USC transfer CJ Williams confident in Wisconsin’s offensive transformation: Q&A

USC switch CJ Williams picked up the telephone Friday evening a couple of minutes after he completed a name with Wisconsin offensive coordinator Phil Longo. A part of the dialog centered on curiosity different faculties had in poaching the prized huge receiver within the final days earlier than he was set to enroll in Madison.

Earlier within the night, Wisconsin landed its second huge receiver goal in two days, as Oklahoma State switch Bryson Inexperienced, the Cowboys’ second-leading wideout final season, joined Williams in committing to the Badgers. Others wished to know if Williams — a four-star prospect and top-10 huge receiver within the 2022 class from Mater Dei Excessive Faculty in California — had considerations about whether or not he would earn sufficient alternatives with the Badgers, who he selected over West Virginia.

“I’ve no sort of fear in my thoughts,” Williams mentioned. “On the finish of the day, I have a look at it like this: I have a look at it like we’re attempting to be the following huge receiver room of the Ohio State or the Alabamas or that LSU 2019 offense.

“We need to be the one when ESPN involves city, they have a look at each single receiver and are like, ‘This man might kill you on any given day and so they’re all going to be enjoying on Sundays.’ That’s really the last word objective I really feel like is to compete and outwork the following particular person in order that they arrive again and outwork you the following day. That’s simply the objective in my thoughts and the target.”

Beneath the course of Luke Fickell, the Badgers have introduced in 13 scholarship transfers — 9 on offense, together with three former four-star quarterbacks and 4 huge receivers. Within the interview, printed beneath, Williams not solely expresses nice confidence in his talents, but additionally in what he believes is feasible at Wisconsin as a part of Longo’s offensive transformation.

Editor’s be aware: This Q&A has been edited for size and readability.

Why did you find yourself selecting Wisconsin?

For me, I believe it’s household. I believe household is one phrase that’s overarching. I’m a California child. Raised out right here, born in Alabama in Tuscaloosa, however raised in California for almost all of my life. Getting away from dwelling, it’s totally different for positive, particularly if you went to school at dwelling for a 12 months. I used to be going forwards and backwards between college on the weekends through the spring and I used to be sort of residing the lifetime of what you’ll say is a homebody but additionally with the ability to be free by myself.

Once I went on this Wisconsin go to, I went on the West Virginia go to, I’ve been on a number of visits earlier than, whether or not it was Notre Dame or no matter, Texas, typically I obtained the sensation that it was nonetheless a go to. It didn’t really feel like dwelling to me on the finish of the day. It felt prefer it was one thing that I wasn’t at all times snug with.

I believe after I went to Wisconsin, it was extra like dwelling. Actually, it was. It felt like coach Longo, coach Fickell, (receivers) coach (Mike) Brown, they checked out me like their child and so they checked out me like somebody they wished to develop from a younger man standpoint and from an instructional standpoint and in addition from a soccer participant standpoint. I believe that’s actually necessary.

After which additionally simply the gamers I used to be round whereas on my go to. There have been solely two gamers there (Cam Massive and Ross Gengler). However they had been simply so purchased into the truth that Wisconsin is such an awesome place with nice folks. It sort of made me really feel like it is a close-knit place for me. I believed I slot in there fairly nicely.

What did Phil Longo inform you about how he sees you becoming into the offense?

We now have a relationship that I really feel like it is a man I can belief, a man that’s going to place me in the perfect scenario to succeed. I believe that was the best factor for him on the finish of the day. He’s going to provide me a chance to go win that No. 1 receiver spot or earn the No. 2, earn enjoying time. He’s going to provide me a chance to do no matter I need and no matter my means permits me to do.

And the identical factor with coach Brown. They’re going to place me ready to succeed. No matter comes from that, comes from that. I believe for them I’ll be enjoying significantly outdoors receiver but additionally have the flexibility to maneuver to the within, which they see as very beneficial in his offense. Creating mismatches and matchup issues in order that the protection can by no means double you or simply single you out.

What do you suppose you do nicely as a large receiver that you just’re bringing to Wisconsin?

I believe my greatest factor and my greatest accomplishment is I do the little issues proper, whether or not it’s contested catches, taking angles, studying coverages. I love to do the little issues. And that manner the massive issues, if I do the little issues proper, the man in entrance of me I’m going to kill him as a result of I already know to that time I out-studied you within the movie room, I outworked you coming into the season or coming into this sport and I’m simply extra aggressive than you. In order that’s sort of what I deliver is my aggressive nature.

I deliver a distinct sort of means than you’ll say anyone else within the room sort of has. I believe it’s my route savvy that I deliver and all these various things. I’m a wise soccer participant that performs the sport the suitable manner and performs it to win. I believe that’s an important factor.

What are your impressions of Luke Fickell?

I like coach Fickell. Clearly, he’s the top coach, however he’s extra involved with the protection and I perceive that. I like guys which are tradition guys. That’s my greatest factor. Popping out of highschool, I went to a highschool that was very wealthy in tradition. It was a Catholic college. It was large on being an excellent particular person and simply doing the suitable factor.

I believe he’s precisely like that and precisely like me in that sense. That’s what you sort of seek for when you’ve gotten a head coach and also you’re searching for the following place to go so far as whether or not it’s popping out of highschool or within the switch portal.

I need coach Fickell to be one in all my greatest followers outdoors of simply my dad and mom and my household. And I additionally need my huge receiver coach to be one in all my greatest followers and my OC to be one in all my greatest followers. I believe that’s necessary for everybody on the workforce. I believe coach Fickell needs to be our No. 1 supporter. And I really feel that manner with him.

