Monday, Sept. 13 was a routine day for Donte Williams. Then he received the biggest news of his professional life: a promotion to interim head coach for USC football. The news came on the heels of an uninspired 42-28 Week 2 loss against Stanford. Williams’ elevation was the beginning of one of the most significant week-to-week transformations in recent Trojan football memory, and it started in practice.
Tuesday’s practice had some distinct differences ahead of the Week 3 matchup against Washington State.
“We altered a couple of things to do the things we need to do to prepare … and succeed against Washington State,” Williams said.
The first noticeable difference was that Tuesday’s practice opened with a competitive scrimmage. Hip-hop music emanated, trash-talk was communicated and players and coaches celebrated as they won. The energy that was scarce in Week 2 was abundant in practice. This intensity was sustained until game day.
The seeds of competitiveness, connection and confidence Williams planted in practice grew into an inspired 45-14 victory against the Cougars.
The Trojans started the game falling behind 14-0 in the second quarter. It was the Stanford game all over again — or was it?
“In the first half we were pressing,” Williams said in the postgame press conference at Washington State. “Guys wanted to play so hard for each other, and for me, that some mistakes were getting made.”
While the Cougars seemed poised to pull away in the first half, Williams remained energetic and engaged on the sideline. There was a disconnect between Williams’ confidence and the performance of the team. Then, true freshman Jaxson Dart stepped in when starting junior quarterback Kedon Slovis went down with a neck injury. “Those moments hit you when you least expect it,” Dart said after the game.
The freshman’s first two drives ended with two turnovers, but he remained poised. “I had to forget about it and move on,” Dart said. He began to drive the offense down the field in the final drive before halftime. Then the Trojans faced an identity-defining fourth-and-9 with 32 seconds remaining.
“We were thinking field goal,” Williams said. “Then Drake [London] … said, ‘We gon’ kick a field goal?’” Williams talked about believing in his players; now it was time to be about it. “You believe in me, and I believe in you. Score,” Williams said to the offense. The next play was a 38-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Gary Bryant Jr. down the middle of the field.
The Trojans went into halftime down 14-7. The coach’s halftime speech centered around calming the team into “not pressing so hard” and understanding “we are there for each other.” But there was more. “Some of the things I said I just can’t release.” Williams said with a smile. “Them dudes were ready to play in the second half.”
Everything clicked for the Trojans after halftime, starting with a fumble recovery on the kickoff and a Trojan touchdown on their first drive. USC never looked back, dominating the second half 38-0 and winning the game 45-14.
From the alarm of Week 2 against Stanford to the affirmation of Week 3 against Washington State, Williams seems to be steering the season in the right direction. But this is no surprise for the head coach himself: “I was born for this opportunity.”