Former NFL defensive lineman Davern Williams hired to complete Buddy Stephens’ EMCC football coaching staff

SCOOBA – Head coach Buddy Stephens has completed his 2014 East Mississippi Community College football coaching staff with the addition of former NFL defensive lineman Davern Williams as an assistant coach.  The hiring has been approved by EMCC President Dr. Rick Young and EMCC Vice President/Director of Athletics Mickey Stokes.

A native of Montgomery, Ala., and a former defensive standout at Troy University, Williams is charged with coaching the Lions' defensive line.

Selected in the seventh round by the Miami Dolphins in the 2003 NFL Draft, Williams most recently spent the 2013 football season as an assistant coach at Murray State University.  Prior to that, he worked four seasons at fellow OVC member Jacksonville State University.  Serving as Jack Crowe's defensive line coach at JSU, Williams helped produce at least one All-OVC defensive lineman during each of his four years with the Gamecocks, including 2011 NFL free agent signees Monte Lewis and Torrey Davis.

Helping to maintain JSU's defensive dominance during his stint at the Jacksonville, Ala.-based school, Williams was a part of the Gamecocks' 2011 Ohio Valley Conference championship coaching staff.  The year prior, Jacksonville State posted one of the most successful seasons in the school's Division I history with a 9-3 overall record, No. 2 regular-season national ranking and a second-round appearance in the NCAA playoffs.

After kicking off his collegiate coaching career with a two-year stop at Huntingdon College in his hometown of Montgomery, Ala., Williams spent the 2008 campaign on Mike DuBose's coaching staff at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss.  During his lone season at the school, the Majors went 11-1 overall and ranked 25^th nationally in scoring defense. 

Upon getting drafted as the No. 248 pick overall in 2003, Williams spent his debut pro season with the Dolphins on injured reserve with a shoulder injury before being picked up as a free agent signee by the New York Giants the following year.  He saw action in three games during an injury-plagued 2004 season, including one start, totaling seven tackles.

Following a successful prep career at Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery, Williams signed with Auburn University and played sparingly during the 1998 season.  He then transferred to Troy University, where he was teammates with current EMCC defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley on head coach Larry Blakeney's squad.  As a three-year starter for the Trojans, Williams was credited with 164 career tackles, including 19.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks, 30 quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception.

While earning his bachelor's degree in sports fitness management at Troy, Williams earned All-Southland Conference honorable mention honors as a sophomore member of the Trojans' 9-3 squad that made the 2000 NCAA I-AA playoffs.    After collecting 59 total tackles as a sophomore, he was credited with a career-most 61 total stops during his junior year.  As a senior, Williams teamed with current NFL defensive veterans Osi Umenyiora and DeMarcus Ware, as the Trojans ranked fourth nationally in total defense in their first season as a full NCAA I-A member.

A three-time all-metro selection at Jeff Davis High School, Williams helped lead the Volunteers to the 1996 Class 6A state championship as a junior after a state runner-up finish the year prior.  As a prep senior, Williams was tabbed the Montgomery Advertiser's Class 6A Player of the Year.  He capped his productive high school career by participating in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic.