Note: The following appears in the Virginia football gameday program.
Since he can remember, sports have been an integral part of Tré Williams’ life. Shortly after starting football in fifth grade, Williams knew football would be a major aspect of his journey.
During his time with Clemson football, Williams has faced immense challenges with injury, but he has grown through them, and now, in his fifth year, he is doing better than ever, both on and off the field.
Playing defensive tackle, Williams has contributed to multiple Clemson victories, including the 2023 win against No. 12 Notre Dame, the victory over Kentucky in the 2023 Gator Bowl and the 2022 win at Florida State. In his first six games of the 2024 season, he has registered 11 tackles and a tackle for loss.
The Windsor, Conn. native attended St. John’s College High School in Washington D.C. When reflecting on what drew him to Clemson’s football program, he shared the following.
“It was the big tradition of defensive tackles that have come through here. It was something I wanted to be a part of.”
When he first arrived at Clemson in 2020, one of the first aspects that struck Williams was the love of football from the community. As a Connecticut native, Williams did not anticipate just how big the culture surrounding the sport would be in the South.
Williams explained that he did not fully anticipate how important education is in a person’s life. Shortly after his arrival to Clemson, his attitude regarding academics began to shift, and he started to realize how immense the significance of education holds in one’s life.
Throughout his time as a Tiger, Williams has had to overcome multiple injuries, facing setbacks to both shoulders and his foot. After having shoulder surgery, most of his 2023 season was spent on the sideline, but the disappointment did not stop Williams.
“The injuries only made me a stronger person. When I got hurt, it instilled my love for football. You don’t realize how much it means to you until it’s taken away. I don’t take it for granted.”
One aspect of Williams’ life that has helped him overcome his injuries and become even better on the field is consistency. After he wakes up, he heads to the football facility and starts his mornings focusing on his health and his body. He incorporates hot and cold treatments into his daily routine and always carves out time to work on his body, which includes massages and using the facility’s physical therapy equipment.
When asked how he gets in the “zone” and gets focused for a game, he smiled.
“I’m always in the zone.”
Before a game, one can find Williams listening to music and practicing mindful and slow breathing.
“I go to a place of peace, because football is so hectic. I don’t want to wind myself up before it’s time, because I don’t want to burn out, so I try to be calm. I don’t do a lot of yelling…I’m really quiet. I’m usually not quiet, but when I’m locked in, I’m really quiet and focused on my breathing.”
One of the biggest lessons Williams has learned at Clemson is that “the future belongs to those who hang tough.”
“That was a lesson that I had to learn, because when I first got here, I was dealing with injuries for three years, and I stayed consistent, stayed tough and now everything is going how I want it to.”
During his time in Tigertown, Jeff Davis, a former Tiger standout, former NFL player and current Clemson staff member, has been a mentor to Williams. Davis always knows what to say when Williams needs it and is always there for honest encouragement.
On and off the field, he finds himself close to the entire defensive line.
“I’ll be sad when my time is up. This is my fifth year and I’ve been doing life with these guys every day for the past five years. I’ll miss everything, from hanging out with my teammates, going to the movies on Fridays before the game and doing life with them. I see these guys every day. There’s not a day that goes by when I don’t see my teammates.”
When thinking of all of the games and plays Williams has been a part of during his Tiger career, one memory on the field stands out in his mind.
“Getting my first sack in front of my family is a great memory. It was my junior year in 2022 at Boston College. My mother, cousins and aunties were there.”
In that game, Williams provided Clemson’s defense with four tackles and a sack.
Williams is not just a reliable person on the field, but off the field as well. Graduating with a degree in sociology in August, he is now working towards his master’s degree in athletic leadership.
He was also chosen by his teammates to be an ambassador for P.A.W. Journey, a program focusing on player development off the field, as men and as future professionals in the postgraduate world.
“It’s a big deal to be chosen as an ambassador. I love being in P.A.W. Journey. It’s a big deal, because life after football is a big deal.”
Williams represents so many aspects of Clemson football…talent, resilience, character and optimism. And he is just getting started.
