Harry Williams begins his fourth season as Prairie View A&M’s wide receivers coach and fourth overall after serving as a volunteer assistant.
A native of Birmingham, Ala., Williams was a standout wide receiver at Tuskegee and had a successful playing career as he finished with 83 receptions for 1,584 yards (19.1 avg.) and eight touchdowns. An accomplished kick returner, he averaged 23.8 yards per kick return on 19 returns for a total of 453 yards. Williams also participated on Tuskegee’s track team and was twice named the team’s MVP (2002-03) while competing in the 100 and 200-meter dashes.
After a successful collegiate career, Williams was drafted in the seventh round by the New York Jets in 2005. He has also spent time with the Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, Houston Texans and the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europa.
Williams joined the Prairie View A&M staff in 2009 as a volunteer assistant and played an integral part in the passing game as three receivers had career years in receptions and yards with senior Gabe Osaze-Ediae earning All-SWAC honors. In 2010, wide receiver Shaun Stephens exploded on to the scene as he closed out his career with a bang after amassing a career-high 859 receiving yards on 63 receptions. Stephens also scored nine touchdowns and averaged 78.1 yards per game as the Panthers finished third overall in passing yardage.
In his first full season as the team’s wide receiver coach in 2011, Williams inherited one of the youngest units on the team as he lost three seniors from the previous season. Wide out Spencer Nelson flourished under Williams in his junior season as he posted career-highs in receiving yards (659), receptions (53) and touchdowns (5). Greg Thurmond emerged as a big-play threat with several late-game touchdowns as a true freshman while Deandre Cooper made a solid transition to wide receiver after playing defensive back the previous season.
Last season, Williams’ unit stepped up its play as Prairie View A&M fielded the second-best pass offense in the SWAC. Nelson closed out his career with a career-best 60 receptions for 577 yards while Cooper set career-highs in receptions (34), receiving yards (532) and touchdowns (5). Williams also did a solid job in developing receiver depth as nine wide receivers had receptions in 2012.
During the 2012 season, Williams’ unit stepped up its play as Prairie View A&M fielded the second-best pass offense in the SWAC. Nelson closed out his career with a career-best 60 receptions for 577 yards while Cooper set career-highs in receptions (34), receiving yards (532) and touchdowns (5). Williams also did a solid job in developing receiver depth as nine wide receivers had receptions in 2012.
Williams made his mark in 2013 as the Panther wide receivers were one of the most dangerous units in the SWAC and FCS ranks. PVAMU wide receivers combined to catch 245 of the team’s 344 receptions last fall and 25 of the team’s 31 touchdown passes. Under Williams, Deandre Cooper closed out his career in style as he became the all-time PVAMU single season record holder in receptions and yardage en route to All-SWAC and All-American honors. Cooper also became the first player under Williams to receive an NFL opportunity as he participated with the Detroit Lions’ rookie camp.
The fourth-year coach also had a major part in the unit’s player development and depth as several players finished with career highs while also being able to step in and immediately produce when injuries occurred.
Williams, who completed a Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship with the Houston Texans, earned a degree in electrical engineering from Prairie View A&M in 2011. He’s married to the former Joell Washington of Charleston, South Carolina. They have two daughters, London Bea (3) and Brooklyn.
THE WILLIAMS FILE
Hometown: Birmingham, Ala.
Wife: Joell
Children: London Bea (3) and Brooklyn
College: Prairie View A&M (2011)
High School: Jackson-Olin
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2009-2014 Prairie View A&M, wide receivers, volunteer assistant
