It was 7 a.m., and Fremont Excessive’s Andrew Williams was sleeping at his grandmother’s home in South Los Angeles when she woke him as much as inform him a USC soccer coach wished to talk to him on her cellphone earlier than he went to highschool.
Williams will always remember that second on Feb. 12. Defensive position coach Eric Henderson was calling to formally provide him a scholarship to play for the Trojans.
“You don’t believe it until you see it,” he mentioned. “When he told me in his tone and how serious he was, I knew it was real. It was destiny calling. It took me a couple hours to reflect what was going on. I was stunned.”
By lunch time within the college quad, whereas surrounded by mates and classmates, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Williams was calling Henderson to inform him, “I’m ready to become a Trojan.”
Henderson replied, “Hold on. I have someone who wants to speak to you.”
Coach Lincoln Riley joined the known as.
“He said, ‘We’re so excited to have you here.’ It was genuine,” he mentioned.
Fremont Excessive senior Andrew Williams has proven his versatility as a defensive finish, tight finish and fullback.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Instances)
Williams was so unknown within the recruiting world earlier than committing to USC final February that he mentioned, “I wasn’t mentioned by any recruiting sites. I had no stars. Honestly it didn’t make me feel any different. I was the same player before the stars and without the stars. Most people still don’t know about me.”
He mentioned a three-touchdown, 10-tackle efficiency as a junior in opposition to L.A. Jordan final fall whereas enjoying fullback, defensive finish and receiver caught the eye of Colorado State assistant Chad Savage, who later joined USC as an assistant.
Recruiting gamers from inside metropolis Los Angeles was once a precedence for USC and UCLA. Fremont grad Ricky Bell, a star working again for USC, has his identify on the Pathfinders’ stadium. Fremont grad Mark Bradford was a star receiver at Stanford. Crenshaw has despatched quite a few gamers to USC and UCLA. Dorsey’s head coach, Stafon Johnson, was a standout working again for the Trojans.
However a drop in expertise within the Metropolis Part has made figuring out potential success tales harder. Williams, who has a 3.8 grade level common and plans to graduate in December, mentioned he hopes to be a part of the beginning of a rebirth in championing gamers from the inside metropolis.
“I’m comfortable with people looking up to me,” he mentioned. “Somebody in the city is actually doing it. Just as I can do it, so can you.”
He doesn’t doubt the highway forward stays tough.
“I feel I was one of the least privileged kids,” he mentioned. “To have the opportunity I’m doing now. … If I was another 6-5 kid that wasn’t from South Central, I would have been known. They would have shot me up the rankings. They don’t show that in the city I love. That’s cool. That’s for them to keep sleeping on us.”
Residing 10 blocks from Fremont together with his grandmother since he was 7, Williams mentioned he didn’t uncover soccer till his freshman yr. He mentioned he had an excessive amount of free time till reaching highschool and discovering one thing to deal with.
“Have you heard the saying, ‘People get stuck and lost in the system?’ People become a product of their environment,” he mentioned. “I needed time to figure my way out. I came to a realization when I came to high school that something was going to have to happen.”
Together with his top, athleticism — he can dunk — and agility — he additionally ran monitor — USC will watch him this fall to see whether or not his place shall be tight finish or defensive finish. He’s a uncooked, intriguing prospect with a number of room to turn into stronger.
First-year Fremont coach Derek Benton was the coach at Jordan final season when Williams had his huge recreation.
“He made his mark against me, then I knew and heard about him and it was one of the attractions coming here,” he mentioned. “I’m very impressed with Andrew as a person.”
All Williams wished was a chance to get a level in school. He needs to review communications and find out about sports activities broadcasting. He mentioned he didn’t want to go to a number of faculties or search consideration from social media. The USC provide was sufficient.
“Football teaches you can’t expect results without work,” he mentioned. “People expect things in life, but they don’t put the work in. That’s a lesson football teaches you. It teaches unity, leadership, how to treat others.”
He has been rewarded for making good selections and surrounding himself with individuals who wish to see him succeed. All he’s ever wished was an opportunity to show himself.
“I’m doing my thing,” he mentioned.
