From walk-on scout team to seasoned vet, Josh Williams excited for 2023

In the world of college football, there are stories that capture our hearts and inspire us. One such story is that of LSU running back, Josh Williams. From a walk-on player to a key contributor in the Tigers' running game, to being one of the most seasoned leaders in a deep running back room Williams has shown his determination and resilience throughout his journey.

A bit of an unheralded prospect coming out of Houston (TX) Kinkaid, Josh Williams wasn't getting the attention of a lot of college programs. He took unofficial visits to Texas, Rice, Oklahoma and Louisiana-Monroe and participated in camps at both Tennessee and USC in hopes of impressing the coaching staff to earn an offer. But those offers just didn't come.

Williams did get offers from Drake and Dayton but opted to attend LSU and join the program as a walk-on with no scholarship.

In 2019 LSU true freshman Josh Williams walked onto campus as a walk-on for the LSU football program and was nothing but accepting of his role on the scout team for that 2019 National Championship team. Walk-ons and scout team players are not typically the guys that get a lot of attention but being a hard-working unheralded figure was nothing new to Williams.

He put his head down every day and went to work. Showing up every day, battling through injuries and setbacks.

During that true freshman season, he didn't see any time on the field. But he would see an uptick in his usage year after year for LSU. During his redshirt freshman season, he played in ten games seeing time at running back and kick returns. He finished the season with 88 yards on 22 carries and had two kick returns for 37 yards but most important of all he was awarded a scholarship by then head coach Ed Orgeron and was officially a scholarship running back at LSU.

The next year as a redshirt sophomore he played in 13 games at running back and special teams with just 107 yards on 23 carries. It was during his junior season when he would break out having his most productive season yet as the starter at running back. In 2022 he led all running backs with 532 yards and six touchdowns and was nominated as team captain three times during the season.

Williams has come a long way from that young walk-on running around on the scout team. He prepares to enter the 2023 season as one of LSU's most experienced running back and has embraced a leadership role in LSU's crowded running back room.

When Williams met with media earlier this week, he painted the picture of how you can write his story from coming in as a walk-on and not knowing how things would turn out. He said you could probably write a book or movie based on his experiences.

I'd say all things considered, from the 5-foot-9, 180-pound senior at Kinkaid High School in Houston, to a now 203-pound seasoned SEC running back the way Josh Williams has written his own story, it could sell itself. But he's not done yet.

Entering 2023, he continues to embrace being a leader on the field and while fall camp indications are that LSU could open things up with a running back by committee approach, Williams still puts the team first and continues accepting his growth as a leader on this football team.

“I’m just trying to be more of a vocal leader this year, last year I kind of stepped into more of a lead by example role and this year I’ve been trying to talk more and just let them ask me questions and be more of a team player," Williams said of his growth as a leader to the rest of the running backs on the team.

LSU opens up their 2023 campaign next weekend in Orlando against Florida State and while the roles of the running backs on the field may remain a work in progress, Williams' role as a leader is one he'll take to the end of his LSU playing career.