CJ Williams finds his foundation at Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt junior offensive lineman CJ Williams made his first career start against Arkansas on Oct. 17 after not seeing the field during his first two seasons with the Commodores.

Williams followed his usual pregame routine before the start, including getting stretched by team intern Anthony Miles, a former Vanderbilt player. When Miles asked whether he was ready, Williams answered with the confidence of someone who believed his preparation had already settled the question.

“CJ Williams is enough,” Williams said. “I’ve been enough the whole time. I’m good.”

Family, Lego building, engineering and football are among his passions, and each connects to his interest in building something piece by piece.

Williams grew up in Amityville, New York, on the South Shore of Long Island. He described a busy childhood home shaped by a large family and a steady flow of people coming and going.

Williams joked about Amityville’s famous horror-story connection. He said the well-known Amityville house exists, while dismissing its haunted reputation.

The Arkansas start gave Williams his first opportunity to move from preparation to game action at Vanderbilt. After waiting through two seasons, he focused before kickoff on trusting his preparation rather than the opponent.

Why it matters

Williams’ start marked his first career game action after two seasons on the sideline. It gave the Vanderbilt junior a chance to turn years of preparation into an on-field role.