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October 26, 2016

Brody Williams Commits to Bisons

University of Manitoba Bisons head coach Brian Dobie has four decades-plus of coaching – and even more, if you include his playing days – on his resume. So yeah, you could say he’s got a thing for ‘old school’ football.

And maybe, among other things, that’s what makes Dobie and the Bisons program such a good fit for linebacker Brody Williams, the St. Paul’s Crusaders linebacker who signed his letter-of-intent as the team’s first commit for the 2017 season earlier this week.

“Before he committed, I asked him where he was at and he said, ‘Hey coach, is No. 51 available?’” explained Dobie. “And I said I would check it out for him, but that it was (Chicago Bears legend) Dick Butkus’ number. He said, ‘You bet it is coach.’

“When he said it, it resonated. He’s that kind of linebacker. He’s very physical. You look at him, he’s way ahead of the curve in terms of the work he’s done as a Grade 12 star in high school football.”

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Williams was the top-ranked linebacker in the Top Prospects Canada Elite Combine Series, was a Winnipeg High School Football League All-Star last year, and is nominated for the WHSFL Defensive Player of the Year honours this season. Williams was also a four-year provincial captain with the U-16 and U-18 provincial teams.

The son of a football coach – his dad Andy has coached with both the provincial team and the Crusaders – Williams will lead his unbeaten Crusaders into the playoffs this week.

Williams said he had about five U Sports teams in this country chasing him and, after attending camps in the United States, some schools down south, too.

Ultimately, the chance to stay close to home and the opportunity to be a part of the Bisons program made his decision to pull on the brown and gold easier.

“This is quite amazing, honestly. It’s a great experience. I’m happy to be a Bison,” said Williams. “My main reason is family and playing time. Obviously nothing is earned, you have to earn it yourself, so I’m ready to start proving myself.”

And about this fascination with Dick Butkus, the Pro Football Hall of Famer who retired in 1973 – decades before Williams was even born?

“Back when I first started playing when I was eight years old I went to my dad and said, ‘I don’t know what number to pick?’,” Williams explained. “He said, ‘If you’re going to play linebacker, I’ve got a few in mind.’ So, we went through (YouTube clips) and I didn’t see one I liked until I saw No. 51.”

That, along with his credentials, has had Dobie beaming ever since Williams committed.

“He’s an outstanding linebacker but I’ll say even more importantly, he’s a great kid, a great person, a great leader,” said Dobie. “And when you’re looking to recruit athletes there’s no question you’re looking at their performance, their ability, their skill set, their talent level. But what separates is who they are and this young man is the whole package.”