Damien Williams – November 16, 2017
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Thursday, November 16, 2017
Running Back Damien Williams
(How would you assess the mood of the team after having lost three straight?) – “I feel like everybody, if you look around, everybody is still kind of the same – laughing, playful. I think everybody is still in it.”
(How important is it to have that kind of mindset?) – “It’s very important. I’ve been on teams where if you lose two games, everybody thinks it is downhill from there. I feel like we have the right guys in here who have the right mindset to come here every day to keep working and wanting to get better.”
(Are you one of those guys that keeps people up?) – “I’d like to think so. (laughter)”
(Your personality kind of speaks for itself but is it something that can be helpful in times like this when you’re going through a tough spot?) – “Oh, for sure. I feel like guys look for energy, wherever it comes from, whether it’s a coach, whether it’s from the housekeeping guy that’s always here, ‘Hugh’ (Hubert). He’s a good guy. At the end of the day, you just need guys who have that energy that I can feed off of that.”
(How do you manage to stay upbeat yourself?) – “I guess I love what I do. This is my profession. If I don’t love what I do, then how would I come here and want to get better?”
(Has that been something that’s been the case your entire football life, that you’re always that upbeat guy?) – “I think if you ask anybody who knows me, they would tell you that’s Damien. That’s just who he is. That’s just me.”
(Where does that come from?) – “I don’t know. I can’t really tell you. That’s just who I am.”
(Is that why you’re so happy that the celebration rules have been relaxed?) – “For sure. I don’t have to worry about that fine (any) more. At the end of the day, they see that we want to have fun and it makes the game (more fun) when we’re out there celebrating with each other with the fans or whatever it is. It’s fun.”
(What kind of challenge has it been for you to still do your special teams work and then split duties at running back with RB Kenyan Drake?) – “I feel like I’ve kind of had that role since my rookie year. I’ve always kind of been thrown in the mix in offense and I have a big role on special teams, so now it’s kind of split half and half. I’ve been doing it since my rookie year, so I kind of know how to prepare and kind of how to separate the two.”
(One thing that I think we touched on last year when you and I were talking was how you managed to make the most of the opportunities that you get, the touchdowns to touches ratio you had last year. Can you describe the pride you take in maximizing that?) – “I feel like once any coach throws you on the field, they’re letting you know and the organization is letting you know that they trust you. Once you get on that field, it’s what you do with your opportunity. Every opportunity I get, I like to take it to the fullest because who knows when that will be the last time.”
(What was your mindset when you first came in here as an undrafted free agent? Offensive Coordinator Clyde Christensen was talking earlier today how he noticed it right away that there was something about you.) – “Just being undrafted and feeling like and knowing that I should have been drafted. At the end of the day, that’s all behind me. I always kept that dog in me – that underdog in me – that you don’t have to see me, you don’t have to hear me, but I’m going to be there at the end of the day.”
(What about in terms of starting and not starting? One thing that Head Coach Adam Gase said today is at least from the coach’s standpoint, is that they don’t put a lot of stock into which running back starts because both of you are going to get opportunities. For you, maybe you look at it differently. I don’t know.) – “I feel like how the game goes on – because I’m still on special teams and a lot of it – I feel like the coaches do a good job of kind of mixing us in in different game situations and certain downs. I feel like they’re doing good at rotating us.”
(How have you and RB Kenyan Drake’s camaraderie developed the last two weeks being that you’re both kind of doing the split backfield in the game together? How has it changed?) – “I feel like nothing has really changed since Day 1. The running back room and how we are, we’ve always been close, whether it’s here or outside of here. We’re always together; we’re always on the phone. We’re always talking, period. I don’t see how we haven’t gotten tired of each other yet, to be honest. (laughter)”
(What did you see on RB Kenyan Drake’s 66-yard run?) – “I was … If you watch film or the TV copy, I’m the 12th man on the field. We could have gotten a penalty. (laughter) I’m running full speed right behind him. As soon as he turned around, I was there.”
(Since you’ve been here, there have been a few running backs that have come and gone and you’re now the longest tenured guy at the position. How do you describe the feeling of still being here?) – “It’s a great feeling. At the end of the day, I’ve seen a lot of guys come through here and I’ve been close with them. Every guy that has come through here, whether they were here – I’ve seen a guy come here for a day – but at the end of the day, our group is so welcoming to whoever comes through. At the end of the day, whoever comes through – we’ve got Senorise (Perry), we’ve got ‘D-Smit’ (De’Veon Smith) – ‘D-Smit’ was an undrafted guy. Senorise was an undrafted guy. And we’re all here.”
(On comparing rushing averages with RB Kenyan Drake) – “No, we don’t ever look at averages. At the end of the day, it’s always a competitive thing with us. I let him know that … Obviously, he’s faster than me; but I let him know, ‘If you slip up, I’m going to be in front of you. So just know that.’ There’s always something competitive with us.”
