DT Nigel Williams Feels Healthy Enough to Rejoin Woody Baron, Just in Time for Senior Day in Lane

The Hokies should be back at full strength at DT against the Hoos.

[Virginia Tech Athletics \ Dave Knachel]

Coming into the season, Bud Foster's defense boasted a pair of experienced seniors at defensive tackle — yet, as so often happens, injuries have robbed the Hokies of that sort of continuity.

Indeed, an ankle injury has kept Nigel Williams off the field for most of the second half of the season. The redshirt senior last started against Syracuse, though he hasn't recorded a tackle since Tech's big win against UNC.

But now, Williams is poised to make his return for the Hokies just in time for his final game in Lane Stadium.

"Ankle's doing pretty well. It definitely was nagging," Williams said Monday. "Going through the past couple of weeks just working through the practices and in the training room, I definitely feel as if I can step up and produce for the team now. Feeling good in practice today, (and) all throughout last week. I'm feeling pretty confident in it."

With Ricky Walker and Tim Settle on hand to pick up the slack, Williams says he hasn't been too worried about any drop off at the position in his absence. But that doesn't mean he's enjoyed watching from the sidelines for a large part of his final year in Blacksburg.

"It's pretty tough. Just knowing this game, injuries happen," Williams said. "It's also good to know I have good guys behind me. Ricky Walker stepped up, Tim Settle came in big the past few weeks. It's pretty tough. Being a senior, you miss being out there with the guys. Still, I tried to go out there and lead them as best I could on the sidelines, in the weight room, in practice. Just making sure my presence is still there in a positive way."

Those ankle troubles aside, Williams is now poised to be reunited with Baron on the defensive line just in time for the team's biggest rivalry game of the year, and both DTs could make a statement against UVA — the Cavaliers have given up 35 sacks this season, bad enough to rank them 119th out of 128 teams in the FBS.

Given the seniors' history against the Hoos, it would seem they're relishing the chance to disrupt UVA's offense.

"It doesn't take much, you don't have to go far from Blacksburg to realize there's this tension between the two schools," Baron said.

While Baron is from Tennessee, he understands the rivalry with Virginia as well as Williams, who grew up watching the Hokies play the Cavs from his hometown of Richmond.

"UVA recruited me," Williams said. "Being from Richmond, I was always close to Mike London because they practiced right up the road from my house. I was always there growing up, watching them during camp and stuff. I had a pretty good relationship with Mike London and his staff."

Just don't try to paint him as a Virginia fan growing up.

"No, I would not say that," Williams said. "I grew up always watching Virginia Tech. Watching guys like Tyrod (Taylor), (Darrell) Tapp, John Graves. All those guys."

Foster expects that Baron and Williams will someday go down in Tech lore in the company of those elite DTs, in no small part due to their work ethics and willingness to steady the program through some tough years.

"I think it says something about them, their perseverance, and their willingness to buy in and it's been a group that's stuck together," Foster said. "It's a small group. A lot of the guys didn't hang on. It makes this a special group. They've seen good leaders, they've seen leaders that in their position that maybe not quite as good of team leaders and are maybe selfish guys. This group has been totally unselfish, totally team first, done a tremendous job of dealing with the change and have bought in and have been great leaders by example as much as they have with what they've done on the field."

Now, Williams, Baron and the rest of the seniors have a chance to earn Tech its first Coastal division championship in years, simply by doing what they've done for the last 12 years: beating UVA.

"At the end of the day, it's a feather in our cap from the standpoint of recruiting, I'd like to think," Foster said. "We've got two new staffs, basically, at both programs and both institutions. Obviously a win would be important to jumpstart and help us within the state as far as state."

Nigel Williams

ON HOW IMPORTANT IT HAS BEEN FOR HIM TO GET THE PROGRAM BACK TO A BETTER LEVEL:

"During my recruitment and everything, that's where we were. Going to the ACC Championship, just off the Sugar Bowl game. I remember watching those games growing up, being an in-state guy. I remember always working towards this the past few few years, just feeling how close we are right now is definitely a pretty big feeling. Especially to the guys I came in with that hadn't had that chance. Just playing for each other and pushing the younger guys to do the same has been an enjoyable process. Taking it one game at a time has helped out a lot. Just keeping focused on the task at hand. UVA game is a big game. Just looking forward to beating them and doing work this week to go 1-0."

