Big Mike Williams May Experience a Second USC Resurgence
Most USC fans, both young and old, are extremely familiar with former USC wide receiver Mike Williams. With Williams being among the biggest, most physical and most dominating receivers to ever wear cardinal and gold, he became affectionately known as BMW (Big Mike Williams).
While most are aware of BMW’s accomplishments on the football field, not many know the story behind him ending up at USC in 2002.
Back in 2001, Lane Kiffin was Pete Carroll’s tight ends coach at USC, so he was one of the primary recruiters for the Trojans. At that time, Kiffin’s wife Layla had a brother Stephen Reaves playing football at Plant HS in Tampa (FL).
One night in the Fall of 2001, Kiffin hit up Plant HS to watch Reaves play. Reaves was ranked among the Top 100 players in the 2001 recruiting class, so it made sense for Kiffin to check on him. Especially with Kiffin’s father, Monte Kiffin, coordinating the defense for the Tampa Bucs back then.
As it turned out, Mike Williams also played for Plant and Reaves was obviously his quarterback. So, BMW hauled in plenty of passes to showcase his skills his senior season. Kiffin got a great look at BMW that Fall evening in Tampa and that performance earned him a USC scholarship.
Everything happens for a reason?
Despite the offer from Kiffin and USC, Williams was locked into playing for the legendary Steve Spurrier at Florida. As fate would have it, on January 4, 2002, Spurrier abruptly resigned as head coach of the Gators.
Ten days after Spurrier resigned at Florida, he became head coach of the NFL’s Washington Redskins. Spurrier’s five-year, $25 million contract with the Redskins was the most lucrative coaching contract in the history of the NFL at the time.
In 2001 there was only one letters of intent signing period, and it was annually in early February. So, Williams hadn’t signed his LOI when Spurrier bounced to the league. Despite Spurrier’s departure, Williams still intended on signing with the home state Gators. Gainesville (FL) is about a two-hour drive from Tampa.
Ron Zook took over for the Ol’ Ball Coach at Florida and Williams’ initial communications with him didn’t go well. In fact, Zook wasn’t sure Williams was good enough to play wide receiver for the Gators. The visit was relatively brief and the rest is history.
Lane Kiffin’s chance signing of Williams resulted in BMW helping turn the USC football program around. The Trojans may not have signed Dwayne Jarrett from New Jersey or Patrick Turner Tennessee without Williams previously playing in Los Angeles.
I’m definitely not saying Carroll couldn’t have pulled those other five-star receivers, but it had to be easier with owning tape of Williams to show them on visits.
Director of player development
I’ve communicated with Williams off and on over the last couple of years, and it was clear as day he hoped to coach at his alma mater one day.
After leaving USC in 2004 and a four-year NFL career, Williams found his footing as a high school football coach. He began his coaching career in California and eventually landed at Tampa’s Wharton heading into the 2020 season. The school had won 14 games in four years and had gone six years without making the playoffs.
Williams went 24-8 in three years at the school, helping produce several top prospects. He’d moved onto Robinson HS after the 2022 season. USC currently has a commitment from class of 2026 cornerback Dominick Kelly who played for Williams at Robinson.
On March 19, 2024, Williams confirmed a report he was joining Lincoln Riley’s staff as the Trojans’ Director of Player Development. “I enjoyed building and competing in the county. And thank you to the people that support me,” Williams said.
Two-time program changer?
Wouldn’t it be something if Mike Williams can experience the same resurgence of the football program as a player, as a coach? Not sure how USC’s first season I the B1G 10 will go, but if there’s significant improvement defensively, 2024 could be very similar to 2002. The Trojans ended the 2002 season ranked No. 4 in the nation after going 11-3 and an Orange Bowl victory over Iowa.
Dominance at USC
In his two years with the Trojans, Williams was pure dominance. He caught 176 passes for 2,579 yards and 30 touchdowns but he was ruled ineligible for his junior season after declaring for the 2004 NFL draft as a true sophomore. BMW’s precision and ability to own the field was never more evident than against USC’s crosstown Rival UCLA. Williams caught 17 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns against the Bruins. USC won those games in 2002 and 2003 by a combined score of 99-43.
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