It all started for Larry Williams in Baird. The former defensive tackle made a name for himself as a Mississippi Delta Community College Trojan, winning a National Championship in 1993.
He furthered his career at Mississippi State University on the Bulldog gridiron. After a few years of professional football, Williams got into coaching and has never looked back.
Recently, he was named as the head football coach of the Coahoma Community College Tigers. Coming home to the Delta, Coach Williams is ready to bring a winner to the North Delta-area community.
“I've been blessed though. I've been really, truly blessed,” Coach Williams said of his new job.
His time at Mississippi State as a Bulldog included being named Peach Bowl MVP after his junior year and after the team’s subpar season his senior year, he was a free agent with the Baltimore Ravens but then played overseas for the Scotland Claymores in the World Football League. The Gentry High School alumnus got into coaching after coming home after that season to Baird to work on the family farm with his brother. But serendipity was in action.
“I ran into Coach (Jim) Southward (from MDCC) and said he was looking for a coach. I started right then and there. I helped my brother on the farm a little bit but I’ve been going (in coaching) ever since then.”
He coached at MDCC from 1997 to 2002 serving as defensive coordinator and defensive line coach, then Hinds as defensive coordinator from 2003-2009, East Mississippi for a year, then to Copiah Lincoln where he won a state championship, then back to Hinds in 2013 as a defensive coordinator before being named head coach in 2017.
After stepping down as Hinds’ head coach, he was offered the opportunity “closer to home” at Coahoma and took the job. He noted that he has plenty of coaches to thank who got him where he is today.
“You got to wear many hats as a head coach. I have just been blessed. Working for Coach Sal, from Brother Stephen, Glenn Davis, Jay Mike Smith, and Gene Murphy – they all prepared me to go to do a lot of things. When I became a head coach, I was already doing a lot of things that I already was doing as assistant coach. So, it kind of made the transition look smoother. I just thank for those guys for giving me my opportunities to let me do a lot of it.”
The former Trojan plans to work his team like he worked as a player.
“Hard work and dedication – we want to be a power running team and a power defense that stops the run,” he said. “We're going to be 11 personnel offense. We're going to run the ball, we're going to spread the field, but we're going to run the ball and throw the ball. Defensively, we're going to be 3-4 front and multiple fronts, playing a lot of different blitzes and play a lot of man coverage.”
And on the recruiting trail, he’s not just talking football.
“The thing that I'm telling them is it's more than just football. You're going to get taught more. We're going to teach you life lessons here. It's our true belief that you don't handicap kids. You hold them accountable and make them work for everything. Make them work their tail off on and off the field. If you treat people with respect you'll go a long way in life,” he said.
He noted after his 2-7 final season at Hinds (including a 23-7 loss to his alma mater) “Sometimes, when you've been in a place a long time you know that sometimes you need a new voice. But Hinds took care of me and my family for 21 great years. I ain't got nothing but great things about Hinds. But sometimes, like I said, changes don't come. And so, at the same time, I feel like you need to do better about your program. And I just felt like I got the opportunity to really get back close to home. That's why I really want to finish my career out back close to home in the Delta. And this opportunity, God always has a plan for you. And I truly believe that. And as you know, everything worked out. It worked out for me there. They're moving on. I'm moving on. Both parties happy.”
At Coahoma, Coach Williams has great support and nice facilities.
“Coahoma’s got great facilities. And I'm telling you, people will be amazed. Ever since I've been here, as far as coaches are concerned, our kids when we bring in recruits, they are amazed by our athletic facility. We got a president on board and administration that really put a lot of time and money and effort into athletics now, on football, basketball, baseball, all of it, softball. People are so amazed when we bring them on campus and show them. When I say our president, Dr. (Valmadge) Towner, is really doing a great job of really putting money into athletics and the school in the community. It's been great to me since I've been here, to my family and all. And we're just excited. Just get ready, get back, get some kids here, and get back, go to work.”
Coach Williams will bring in a whole new staff for the football team and he’s bringing the knowledge garnered from working with other MACCC coaches. Oh, and he’ll be looking to put a dent in those coaches’ records as well – especially that one at East.
“I got him a couple times. I got him in the playoffs. I think I beat him two or three times. I beat him twice in the playoffs, one time as an assistant at Co-Lin and then we beat him one time in the playoff at Hinds. And beat him in a regular season game. But it's always tough, and I learned a lot from Coach (Buddy) Stevens. He taught me a lot.”
He noted that all of his MACCC stops made him a better coach.
“They really stayed, really hard-nosed working, teaching you a lot about kids, how to develop players and stuff. And so, I've been blessed to have been around some good head coaches, from Mike Smith, Glenn Davis, Jeff Tatum, Jim Southward – he’s kind of like my second father. He took me under his wing, gave me the opportunity. I've been blessed to be around some good, quality head coaches. And one thing I learned from all of them – that it's about taking care of kids.”
The MDCC Sports Hall of Famer, who will host his former team this upcoming season, noted that he has “A lot of memories, a lot of good people. A lot of great people gave me my start in coaching. I always loved Mississippi Delta because of a lot of great people who were there and still there. I got a lot of friends and stuff, but like I said, that was my first opportunity to coach.”