ON WHAT HE EXPECTS FROM THE VIRGINIA OFFENSE:

"I think UVA has a really good team. Their record might not show it, but definitely watching film they work really, really well together. It looks like they've bought into the new program and stuff. It's gonna be a good game. The way they play for their coach and play for each other, as well. Definitely the last game of the season for them, as well. They have nothing to lose in this game. It's gonna be a lot of energy on both sidelines. Looking forward to playing our best and doing our best bringing it all together from all the stuff we've put in throughout the season. Just bring it all together for the last game of the year for the season."

ON IF VIRGINIA RECRUITED HIM AND IF HE CONSIDERED SIGNING THERE:

"UVA recruited me. Being from Richmond, I was always close to Mike London because they practiced right up the road from my house. I was always there growing up, watching them during camp and stuff. I had a pretty good relationship with Mike London and his staff. My high school coach knew Mike London, Jim Reed, Coach (Jeff) Hanson and all of those, so we were all pretty close. I think the biggest thing that brought me here was the family atmosphere. I felt that a little bit more here. That's what kind of drew me here more."

ON IF UVA OFFERED HIM:

"Yes."

ON IF HE HAS FRIENDS AT UVA AND IF HE'S CUT OFF TIES WITH THEM:

"Not so much anymore. I think a couple of guys I talked to in the past was Kwontie Moore. I got in touch with him just through high school football and basketball as well, but I think he graduated last year as well. All my ties are cut right now with UVA. Just focusing on beating them now."

Bud Foster

ON IF THERE'S ANY CONCERN WITH THE DEPTH OF THE DEFENSIVE BACK POSITION:

"There is. We'll address it this week a little bit more with some guys that were — we'll look at a couple spots when it's all said and done."

ON IF THERE ARE ANY NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCES IN BENKERT AND JOHNS:

"Johns has really only played this last game, started this last game. Which we've had experience with him before. They're gonna run their offense. Both kids can throw the ball well. I think the Benkert moves a little bit, has a little bit more mobility. Both are kids that are very capable and very similar in a lot of ways."

ON THE RIVALRY WITH VIRGINIA:

"Well obviously this game is big in a lot of ways. For us, since we've been in the ACC, it's obviously been big from the standpoint of we've been in this situation before that we're gonna be in Saturday, that we've had to win to win our division or we've had to win to have a chance to win the ACC. That makes this game, even over the years, that even makes this game a little larger than maybe it was, in my opinion, before we joined the ACC. In the past it was for bragging rights, it was for recruiting; it still has a big factor in that, I believe. I have a lot of respect for that program, for that place, and we've been fortunate to come up on the positive end more often than not here lately. At the end of the day, it's a feather in our cap from the standpoint of recruiting, I'd like to think. We've got two new staffs, basically, at both programs and both institutions. Obviously a win would be important to jumpstart and help us within the state as far as state recruiting."

ON THIS GROUP OF SENIORS:

"I've said it after the game and said it many times, I'm really proud of this group. They came in on the tail end of a couple back-to-back Coastal Division championships, and an ACC Championship and had expectations to go do that. Unfortunately we haven't had that opportunity until right now. I think it says something about them, their perseverance, and their willingness to buy in and it's been a group that's stuck together. It's a small group. A lot of the guys didn't hang on. It makes this a special group. They've seen good leaders, they've seen leaders that in their position that maybe not quite as good of team leaders and are maybe selfish guys. This group has been totally unselfish, totally team first, done a tremendous job of dealing with the change and have bought in and have been great leaders by example as much as they have with what they've done on the field. Just talking about their attitude in the weight room, their attitude around the other players and the coaches in the office and the weight room and those type of things, which carries over onto the field. But I'm happy for them and couldn't be more proud of a group of young men that's really stuck in there and done it the right way."

