The light switch is flipped on at 7 a.m., but he’s outside before then.
Regardless of mother nature’s mood or yours truly not wanting to turn the doorknob, he stands in anticipation for a smile and a beverage. True freshman Jonah Williams is a regular guest at Smoothie King on the strip.
Every Monday, one can see the five-star offensive tackle approach the menu board with one thing on his mind: a 40-ounce strawberry hulk after a workout. It was the driving factor behind his 17.5 pounds gained in the offseason, improving his physicality to 305 pounds. While most would reinvent themselves after high school, the 6-foot-5 right tackle embraces his glory days. Whether it’s shirts, shorts or socks, nothing Williams wears has much to do with Alabama football. On the contrary, it has everything to do with his pride in California.
Folsom High School may be six hours from Los Angeles, but it has produced some incredible NCAA-caliber athletes. Prior to signing in the Crimson Tide’s 2016 class, Williams was a man-child on the front line for the Bulldogs. Folsom was a constant postseason fixture with Williams, including turning in an undefeated season in 2014 that culminated in a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Division I state championship.
The joy came on the heels of defeating Oceanside, 68-7.
His five-star rating came from smacking defensive players around, which led to Folsom outscoring opponents 915-166 by his junior year in 2014. The technique that’s made him a star at Alabama will be the same one to view Williams meet up against a quarterback that he protected for the Bulldogs, Washington’s Jake Browning.
Media personnel is enamored with him now, but Browning has been setting records since high school. He became the first player to total 60 touchdowns or 5,000 passing yards in three straight years.
The sophomore set national high school records in completions (1,191), yards (16,775) and scores (229), while being a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year for California (2014-15).
Both players are on a collision course to win their first national championship. Williams has blocked for one of the nation’s top offenses (40.5 ppg, 471.3 ypg), and Browning is the Pac-12’s third-best passer with 3,280 yards and 42 touchdowns to seven interceptions. As game tape helps Alabama and Washington understand each other, Williams has used his study to aid his teammates in focusing on a solid Huskies front seven.
“Jonah Williams is in my ear talking when we watch football,” Ross Pierschbacher said. “He’s just in my ear saying ‘they ran this blitz or this stunt and they should have done this.’ It’s like watching film with Coach Keys.”
Following the media’s laughter, Pierschbacher commended the actions of the SEC’s Freshman of the Year, by stating that what Williams does makes him a great football mind.
“He loves the game and is just fun to be around,” he said.
When it comes to interaction between Williams and Browning, Pierschbacher said the two have talked and that Williams is excited about facing his former high school quarterback on the field. The Alabama-Washington semifinal game will mark the final contest in the Georgia Dome on Saturday, Dec. 31 in Atlanta.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