How quickly after you entered the portal did you begin to think about Wisconsin or hear from the Badgers?

With my recruitment out of the portal, it was sort of bizarre. A rumor was leaked that I used to be going to leap within the portal I believe three days previous to me even delivering my papers or signing the papers. I do know it was a thought in my thoughts but it surely was leaked.

So I had a pair faculties hit me up. I wasn’t allowed to reply. They hit me up and I knew that they had curiosity simply because that they had hit me up, however I wasn’t formally within the portal. Wisconsin wasn’t in that first wave and that’s most likely as a result of they comply with the foundations higher than others. I used to be like, “Yo, Wisconsin, do you suppose they’ve some curiosity in me?” As a result of I used to be speaking to Nick (Evers) a bit of bit. He was like, “Dude, they love you. Belief me.”

The primary day, it was a Thursday I believe was after I jumped within the portal, I believe one of many first calls I obtained was coach Fickell introducing himself after which coach Longo. After which that evening, Thursday evening, we had been like, “Let’s scramble.” We scrambled to place a go to collectively for me to fly out Friday night. It was a fairly fast turnaround for me so far as after I jumped within the portal and Wisconsin turned a precedence.

So are you fairly aware of Nick Evers?

Yeah. Me and Nick, we’re shut really. Previous to this faculty soccer season, we performed collectively on the All-American Bowl. He was on the East workforce. I used to be on the West workforce. It was me, him and Cade Klubnik all sort of buddied up on the weekend.

Nick ended up getting COVID, so I didn’t get to see him play. However Cade had nice issues to say about him when he was away and in his room, which he instructed me. And in addition as an individual, I like him. Not simply that one or two nights that we spent collectively.

It’s arduous to disregard what Wisconsin has performed with its quarterback room. How a lot did the quarterback recruiting contribute to your resolution to need to be part of this?

For me, one of many greater issues is you have a look at the now and also you see, OK, they’ve obtained Tanner Mordecai. As a result of Tanner dedicated earlier than me. You’re like, “That’s good. That’s good for me proper now, however I nonetheless have two extra years of eligibility. What’s going to occur after Tanner goes to the league?” As a result of I’ve little question Tanner will put up loopy stats so as to go to the league on this offense. However what in regards to the future?

They get Nick Evers. After which they get the cat that they obtained this week (Braedyn Locke), and he was really on the go to with me. He’s an awesome man. The way in which they’re doing it’s the proper manner as a result of they’re getting guys that they’ll develop and so they’re going to take a seat behind Tanner after all, if Tanner wins the place.

Tanner goes to go on the market and do his factor, which I’ve little question he’ll. After which Nick and Braedyn are going to have the ability to battle it out for the following 12 months to place the workforce in the perfect place to compete and win. However I like the way in which they’re doing it. I believe it units it up nicely for the longer term, for younger receivers like me, guys which are approaching their second or third 12 months.

Williams was the No. 6 prospect in California in 2022. (Courtesy of Mater Dei Excessive Faculty soccer)

You had been a four-star participant and top-10 huge receiver in your class. That makes you the highest-rated receiver Wisconsin has ever gotten since these rankings started. Do you are feeling a way of desirous to dwell as much as that expectation in any respect?

Oh, 100%. I really feel like not solely to the folks in Wisconsin however to the folks that believed in me. I owe them lots due to how a lot perception they’ve put in me thus far and simply being that I’m within the place to go on the market and be one of many highest-rated receivers they’ve ever had and placed on for the state of California, be capable to placed on for the folks of Wisconsin, I believe it’s large time. I believe for me, sort of persist with my weapons, do what I do nicely and never let it recover from my head.

However on the identical time I additionally know I’m not going to be the highest-rated man they’re going to ever have as a result of I do know simply the way in which coach Longo does it and coach Brown, they’re going to get one other man. If I used to be a receiver popping out, a five-star man, I’d for positive take note of the College of Wisconsin, particularly with the numbers we’re going to place up this 12 months and the quantity of expertise I believe we’re going to supply.

I believe there’s an excellent shot I received’t be that man for a very long time. However simply within the now, it’s an excellent feeling. There’s stress there, however I’m able to dwell as much as it and grind my butt off after I rise up within the spring to place myself in the perfect place to succeed.

Did you’ve gotten an opportunity to speak to Bryson Inexperienced, the most recent huge receiver commit?

I’ve not been capable of speak to him. I knew previous to him committing that he was coming. They wished to let me know that. Not given that they wished to influence me or any sort of factor. They simply wished to be utterly clear, which I admire.

I believe proper now we’re taking a look at he could also be my roommate as a result of we’ll each get in there on the identical time, in order that’ll be cool. However I’m trying ahead to pushing him and him pushing me. I’ve heard he has a fairly good sport.

Lastly, what do you suppose is feasible for Wisconsin’s offense given what you recognize in regards to the gamers they’ve introduced in and coach Longo’s historical past?

It’s an offense that may be unstoppable. As a result of for those who have a look at it from an all-around perspective, we’ve obtained receivers. In my view we do. Lots of people would say these guys aren’t confirmed sufficient as different Large Ten guys, whether or not or not it’s Ohio State, Penn State guys, no matter. However I believe now we have the receivers to go on the market and placed on a present and unfold out that protection.

After which as soon as we unfold them out, we’ve obtained two operating backs in Chez (Mellusi) and Braelon (Allen)  that may take a yard off step one, hit the outlet and go. I believe the sky is the restrict for us, actually, and I’m excited to see what we are able to do that 12 months and I do know the protection goes to again us up each time we don’t carry out. However I doubt that’s ever going to occur.

(High picture: Courtesy of Mater Dei Excessive Faculty soccer)