Fraser Caldwell
Ticats.ca
Chris Williams is only one touchdown removed from joining elite Ticat company.
But the most encouraging thing for fans of the Black and Gold is that – as a sophomore – he can only get better.
With 14 trips to the end zone on the season thus far, Williams needs only one more to tie Hamilton’s single-season record for touchdowns set by Tony Champion in 1989 and matched by Ronald Williams in 1999 and 2000.
It’s a remarkable milestone for the second-year receiver to size up, particularly as he still has room to improve as a player.
“Reading coverages and having the confidence to run routes to get himself open and get his teammates open – the sky’s the limit for this guy and I don’t think he’s even halfway there,” says Ticat quarterback Henry Burris of his primary target.
The physical assets at Williams’ disposal are obvious – a blinding top speed and the ability to shift gears quicker than a finely-tuned sports car – but it is in his mental approach to the game of football that the receiver continues to evolve.
“Each year and each game, he’s becoming a much better manager of the game,” says Burris of Williams. “He’s been able to see things on the run and read coverages. The game has really slowed down for him.”
“He’s got the physical tools to be one of the best ever. But now you’re seeing him mentally have growth and be able to see things happen before they do.”
Williams is not one to brag or to revel in his achievements. Drawing the acknowledgement that he’s done something special this season is akin to pulling teeth.
But even the humble receiver must admit that he has improved by leaps and bounds over what was already a sterling rookie season a year ago. Ever one to defer praise, Williams credits the group around him in Hamilton for spurring competition and raising his game.
“We’re working hard,” says the receiver. “We’ve got so many good people here and so many good players as well.”
“The competition is high and we’re starting to get better. I do my part just like everybody else does.”
One man Williams will praise readily is Burris, who has been at the centre of so many of his touchdowns this season.
“He knows so much about this league and knows so much about this offence,” says the receiver of his quarterback. “He’s always putting us in positions to succeed.”
“Definitely, a huge part of the success goes to him.”
The two have worked to develop an understanding this year, the sort needed between a quarterback and his star receiver. Burris suggests that a series of plays from last week’s visit to Calgary illustrate how far they have come together.
Burris fired out a pass intended for Williams on the first play of the second quarter, but was intercepted after under-throwing the route. The two players convened in the wake of the play and decided that the mistake could be avoided with a quicker release.
So on their second attempt, Burris let go of the ball sooner and with more power behind it, only to see it over-shoot Williams and be knocked down by the Stampeder safety.
But the third time was the charm, with the two hooking up on the same go route for a 39-yard gain that set up the Ticats final field goal attempt.
“The last one that we had – with our communication and him seeing things the way they were happening – he told me to just put it up quick and put it on a line,” recalls Burris. “That’s how I threw it, and the next thing you know, we had a big play at a crucial point in time.”
“It’s just that growth that’s taken place with him that’s allowed him to see things and get a feel for what would help us to be successful with how the game’s progressing. If he’s telling me something, I believe in it and I’ll go back to him because I trust what he’s saying.”
That trust has paid dividends this season, and has Williams on the verge of making another entry in the Ticats record book.
“If it happens, it’s a blessing,” says the receiver of the potential for him to pass Champion’s touchdown total.”
“It’s just an honour to have a season like this.”
