Q: Along with Avon Cobourne, you were one of the Ticats big-name signings this off-season. Why did you sign with Hamilton?
RW: A couple of reasons. One, Joe Womack. He’s the reason why I’m here in the CFL in the first place. He called me and he can pretty much talk me into anything. Two, it’s closer to home, closer to my family. It just felt like the right fit in Hamilton.
Q: The Cats are in Winnipeg this week taking on the first place Bombers. Their running back, Fred Reid, is second in the CFL in rushing and leads the league in rushing attempts. What’s your scouting report on him?
RW: You know what? The thing about Fred is he’s not one of those down hill, hit the hole type of runners. He’ll run anywhere. If the play is supposed to go to the right side, he might end up kicking it back out to the left side. We have to get all 12 guys to the ball and wrap him up. We don’t want him to have an impact on the outcome of the game. We want to make them one dimensional.
Q: The Ticats defence, as an entire unit, had a good showing against the Bombers in week one, even though Hamilton ended up with the ‘L’. What is one thing the defence has to do better this time around?
RW: We need to make plays. I know I missed a play or two, some plays that might have helped us win that game. So, we have to focus on the opportunity to make a play, then make that play and go hard the whole game.
Q: Speaking of Winnipeg, everyone is talking about Swaggerville, the name the Bombers defence has given themselves. If you had to come up with a name, what are you calling the Tiger-Cats defence?
RW: It’s hard to sum up our defence with one word or term. I can’t think of anything catchy. I’d just say we’re angry. We got some angry people on this defence. Starting with number 25. He’s very upset. And Hickman too. Very upset (laughs). I don’t think there’s one word out there that could describe us because we all bring something different.
Q: You’re a New York guy born and raised and you stayed in-state and went to school at Hofstra. What was it like coming to Canada to play in the CFL back in 2007?
RW: It was different. First, the game was different. Some of the rules you have to get used to. The three downs, the speed, the play clock. It’s more of a special teams game and a passing league. But I’ve enjoyed it. And Canada is beautiful.
Q: Your son was here in Hamilton for a couple of weeks earlier this month, helping out with the team and working with you on some of his skills after practices finished. Is he going to be a football player?
RW: He’s 13 years old, just a freshman in high school. The only sport he likes is football. Actually, I’ve been trying to get him to play some different sports like baseball. He can’t stand basketball. He runs some track, but football is his thing. So, if he’s smarter than his dad, he won’t play football (laughs), but if not, then we’ll see. Maybe he’ll try and follow in my footsteps.
Q: You’ve got sideline to sideline speed, you’re always flying to the ball and you aren’t afraid to stick your nose in there after a play ends and get in the other team’s ear. You bring a lot of intensity to this defence. Where does that style of Rey Williams football come from?
RW: I’ve always been a run to the ball, high energy, high effort guy since college. It’s sort of natural. I was a running back in high school, so I bring that style to the defensive side of the ball. I’ll tell you where I got the vocal part from. Coach Mike Singletary when I was playing for him in San Francisco. He really gave shape to my game. The way I play is because of that man. Running, intensity on every play, give it all you got style of football, all game. Because you never know when it’s going to be your last.
Q: You mentioned Markeith earlier. What is it like playing in the middle of Knowlton and Jamall Johnson, anchoring the Cats linebacking corps?
RW: It’s all trust. I trust them. I try and make every play, but if I don’t make it, I know they’re going to make it. I can play my gap and do my job and not have to worry about if the ball bounces outside, that the play isn’t going to get made. I know they’ll make that play every time. They are the two best linebackers in the league.
Q: You and Stevie Baggs live together during the season. What is it like having him as a housemate?
RW: Stevie is a character. Anybody that knows him, knows he’s a piece of work. He’s a great guy, he always has something funny to say. He’s always upbeat and positive. He’s just fun to be around but he’s a jokester. At six o’clock in the morning he’ll be up making noise and at twelve o’clock at night he’s still be up making noise. Bottom line, he’s a good guy to be around.
Q: This is your first season in Hamilton, but the way you have instantly become a leader in this squad makes it feel like you’ve been a Tiger-Cat your whole career. What do you attribute that to?
RW: I think it’s just age. As you get older, you mature. When you’re younger you sit back and you’re quiet and you just follow along with everybody. But when you’re older, you’ve got younger guys looking up to you. I’ve been around a lot of vets that showed me how to be a professional football player and now that I’m at that age that they were, I have to teach those younger guys. This is Tiger-Cats football.
