FOOTBALL TAB: Williams says Warriors have to be hungry, can't be satisfied with 2013 success

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on August 22, 2014 1:48 PM

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Bubba Williams has worked diligently -- and tirelessly -- to change the culture of Eastern Wayne football.

He's still got more work to do.

The Warriors enter 2014 on the heels of the program's most-successful season. Williams' squad won 11 games, which eclipsed the school record of 10 set in 1978, and advanced to the eastern 3-A regional championship -- also a first in school history.

Key components from that group either moved in the spring or graduated.

Still, Eastern Wayne could conceivably follow the same blueprint from a year ago. It's defense kept it in games as the offense matured, and Williams smartly put his skill players in position to help the team succeed on Friday nights.

"(We're) trying to figure some things out and distribute the ball to our skill athletes ... will have to find different ways to do so," Williams said. "When you're developing an offensive line and quarterback, it makes things a little tougher. We've got the athletes in the same places, just have to get a little bit of cohesiveness."

Confidence played a factor last season.

So did leadership.

Neither characteristic has surfaced this preseason, which could make it difficult to duplicate 2013 and possibly take the program one step further. Williams has stressed the importance of not being satisfied with the past and continue to show a hunger on the field.

"We've got to play hard, practice hard every day, have some luck like we did last year when things bounced our way," said Williams, who returns 17 starters from a year ago.

"We've got to improve every day across the board. If we can get the athleticism to meet the maturity level, we could be something special."

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Playmakers at quarterback, running back and receiver undoubtedly fueled Eastern Wayne last season.

Quarterback Mitch Pike transferred out of state.

His departure and the uncertainty surrounding backup Ricky Steiner prompted Williams to move KK Best under center. A compact, 175-pounder, Best rambled for more than 1,000 yards last season.

Best fared well in camp and 7-on-7 passing league games, but has to work on maturity issues and improve his decision making. He gives the Warriors a dual threat and could prove to be a headache for opposing defensive coordinators.

"He'll be able to rely on his athleticism (but) we've got to get him to follow the offensive plan a little bit," Williams said.

Eastern Wayne's top three receivers -- Deshawn Boudy, Day-Day Pridgen and Malik Richards -- return for their senior seasons. Boudy ranked among the area leaders with 460 yards and four touchdowns on just 24 catches.

Pridgen hauled in a team-high eight TD passes and finished with 444 yards on 24 receptions. Richards had 430 yards and three TDs on 22 catches.

Four potential starters on the line -- senior Andre Smith (5-foot-10, 230 pounds), senior Justice Johnson (5-10, 185), senior Ramon Rowe (5-10, 190) and senior Chris Pridgen (6-1, 215) will protect Best.

"Offensive linemen are generally your guys who are 'team-first' guys, but the guys we're asking to do it, I don't know if they've bought into the 'team-first' attitude yet," Williams. "For us to be good, they're going to have to buy into that."

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Defense could be the Warriors' calling card again.

The unit recorded 20-plus sacks and 30-plus turnovers a year ago.

Senior Romello Hamilton (6-1, 180), junior Keshawn Johnson (5-10, 190) and junior Shaquan Bell (6-0, 255) comprise the front three. Williams expects the trio to get hungrier and more intense in the trenches once regular-season play begins Friday against North Lenoir.

"We've got to get those three going. Attitude is everything," Williams said. "If you've got the attitude correct and you want to be good, generally you're gonna be good. We had a good front last year that I think helped us early, gave our back end a chance to gel."

All four linebackers return -- senior Dameko Artis (5-9, 165), Chris Pridgen, senior Darryl Pittman (5-8, 175) and senior Jaelan Whitaker (5-7, 175).

Steiner (5-8, 148) joins Day-Day Pridgen, junior Robert Gonzalez (5-7, 155) and senior Micah Smith (6-1, 175). Smith picked off four passes against Red Springs last season.

Williams graded the defense's performance as "OK" during its two days of scrimmage. He said the group hasn't raised its potential and it needs to fly to the ball defensively, which was a characteristic of last year's unit.

"That's what creates turnovers," Williams said.

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Focus.

Play hard.

Use your talent.

Reach your potential.

It's a simple formula that can pay tremendous dividends if Williams' squad accomplishes each goal in practice and on game day.

"We're very capable of being where we were last year and even better," Williams said. "I'm not saying that we're going to go further, but we can be a better team. Thisyear the tale will be when things get tough toward the end of the game whether we close it out and finish.

"That remains to be seen."

Eastern Wayne's initial goal is to defeat North Lenoir in its season opener. The Warriors' other obstacles are earn the necessary four wins to qualify for the playoffs and claim their portion of the Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference.

Williams has one other tool of motivation.

Not since 1978-79 has a Warrior football team posted back-to-back winning seasons. It's been done just twice in program history since the late 1960s.

"When you want to be special, you've got to something no one else has done and in order to that you have to work every day," Williams said. "We've got to have a workman's mentality, believe that we're not more talented than anyone else when we walk out onto the field. We try to instill that we have to out-work them."