ON IF WOODY BARON IS A GUY HE POINTS TOWARDS FOR THE YOUNGER PLAYERS:

"No doubt. The one thing that Woody does, obviously he comes to work every day, and that's what's made him a better player. He takes coaching very well, he takes corrections well. He wants to improve. From that standpoint, when you're coaching him — and you can coach him hard — he wants to please and wants to be a good football player. He's a guy that obviously you see the result is from his effort and work ethic. Experience is a part of that, but a guy that's just steady Eddie since the day he's walked on campus, and a guy that brings it every day as far as wanting to sharpen the tools in his toolbox, so to speak. Or a guy that's wanting to improve his techniques and fundamentals every day. That's what we harp on. Let's go improve every day and master our trade, and that's what he's done. He's been a guy that, it's not surprising to me that he's had the type of year that he has because of his past and what his work ethic has put him into his spot. I just wish we had another year out of him. He's a guy that is a poster child for work ethic and being a consistent person and a consistent football player in all aspects of his life. As good a football player he is, he's an even better person. As a father, as a mentor, as a coach, whatever, that's one thing that makes you real proud. The type of young men, particularly that he is, the type of young men our seniors are."

ON IF HE'S EVER SEEN ANYONE QUITE LIKE SAM ROGERS:

"No. I don't like Sam Rogers, I love Sam Rogers. He'd be a great player wherever he went. I told him yesterday he would be a great linebacker, just because he would will himself to do that. Just a complete, competitive young man. On the field (he's) a non-stop ball of butcher knives. He just goes 100 miles an hour and if you're in his way, you're gonna pay the price. He's gonna execute and do the right things. He's a coach on the field; he wants to know everything. He could call the game from the running back spot or the quarterback. You talk about an unselfish guy. That goes back to this senior class. He's in the same boat as Woody that we talked about, Ken Ekanem, Nigel. Sam having the opportunity to compete against him every spring and every fall of camp, I don't know if there's a more competitive kid. I don't know if there's a more team-first oriented, caring kid than Sam that we've had in this program for a while. Just a special quality about him. And again, another guy, as good a football player he is — and he's gonna have an opportunity to go to the next level because of just who he is and his toughness and his being consistently good and his effort and work ethic — he's even a better person. And again, I'm proud to say that about all these seniors, and he's one of them. Been one of our top leaders from that standpoint."

ON IF BARON'S WORK ETHIC IS RUBBING OFF ON THE YOUNGER GUYS:

"I hope so. That's something that we'll point out, and we have pointed out. When you get it going, and we had it this way, I think the last few years I'd say our overall talent level, we've gotta get that back up to where we were to have great quality depth. Talking about secondary and those type of things. But when your good players, your best players have that kind of work ethic, that does rub off. There's a reason why you're successful. It just doesn't happen, you've gotta make it happen. Those guys, Woody, Sam Rogers, Nigel, Ken Ekanem on our side, those guys are work ethic guys and their success is because of that. It's a great tool for us and a great mechanism for us to use for these young guys. If you wanna be successful, this is the way you do it. This is what the game demands, but it's also these guys are great examples of how you can earn your success."

ON IF JUSTIN FUENTE HAS CAME TO HIM OR ANYONE ELSE ASKING ABOUT THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS GAME AND THE RIVALRY:'

"He hasn't really come yet. We talked a little bit about it as a staff yesterday. I think he talked to Coach (Frank) Beamer and asked him any advice, he said, 'Go practice well.' That's really what it's all about. This game, it's a great rivalry. It's a clean rivalry, that's the one thing that I think there's mutual respect both ways. On the field, you don't like one another at the time, but I think there's a mutual respect, or has been, from both sides. But at the end of the day, it's played between the lines and that's how we gotta do it. It doesn't do us any good to talk off the record, so to speak, in that type of thing. Obviously I think the game, particularly for guys that have been in this state, you take a guy like Coach Beamer, for example, grew up in the state of Virginia and knows what that rivalry is. Been that way since he's been a little kid. And you've got two guys in Justin Fuente and Bronco Mendenhall who are hearing about the rivalry. I think they'll see it once game time comes to place. Trust me, Coach Fuente, he understands what this is all about. I think he's ready to roll. We've talked a little bit. Like I said, he talked to Coach Beamer to try to get a little feel for what this is all about."

