Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545675
A U G U S T 2 0 2 6 6 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / D E F E N S I V E L I N E M E N / / / / / / / said Williams, who ultimately signed with Oregon to be a member of its 2021 recruiting class. "He bounced around then and ended up at UCLA. At that time, I had com- mitted to Oregon, but when I ended up transferring from Oregon, I saw that Malloe was at UCLA, and we connected again. We've had a great relationship ever since." Despite those ties, Williams was ini- tially hesitant about whether it was worth even pursuing another season of college football. After redshirting his first year with the Ducks, he played one more season in Eugene before transfer- ring to UCLA ahead of the 2023 cam- paign. He started 10 of 13 games that first year with the Bruins. However, just two games into the 2024 campaign, Williams suffered an injury that forced him to miss the rest of the season. He rebounded in 2025, starting 11 games and totaling 39 tack- les. It was an encouraging performance, but the Bruins had gone 3-9 and he came away from the season feeling ambivalent about whether to pursue a medical redshirt that would grant him one final year of eligibility. It seemed his long career had finally come to an end. But after a few weeks passed, Wil- liams decided to at least file the paper- work to see if the NCAA would grant his request for an extra season. "I was kind of debating whether I wanted to do another year of school or not because I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get a medical redshirt at the time," Williams explained. "But then, I actu- ally ended up getting approved to play another year." As soon as Malloe learned Williams would have another season available, he immediately made his pitch. "Coach [Malloe] hit me up right away and was like, 'Hey, big fella, I think it'd be a good thing for you to come out to Penn State. I think you just need to give it a look,'" Williams recalled. "He wanted me to just see what it is because Matt Campbell has a real good thing going on right now. Between the players and staff, he was saying there was noth- ing but good energy." A Different Perspective For Williams, hearing that mes- sage from someone he trusted carried weight. It also didn't hurt that new PSU defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn was with UCLA in 2023. Even so, he needed to see State Col- lege for himself before committing to another season. UCLA had played at Penn State in 2024, but Williams didn't make the trip because he had been in- jured a few weeks earlier. When he fi- nally did get to check out the town and campus in person, he came away im- pressed. "I loved the college feel," he said. "I got out there and I'm like, 'Yeah, there's no reason for me to keep visiting schools. I'm familiar with Malloe, I'm familiar with D Lynn. There's no reason for me not to be here.'" Because Williams had spent his entire life on the West Coast, the trip to State College gave him a different perspec- tive. Not only could he play the game he loves another season, but it also pro- vided him with an opportunity to step out of his comfort zone and grow as a person. "I've never been this far east, and so I'm really looking forward to it, knowing I have so much to experience in such a short amount of time," Williams said. "I'm really excited to try and take ad- vantage of everything I can here." Williams went on to add, "It's a place where you can lock in on ball, but at the same time, there are a lot of other things to do. For me, I really like that I can network here. You're in the middle of all these major cities." The football side of the equation also helped. Penn State's facilities, resources and game-day atmosphere sold them- selves. "I loved it," he said. "I love the fa- cilities. Everything is all new. I saw all of that. The stadium is second to none. I've never seen a stadium like that be- fore. It's just a good vibe with great peo- ple and great energy." On top of that, Williams also said the lure and mystique of playing for a pro- gram of the Nittany Lions' caliber was something he couldn't pass up. "This is just Penn State. I can't turn down the logo," he said. "I can't turn down what this place has to offer from a football [standpoint]. I wanted to be a part of this, and I can't wait to be a part of it." For many transfer portal players, fi- nancial opportunities often dominate the public conversation. Williams ac- knowledged that those realities exist throughout college football, but he also stressed that his priorities centered on people and long-term relationships. "I want a connection. I want to be part of a group of guys that want to win," he said. "I want to be part of an alumni base that can help me outside of football. "Obviously, aside from the money and what everyone thinks it's all about, this is one of the better staffs that I've been around. Just seeing how much they really care about these people, that's something I want to be a part of." That admiration begins with Camp- bell. Although the first-year head coach is still building his foundation at Penn State, Williams came away impressed by the culture that Campbell and his staff immediately established. "He's just very transparent," Williams said. "He's very real and is a genuine person who cares about people. A lot of people say it, and a lot of people think they do that, but you can just tell when someone is real." "This is just Penn State. I can't turn down the logo. I can't turn down what this place has to offer from a football [standpoint]. I wanted to be a part of this, and I can't wait to be a part of it." W I L L I A M S