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Redshirt junior defensive lineman Johnny Williams runs drills during the Lobo’s second season practice at University Stadium. Williams before playing coming onto the Lobos trained as an MMA fighter.

Redshirt junior defensive lineman Johnny Williams runs drills during the Lobo’s second season practice at University Stadium. Williams before playing coming onto the Lobos trained as an MMA fighter.

Football: Johnny Williams - unorthodox individual on and off the field

“I think he’s the first guy that I’ve ever coached that has a tongue ring ... he’s a unique guy,” said dead coach Bob Davie of defensive lineman Johnny Williams. He said it is just one of many interesting things that make Williams a renaissance man and “a real dude”.

The defensive lineman plays with a high motor all the time. Davie said he had to tell him three times during practice not to tackle guys in the no-contact drills. His personality appears to be just as intense as his play, perhaps even more.

Williams, 24, took a unique path on his way back to the football field and the classroom. He said he competed in MMA for three years at his hometown of Hemet, California.

Things changed when he lost two jobs and was unable to pay his gym membership any longer. The lessons he learned while training for MMA have served him well in making the transition, Williams said.

According to Williams, his passion for football has also burned inside of him and he saw an opportunity to use the game as a way to get back into school. He said people tried to convince him to get back on the field and in the classroom earlier, but it just wasn’t the right time.

“I mean, I took a different path. Everybody makes their own choices,” he said. “I had people pushing me to go back to school, pushing me to come play football. I didn’t want it ... I didn’t want it at all. But I grew up and I figured out what I needed to do.”

Davie said Williams is also quite the cook. The head coach said players call the d-lineman a culinary phenom and he frequently cooks meals for his teammates. Williams said cooking and getting together with the guys is just another way to bring the team together.

“I’m from California, so it has to be street tacos,” Williams said when asked about his favorite food. “Street tacos is where it’s at. Just give me some carne asada, a little cilantro and onions, some pico de gallo and I’m good.”

The defensive unit has come a long way since Davie was hired in November 2011 as the head coach. He said the team is now able to efficiently play man-to-man and that opens things up for them a great deal.

When a defense becomes familiar with personnel and play calls in a setting like spring practice, he said they should be able to step up and stop it. The head coach said the real test will come when they try to do that from week to week when the familiarity is no longer there.

Davie said the defense has culminated into a pressure team after over four years of putting it all together. He said that now is time for the defense to build on it and take the next step this fall.

Robert Maler is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers cross country, tennis, and track and field. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @robert_maler.

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