COLUMBUS, Ohio – After a year of settling in, Jameson Williams is ready to take flight in 2020.
With the departure of key contributors at wideout, Williams and the other young wide receivers will have plenty of chances to make an impact for the Ohio State offense. 2019 was an opportunity for Williams to learn the ropes of collegiate football, and surrounded by a group of talented wideouts in 2020, he will have the chance to truly make a difference on the field.
“I actually learned a lot from all of the upperclassman,” Williams said. “It’s a lot of mental reps for me in practice. I’m watching everything.”
Between K.J. Hill, Austin Mack, Binjimen Victor and C.J. Saunders, the Buckeyes did not lack senior leadership, and outside of Saunders, the upperclassmen were able to make a big impact on the field. With on-field experience hard to come by, Williams was able to mentally go through reps in practice and pick up valuable knowledge from the playmakers in front of him.
Arguably more valuable, Williams was able to call upon the leadership of the guys in front of him to learn important lessons off the field.
“It’s really to be a good person at all times,” Williams said on what he has learned about how to be off the field. “Everybody is watching, you never know who is watching.”
As far as on the field performance, Williams flashed his speed on a 61-yard touchdown in a game against Miami (Ohio). This touchdown dash would be the highlight of the freshman’s debut season, which would finish with six catches and 112 receiving yards.
While the receiving statistics were minimal in 2019, Williams was able to make an impact in special teams. Like a lot of Ohio State’s key contributors in the past, participation on special teams acts as experience that drives competitive spirit and hunger to play.
“I’ve been going as hard as I can on special teams every time,” Williams said. “Every single time I get a chance to go on special teams I go hard. It’s like, my brothers got me and I got me brothers.”
Now with a year under his belt, Williams will have an opportunity to thrive in 2020. While Ohio State is losing a handful of upperclassmen at wide receiver, the Buckeyes are bringing in a talented recruiting class that includes that likes of Julian Fleming, Gee Scott Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Mookie Cooper.
“The receiver room is going to be great from here on out, like it’s nothing but greatness coming in,” Williams said. “We’re going to execute. Zone Six is about to run the whole NCAA football next year.”
Like these incoming freshmen, Williams has been drawn to Ohio State by its offensive reputation and supply of great coaches. Brian Hartline is responsible for teaching the wide receivers at Ohio State, and William has benefited from the year that he has had under Hartline’s wing.
“Coach Hartline is like one of the best coaches I’ve ever been around,” Williams said. “He wants you to be great. It’s almost like he wants it more than you, but he can’t want it more than you, because if he wants it more than you, then you don’t really want it.”
In terms of the players that came in with Williams, Garrett Wilson was able to make a strong impact on the 2019 team, and his talent and progression would suggest big things are to come in 2020. While Wilson will be the more accomplished wide receiver entering his sophomore season, Williams believes that the two can become a deadly duo.
“I picture us being one of the best duos in the same class ever to touch the football,” Williams said.
Williams will have a great opportunity to join the ranks of Wilson and Chris Olave as the leading receivers in 2020, and with the return of Justin Fields and many players on the offensive line, the offense should be primed to keep humming along in 2020.
