LOGAN, Utah – DJ Williams' exit meeting at Chattanooga following his redshirt freshman season with the Mocs did not end the way he envisioned.
 
"I actually got cut from the team," he said.
 
So, Williams headed home to Smyrna, Tenn., not knowing what his next move would be.
One thing he did know, however, was that he didn't want to take whatever life threw at him next by himself.
 
"When I got cut, I started to build that relationship with God, because I needed answers," Williams said. "I was in a tough place in my life, because I had the thing that I loved a lot, football, taken away from me, and at that point in time, I really learned that I'm more than football.
 
"If football were to be taken away from me right now, I would still be good, because I've got God with me."
 
A devoted Christian, Williams uses his social media to bring glory to God, often retweeting scriptures and encouraging words. His Twitter and Instagram handle are the same: @GodsWarrior615. The bio on his Twitter page reads, "The Lord is my hope & confidence…ALL GLORY TO GOD!!!!"
 
Furthermore, his tweets always include the hashtag GODSWARRIOR in all caps.
 
"The warrior part of that is just because no matter how hard things get, you just always fight, and you keep going," Williams said. "That's where Gods Warrior came from, just when I got cut. Honestly, it reminds me that I'm a warrior, and I'm God's Warrior, not just a warrior. God is always with me.
 
"I just want people to know how I got here and what it took for me to get here, which is my Lord and Savior. I want everybody to know that God is great, and if it weren't for Him, I wouldn't be here. I'm just trying to share the gospel and pray that when I leave, I was able to touch at least a couple of people's hearts."
 
Early last month, Williams led his first Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) lesson at Utah State.
 
"He constantly talks about faith and doing the right things, and that is impressive to me," said first-year Utah State cornerbacks coach Mark Orphey. "You've got Cameron Haney, who has set up his own non-profit, and you've got DJ, who is spiritual and wants to do everything right. I think that just speaks to the culture and it is awesome, especially for our young kids, because they see that. When Cam and DJ leave, the young guys can build on what those two have laid the foundation for."
 
Not long after turning to God and seeking answers as to what his next step should be, Williams had his answer.
 
"I was just at home working, and I didn't even know where I was going to go, but then a junior college went to my high school looking for another player, and my high school coach told that school about me," Williams said. "They offered me, and I went there the very next day."
 
That school was Independence (Kan.) Community College, the program that was featured in the third and fourth seasons of Netflix's hit docu-series, "Last Chance U."
 
Williams made the most of his one season at Independence – the third season for "Last Chance U." The 5-foot-9, 180-pound cover corner earned National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) first-team All-America honors at defensive back following his sophomore campaign in 2017.
 
He also garnered first-team all-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) accolades as he played in 11 games for the Pirates, who went 9-2 overall, capped by a 30-20 Midwest Classic Bowl victory over Northwestern Oklahoma A&M – the program's first-ever bowl win.
 
In that game, Williams recorded a season-high nine tackles. For the year, he racked up 56 tackles, including 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks, to go along with three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
 
Those numbers certainly caught the attention of Division I coaches around the nation. Williams entertained offers from the likes of Buffalo, Hawai'i, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois, Southern Miss, Toledo and Utah State.
 
In the end, though, the Aggies won out.
 
"When I came on my official visit, it was the first time I had ever been out west," Williams said. "The mountains were beautiful, but the players and being able to compete right away for playing time were the main reasons why I chose Utah State.
 
"It has definitely been a blessing since the day I got here. The community is nice, my teammates are cool and my coaches are great. I got to learn from two different coaching staffs, which was also good for me. It's been a great experience."
 
It certainly has been a great experience for Williams, who earned honorable mention all-Mountain West honors after starting in all 13 games for the Aggies as a junior in 2018. He capped his first year at Utah State by being named the Defensive Most Valuable Player of the New Mexico Bowl after intercepting two passes, returning one 31 yards, in the Aggies' 52-13 dominating win over North Texas. He was later named to the ESPN All-Bowl team for his performance against the Mean Green.
 
Williams would be the first to admit that the start to his senior season did not go the way he had planned.
 
"I really challenged DJ after that first game against Wake Forest to respond in the right way," Orphey said. "I've been impressed by the way he did respond. Usually, kids get in that situation and go in the tank, but he took that as a challenge and started practicing and playing with a chip on his shoulder. Obviously, it is showing up in his play."
 
Through the first eight games of the season, Williams ranks third the team with 55 tackles, and is second with six pass breakups. In Utah State's outing at Air Force on Oct. 26, Williams recorded a career-high 14 tackles and recovered his first-career fumble.
 
"He is a fierce competitor, and it doesn't matter what it is," Orphey said of Williams. "We can be talking about cars or girlfriends, and he wants to be the best at whatever he does. That is how you are supposed to be, and the thing about him is that he is going to bring it every day. That's what I love about him."
 
The son of Dorian Williams and Razani Jones is majoring in sociology and on track to graduate this December.
 
How does Williams want Aggie fans to remember him by?
 
"Just as God's Warrior," said Williams, whose favorite scripture is Jeremiah 29:11. "What I mean by that, is every time I step on the field, I pray that everybody sees God in me and working in me. Everything I do on this field, I hope they know it's not just me. It's really not. It's all God, and I know He is working through me. It's just a way for me to share the gospel, so I hope everybody remembers me as God's Warrior. It's a way to honor God. It's not me, it's all God."
 
When he is not focused on football or school, Williams enjoys spending time with his family when he can and with his girlfriend, Kori Pentzer, who is a member of Weber State's women's basketball team. She got him into hiking this past summer and the two enjoyed visits to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon.
 
After his Aggie career is over, Williams wants a shot at playing at the next level.
 
"That's been my dream since I was a child," he said.
 
Further down the road, though, Williams said he would love to get into coaching.
 
"It's cool just to be able to help people, and I love the game of football, so those are two things I can do: help people through coaching and be around the game," Williams said.
 
For Aggie football ticket information, fans can contact the USU Athletics Ticket Office over the phone by calling 1-888-USTATE-1 or 435-797-0305 during regular hours of operation. Fans can also buy their tickets in person at the USU Ticket Office inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum or online by clicking on the "Buy Tickets" tab at www.UtahStateAggies.com.
 
Fans can follow the Aggie football program at twitter.com/USUFootball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.
 
-USU-