.
It was Williams’ first interception of his career. He returned the pick 32 yards, which led to a 6-yard Amari Daniels touchdown run that gave A&M a 21-10 lead. Of course, the Aggies went on to prevail, 34-24.
Williams said he spent time in his apartment last week planning what to do if he got an interception.
“It was crazy. Earlier in the week at the crib, I’d be doing stuff like: What am I going to do if I catch a pick? What am I going to do if I scoop and score?” he said. “Then it happens. The only thing going through my mind was coach (Mike) Elko screaming ‘ball security,’ so I was just trying to make sure I ain’t fumbling that thing and give it back to my offense.”
Williams didn’t want to give the ball back to the A&M offense. He’d rather have scored but came up 28 yards short.
“It was supposed to go for six (points),” he said. “I had some plans (to celebrate), but they kind of got messed up. If I catch another one, y’all going to see.
"During the play, I was supposed to make another cut, make a spin move 'cause I’m really supposed to be a receiver. That’s what I’ll be telling myself. I had to display that when I caught my pick but didn’t get to.”
The interception was the most outstanding of many great plays he turned in.
Williams also had six tackles, two for lost yardage and broke up another pass. He stopped Mississippi State running back Davon Booth cold on fourth-and-1 at midfield to end any hopes the Bulldogs had of staging a late comeback.
For his effort, coach Elko said Williams was named the team’s defensive player of the week.
“I thought he really impacted the game,” Elko said. “The interception and the fourth-and-1 (tackle) were obviously two critical plays that he made.”
Williams, who last season played at Florida, was part of the group of transfers Elko brought in to bolster the lineup.
Elko called him an “unheralded” addition. Williams facetiously claimed he didn’t know what unheralded meant.
“I seen the interview when (Elko) said that,” Williams said. “I didn’t know what the word meant, so I had to go look it up on Safari. I kind of got the definition.
“I figured out what it meant. I really didn’t pay too much attention to it. Elko said it, so it had to be somewhat important.
“I sent it to my mama, and she loved the message.”
Aches and Pains
Sophomore right guard Chase Bisontis came up limping late in the Mississippi State game. He was wearing a walking boot on his left ankle after the game.
On Monday, Elko said Bisontis’ status is uncertain for the game against LSU on Saturday.
Elko said receiver Terry Bussey was “fine.” He said cornerback Jayvon Thomas is “good, but battling stuff that comes with wear and tear of football.”
Nic Scourton left the game vs. Mississippi State. Elko said Scourton was sick last week.
“He really didn’t get nutrition, hydration the way he needed to. He was having a hard time over the weekend keeping stuff down,” Elko said. “He was cramping in the game. He was cramping because he was ill, but he pushed through. He’ll be fine.”
Wishing Weigman
A&M quarterback Conner Weigman was rather erratic vs. Mississippi State.
He passed for 217 yards and a touchdown but also threw two interceptions. Two other passes were almost intercepted but dropped.
The first interception was thrown high and behind tight end Tre Watson. Mississippi State took possession at the A&M 47-yard line.
The second occurred on the first play of the fourth quarter. It gave Mississippi State the ball at the A&M 11-yard line.
“I think he had some plays he just wishes he had back,” Elko said. “Each one is each of its own. The first one, I don’t know if it slipped or sailed. It was hard to tell, but it certainly wasn’t an accurately thrown football.
“The second one was late. I think he just got out of whack with his progression on the other two that could have been picked.”
Elko didn’t seem overly concerned, though.
“But I also do think a piece of football is not every throw is going to be right,” he said. “I don’t know that you ever come out of a game without things to fix or correct.”
Workin’ Without Perkins
LSU lost star linebacker Harold Perkins to a season-ending injury during the Tigers’ Sept. 28 victory over UCLA.
Since then, LSU’s defense has arguably played better. The Tigers have allowed just 46 points in the last three games combined.
“I have a lot of respect for Harold. Harold is a great player,” Elko said. “I don’t mean this in a bad way, but they’ve obviously taken huge strides forward in the last two weeks. I don’t think that’s indicative of him not being there.
“When your best player or your most talented player goes down, sometimes everyone else elevates themselves around it. They’re playing really good football.
“(Linebacker Whit) Weeks has taken on the challenge of stepping into that role, and he’s been about as productive as a linebacker can be the last two weeks.”
Weeks, a sophomore, leads the SEC with 69 tackles. He has had 28 in the last two games and 39 in the last three.
NOTES
- Along with Williams, other Aggies honored as “players of the week” for their performances vs. Mississippi State were Trey Zuhn III (offensive lineman), receiver Jabre Barber (offensive player), defensive tackle Albert Regis and JACK Cashius Howell (defensive linemen) and linebacker Solomon DeShields (special teams).
- Junior safety Bryce Anderson, who hails from Beaumont, revealed that much of his family is from Louisiana. “Pretty much all of my family from my dad’s side is from Louisiana, so this game means a whole lot to me, definitely,” Anderson said.
