Travis Williams Expects All-SEC Backer to Emerge

[Auburn Kev 1,653]

Travis Williams expects an all-SEC 'backer to emerge in fall

ByBRANDON MARCELLO 10 hours ago

MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Deshaun Davis was not just a player for Auburn.

The linebacker was a coach, he called out adjustments before the snap and he simply just made big plays in big moments. His 116 tackles earned him a first-team nod on the all-SEC team as a senior last season.

So, how do you replace a player who accomplished something no Auburn linebacker had done since 2004? For that matter, how do you replace three starting linebackers with 231 combined tackles last season?

If you’re Travis Williams, you simply reload.

The former Auburn linebacker (the one who earned first-team SEC honors in 2004, by the way) and current linebackers coach is so confident in the three linebackers stepping up to replace three starters — Davis, Darrell Williams and Montavious Atkinson — from last season, he does not hesitate when asked if he believes he has another all-SEC linebacker on the roster.

“Every year I do. Every year. I really believe that,” he says. “Now it’s up to them to go do it, but every year we’re not planning on dropping off. We planning on trying to get better every day. I just think it’s something powerful about the mind.”

Williams changes his posture, looking at himself as he sits in a chair in a board room at the Wynlakes Golf and Country Club. He was here Thursday evening to speak to a gathering of Auburn fans at the Montgomery Auburn Club. The former Auburn linebacker, who played for the Tigers from 2001 through 2005, is here to make a point about how a strong mindset is what pushed players like Tre’ Williams and Davis to all-SEC consideration in recent seasons.

“OK, how in the world did I play? Look at me,” Williams said. “How in the world did I play linebacker at Auburn? When it wasn’t spread (offenses). They were running right at you and I know they’re running at me. It’s a B gap bubble and they’re running right there. How did we get it done?

“… We were frickin’ 210 (pounds). You’re not supposed to (do it), not when they’re LSU, Alabama, Georgia, everybody, Arkansas, are running. Everybody was doing it. It goes back to coach (Joe) Whitt and that mentality. S***, I was scared a lot. I didn’t want to let him down. That was the main thing.”

The mentality carries over from coach to players today, too. Newcomer Owen Pappoe is constantly buzzing Williams’ phone with text messages asking questions. The 5-star freshman added 15 pounds and now sits at 222 pounds entering summer workouts. He will "definitely" play as a true freshman in the fall. “He has a chance,” says Williams. “He's one of those guys where you put him out there and, 'Oh. He's different.' It'll be interesting to see his progression.”

Chandler Wooten, who may have had the best spring among the linebackers, approached Williams in an exit interview after the spring with a message. Williams gave Wooten a list of positive and negatives from Wooten’s 15 spring practices. “He looked right at me and he said, ‘Coach, keep coaching me hard.’ He said, ‘Coach, don’t let up.’ I said, ‘You know me better than that.’ Just his whole mindset and going about his business is just—he just flipped a switch. Now the game is slowing down for him. I’m very, very pleased with his progress.”

Then there is K.J. Britt, who leads the trio of returning linebackers wit 23 tackles last season. He’s a steady rock, and a potential quarterback for the defense as he steps into Davis’ big shoes. He got his first taste of big-game action against Alabama in the Iron Bowl last season as Davis recovered from injury.

“He actually did pretty dang good,” says Williams. “I’m excited. The only thing—the question mark is the experience; it’s not the talent. It’s just the experience. The only way you get experience is to play them.”

Williams enters his fourth season as an assistant coach on Auburn’s staff this fall. Before that he was an analyst and graduate assistant at Auburn, a high school coach in Georgia and a linebackers coach at Northern Iowa. He understands the questions about what’s next for the Tigers’ linebacker corps, but he has prepared for the moment. After a spring that had coaches buzzing about what’s possible this season at linebacker, Williams is still as confident as ever.

After all, it’s all about the mindset.

“You got to think when I first got the job, what did they say?” he says. “They don’t have any linebackers. Oh, we don’t have any linebackers? Shh, we got linebackers.”

[SlocombTiger 106]

Owen Pappoe 222 lbs. Hell yeah. This is who I  expect to have a great season even though he is a TFr. I  envision this kid to be what TWill and Eltoro were and what Tray Blackmon should have been. 

WAR EAGLE!!!

[AuburnNTexas 7,134]

The more I read about Travis Williams the more I like him. He was a hard nosed player and he is a hard nosed coach who wants to help his players get better while taking care of them as people. To me he is the type of coach I would want one of my sons to play for if they had the type of talent to play at that level.