ON IF TERRELL EDMUNDS IS THE NUMBER THREE CORNER IN ESSENCE:

"Probably would be. We have Curtis Williams, who, Curtis has done a wonderful job on special teams and has done a great job as far as working the game and being ready for us to go play. But when it's all said and done, you wanna get your best 11 on the field. Terrell could play corner, and was a starting corner for us last year. Chuck (Clark) can play our rover and free spots, they're very, very similar. We just felt like that was our best matchup, particularly with Notre Dame's skill kids. They were very dynamic on the perimeter. We felt like that was just the best way to go."

ON IF ANY GAME AGAINST VIRGINIA STANDS OUT TO HIM:

"Not really, to be honest with you. I kind of remember the first one, to be honest with you. We got beat, and that kind of really set the tone for me of to the fans, how important this rivalry is to both programs. We've had a lot of great battles. Fortunately we've been on the positive side here lately. We're gonna have to go play well. Offensively, these guys do some unique things and have got some outstanding skill kids. I think (Taquan) Mizzell is playing as good of football and athletically is dynamic as anybody we'll see. They've got some quality receivers. They're always solid up front. We're gonna have to go play very, very well. We're looking forward to the opportunity. The one thing about this game, like I said, since we've been in the ACC, this game's meant a lot more to our success than it had prior to. They're all big when it's all said and done."

Woody Baron

ON IF IT MAKES IT SPECIAL THAT THE NINE SENIORS MADE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH:

"I would say it does. We've seen a lot of our classmates come and go for a host of different reasons. Just to be the group that stuck it out and was able to be here, it just makes it that much more special."

ON HOW HE'S APPROACHED EACH SEASON AS HE WAS TARGETED TO GET MORE PLAYING TIME EACH SEASON:

"Going into each season, my freshman year, just like my senior year, I approach it as I'm a starter. Any play, somebody could get injured, unfortunate for them, but you can be thrown in the fire. Throughout the summer, I just try to be realistic with myself. Look at the film, look at what you struggle at, and try to turn your weaknesses to your strength."

ON WHO MENTORED HIM EARLY IN HIS CAREER:

"There's been so many great players who've been in front of me since I've been here. When I first got here, Derrick Hopkins was in front of me. Luther Maddy was here for the past two, three years. Corey Marshall, just a natural-born playmaker. Great examples that I could look at. It was easy to see how to do it if you want a chance."

ON IF TENNESSEE OFFERED HIM:

"No, I never got an official offer."

ON WHAT BROUGHT HIM TO VIRGINIA TECH:

"My uncle (Jim Baron), I grew up watching my uncle and grew up a Hokie fan. I had a list of things that I wanted out of my college experience. None of them are promised, no matter where you go. Nothing's promised to you. But I saw an opportunity to get a great education, to be able to become a Hokie, I had watched Coach Foster and the defenses over the years, just being able to be a part of that. The opportunity to be as good as I wanted once it was my turn on the field, I just saw all that room for opportunity here. It was a great choice for me."

ON IF HIS UNCLE PRESSURED HIM TO COME HERE:

"No pressure. He gave me the respect of knowing that it was my opinion and my situation. He kind of gave me the car keys in that sense of the matter. I was a Hokies fan from early on."

ON IF HE EVER HAD A WELCOME TO THE RIVALRY MOMENT AGAINST UVA:

"It doesn't take much, you don't have to go far from Blacksburg to realize there's this tension between the two schools. There's a great respect off the field, I think, between the two teams and vice versa. The first time I played them was at their place. The first play of the game, it wasn't overly hard, but I could feel contact and I could feel that both teams really wanted to win. I knew that this was something important to not only the guys from Virginia who had grown up watching this rivalry, but everybody on the team like myself."

ON IF HE FEELS THE PRESSURE TO CONTINUE THE STREAK OF WINS:

"I wouldn't say pressure. This rivalry's been going on long before I got here, and it will continue long after I'm gone. We just want to go 1-0 this week and wanna beat a good Virginia team so we can continue our season."

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