The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/603303
aside, it makes you want to work harder," Williams said. "In spring ball, I had just run a stick route, and Coach Harbaugh said, 'A.J., I think you need to lose some weight.' I thought, 'I probably do.' I kept work- ing on it, kept fighting that battle. "I'm a late snacker, so for me it was getting rid of that mindset because that was a big problem for me. I live with a lot of skill position guys and when they want the wings, I have to get grilled chicken … no soft drinks, drink a lot of water." Little by little, the weight came off — Williams is presently at 275. His speed increased, his confidence grew, and he expected more from himself, devoting extra time to his playbook and going all-out in every drill. With a revamped attitude — evi- denced by a newfound svelte look — he gained his coaches' trust. "He's done things he needed to do to be more of a threat in the pass game," said tight ends coach Jay Harbaugh, who noted Williams has evolved in nuanced ways. "It's hav- ing a good understanding of what we're trying to accomplish and get- ting rid of the mental clutter. Just thinking faster and reacting. It's having confidence in the timing of routes, knowing you'll be able to get your depth and trusting you don't need to rush or alter the route be- cause you think you're not going to get there in time. That happens to a lot of guys. "It's fascinating because I'm not really sure what it is exactly. You just hope it clicks like that with every- body, just in terms of playing the game at the very top speed they're capable of." PROVING HE CAN CATCH THE FOOTBALL During his career at Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, Williams caught just three total balls, going without a reception his senior season when he moved permanently to of- fensive tackle. In his first season at Michigan, he appeared in 13 games as a reserve tight end but did not catch the ball. In his sophomore year, he started six of his 11 appearances and had one grab — a two-yard touchdown in a 24-21 loss to Iowa — while he made four catches for 33 yards during the 2014 campaign. Harbaugh arrived and figured to feature the tight ends prominently, but Williams was consistently left out of preseason discussion (from the media and fans) that instead focused on junior Jake Butt, redshirt sopho- more Khalid Hill, redshirt freshman Ian Bunting and even true freshman Tyrone Wheatley Jr. "For so many years, I've been doubted in the receiving aspect," Williams said. "To show people, to prove people wrong, you have to be- lieve it helped me become the player I am." Williams caught some passes in fall camp, but admitted he's always tallied receptions in preseason prac- tice. He might have even seen action early in previous years, but after a few games he faded and was thrust back into the blocking role that de- fined him.