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

I have high expectations for Britt and Pappoe.

They both seem to have the IT factor. Yea my opinion is based off of their high school days. But I think they can both be ALL-SEC this season. I know Britt has been here a couple of years and hasnt done much, but look who he was playing behind. 

I love me some TWill. 

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

12 minutes ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

I have high expectations for Britt and Pappoe.

They both seem to have the IT factor. Yea my opinion is based off of their high school days. But I think they can both be ALL-SEC this season. I know Britt has been here a couple of years and hasnt done much, but look who he was playing behind. 

I love me some TWill. 

I really like hearing the O. Pappoe is up to 220. I'm sure he has retained if not improved his speed as well. He will be a Roquan Davis type of impact, maybe not immediately, but given time. I also like Britt, Wooten, and I have a good feeling about Z. McClain. I think we have some good backers.....also dont forget about baby Derrick Brown lol....and Josh Marsh.....Josh Marsh makes me think of Will Herring for some reason. I think LBs are a strength not a ? by mid year. 

[cole256 17,042]

McClain....won't be able to keep him off the field. Watch

[SlocombTiger 106]

10 minutes ago, cole256 said:

McClain....won't be able to keep him off the field. Watch

I hope you are right. I also hope that TWill has the hardest coaching challenge on the staff trying to figure out who starts each week. I  like this LB group more and more as the season approaches. 

WAR EAGLE!!!

[SlocombTiger 106]

39 minutes ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

I have high expectations for Britt and Pappoe.

They both seem to have the IT factor. Yea my opinion is based off of their high school days. But I think they can both be ALL-SEC this season. I know Britt has been here a couple of years and hasnt done much, but look who he was playing behind. 

I love me some TWill. 

I  see Pappoe making Fr all SEC and possibly Fr All American but not All SEC. That's tough for a Freshman but I hope I'm wrong. 

WAR EAGLE!!!

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

23 minutes ago, SlocombTiger said:

I  see Pappoe making Fr all SEC and possibly Fr All American but not All SEC. That's tough for a Freshman but I hope I'm wrong. 

WAR EAGLE!!!

I said in a post on another thread that after watching OP on A-day i believe he will be Fresh ALL SEC as well. I think this kids is a difference maker. 

[SlocombTiger 106]

Just now, Tigerpro2a said:

I said in a post on another thread that after watching OP on A-day i believe he will be Fresh ALL SEC as well. I think this kids is a difference maker. 

I agree. If he stays healthy his Soph year can be something really special. 

WAR EAGLE!!!

[toddc 13,194]

Don’t sleep on Michael Harris who is the biggest guy in the room. He’s a redshirt freshman and he’ll get some playing time this year too.

[weagl1 1,782]

Twill just needs to keep them rolling in and out like Rodney does with the Dline.  We need them all. You can never have too much depth in the SEC.

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

1 hour ago, toddc said:

Don’t sleep on Michael Harris who is the biggest guy in the room. He’s a redshirt freshman and he’ll get some playing time this year too.

Man, I completely forgot all about Harris....yes...he is a big presence...doesnt have as much speed as the others but a force of his own...wasnt he the #1 or #2 ILB in his class?

[toddc 13,194]

9 minutes ago, Tigerpro2a said:

Man, I completely forgot all about Harris....yes...he is a big presence...doesnt have as much speed as the others but a force of his own...wasnt he the #1 or #2 ILB in his class?

I think he was 12-14 best on 247 composite 

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

16 minutes ago, toddc said:

I think he was 12-14 best on 247 composite 

Maybe im think in the state. Or maybe I just have him mixed up. Too much talent lol

[Bottomfeeder 244]

KJ Britt gonna step up.

https://expo.al.com/sports/g66l-2019/05/aa16262b333328/middle-linebacker-kj-britt-prepared-to-become-quarterback-of-auburns-defense.html

[IndianTiger 95]

The best hire Auburn has made in recent years. I think he is carrying on what Coach Joe Whitt used to do while coaching linebackers at Auburn 

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

On 5/24/2019 at 3:21 PM, toddc said:

Don’t sleep on Michael Harris who is the biggest guy in the room. He’s a redshirt freshman and he’ll get some playing time this year too.

Harris will be the one to step into the role after Britt... That is... if he can keep himself out of trouble. Hopefully the issues that he was having are long gone by now.