California Golden Bears Athletics
Nohl Williams leads the nation with three interceptions through Cal's first two contests.
Photo by: Al Sermeno/KLC fotos
Nohl Knows
9/13/2024 1:51 PM | Football, Inside The Lair
Senior Cornerback’s 10 Career Interceptions Tied For Second-Most Among Active FBS Players
BERKELEY – There is a real confidence that oozes out of Cal senior cornerback Nohl Williams. It's not an overt or braggadocios confidence but one based on knowing that he has put in the work.
Cal defensive backs coach Tre Watson saw that quiet confidence in Williams - and his abilities - before most.
"He was my first offer," Watson said with a huge smile about recruiting a then 17-year-old Williams when he was the defensive backs coach at UNLV. "I knew he was special from the first day."
Watson was one of the few.
Williams put up strong numbers as a two-way player at cornerback and wide receiver as a prep star at Pacific High School in Oxnard, highlighted by career totals of nine interceptions and 35 pass deflections for a program that won the state title during his 2019 senior campaign.
Yet, Williams was lightly recruited, and the best offer he received was from Watson, who at the time was entering his first season as a full-time collegiate coach with the Rebels.
Watson would spend just one season coaching and mentoring Williams at UNLV before moving on to Cal. But Williams would hone his craft for another two seasons in Las Vegas before eventually rejoining Watson in Berkeley in January of 2023.
During his three years in Sin City, Williams refused to let the bright lights lead him astray from his goal of maximizing his potential as a football player.
"I just put my head down and kept working," said Williams, who would often stay home on nights when many of his teammates were enjoying the Vegas nightlife. He knew that while they were sleeping in the next morning that he would be up early working.
"Nohl is always looking for any way he can to find an edge," Watson said. "In his mind, it was like 'you're tired, and I'm fresh. I got two more hours of sleep.'"
Williams had success at UNLV, but he was working for a bigger opportunity and a chance to play at the next level. After Rebels' head coach Marcus Arroyo was fired following the 2022 season, Williams decided to enter the transfer portal.
Watson was the first to call. About a month later, Williams was in Berkeley.
It was an easy decision for Williams, who in addition to reconnecting with Watson, knew about Cal's success with defensive backs that now includes six NFL Draft selections over the past six years. When he was a teenager, Williams learned some of the tricks of the trade from football instructional videos that two of those – Camryn Bynum and Elijah Hicks – had posted online.
These days, it is Williams doing the teaching.
His numbers over his first 15 games at Cal are mind-boggling and highlighted by three touchdowns with a pair on fumble recoveries in 2023 and another on a kickoff return in the 2024 season opener against UC Davis. Williams also has five interceptions and eight pass breakups. In last Saturday's win at Auburn, he had a pair of picks in a game for the first time in his Cal career and was named the ACC Defensive Back of the Week. His 10 career interceptions are tied for second among all active FBS players and only one off the lead.
But what has been just as impressive is his work ethic and how quickly Williams became a leader in Cal's defensive backs room.
"I remember one of his first days at Cal, and he had to be the first in line during the drills of a workout," Watson said. "It doesn't matter what it is, he wants to be first in everything. That was such an exciting thing to see because it meant he came to work."
Williams wants his approach to impact his teammates.
"I want to prove to these guys that I'm ready to work and compete," Williams said. "I want to show them what they get every day from me. I'm an energetic guy who brings his all to the field every play. I'm bought into this team, my teammates and this program. You can expect me to give my all every Saturday. I'm trying to win every game."
Williams starts early most days with an hour-and-a-half routine before Cal's morning practices that includes stretching, hydration, breakfast, and some time in the tubs.
"I'm getting a little older now, so my body takes a little while to get warmed up," said Williams, who is 21 years old, with a bit of a grin. "I'm just trying to stay healthy, get a little activation in and get ready for the day."
His morning routine actually started back in high school when he and his older brother, Miles, who played football at Wyoming, would rise several hours before school began and walk to a local Planet Fitness for a workout before often following that up at a nearby park to work on their football skills – all before school started each day.
Williams hopes his enthusiasm and work ethic – and maybe his morning routine – will help the younger Bears on the roster and leave a lasting impact on the program.
"I knew I had to step into more of a leadership role this year with it being my last season," Williams said. "There are a lot of young guys in the room, and I had to show them the ropes. By just being here, having them see my routine and what I do, I feel like they can catch on. They don't have to do exactly what I do, but they can take little parts from my game to add to theirs."
Cal defensive backs coach Tre Watson saw that quiet confidence in Williams - and his abilities - before most.
"He was my first offer," Watson said with a huge smile about recruiting a then 17-year-old Williams when he was the defensive backs coach at UNLV. "I knew he was special from the first day."
Watson was one of the few.
Williams put up strong numbers as a two-way player at cornerback and wide receiver as a prep star at Pacific High School in Oxnard, highlighted by career totals of nine interceptions and 35 pass deflections for a program that won the state title during his 2019 senior campaign.
Yet, Williams was lightly recruited, and the best offer he received was from Watson, who at the time was entering his first season as a full-time collegiate coach with the Rebels.
Watson would spend just one season coaching and mentoring Williams at UNLV before moving on to Cal. But Williams would hone his craft for another two seasons in Las Vegas before eventually rejoining Watson in Berkeley in January of 2023.
During his three years in Sin City, Williams refused to let the bright lights lead him astray from his goal of maximizing his potential as a football player.
"I just put my head down and kept working," said Williams, who would often stay home on nights when many of his teammates were enjoying the Vegas nightlife. He knew that while they were sleeping in the next morning that he would be up early working.
"Nohl is always looking for any way he can to find an edge," Watson said. "In his mind, it was like 'you're tired, and I'm fresh. I got two more hours of sleep.'"
Williams had success at UNLV, but he was working for a bigger opportunity and a chance to play at the next level. After Rebels' head coach Marcus Arroyo was fired following the 2022 season, Williams decided to enter the transfer portal.
Watson was the first to call. About a month later, Williams was in Berkeley.
It was an easy decision for Williams, who in addition to reconnecting with Watson, knew about Cal's success with defensive backs that now includes six NFL Draft selections over the past six years. When he was a teenager, Williams learned some of the tricks of the trade from football instructional videos that two of those – Camryn Bynum and Elijah Hicks – had posted online.
These days, it is Williams doing the teaching.
His numbers over his first 15 games at Cal are mind-boggling and highlighted by three touchdowns with a pair on fumble recoveries in 2023 and another on a kickoff return in the 2024 season opener against UC Davis. Williams also has five interceptions and eight pass breakups. In last Saturday's win at Auburn, he had a pair of picks in a game for the first time in his Cal career and was named the ACC Defensive Back of the Week. His 10 career interceptions are tied for second among all active FBS players and only one off the lead.
But what has been just as impressive is his work ethic and how quickly Williams became a leader in Cal's defensive backs room.
"I remember one of his first days at Cal, and he had to be the first in line during the drills of a workout," Watson said. "It doesn't matter what it is, he wants to be first in everything. That was such an exciting thing to see because it meant he came to work."
Williams wants his approach to impact his teammates.
"I want to prove to these guys that I'm ready to work and compete," Williams said. "I want to show them what they get every day from me. I'm an energetic guy who brings his all to the field every play. I'm bought into this team, my teammates and this program. You can expect me to give my all every Saturday. I'm trying to win every game."
Williams starts early most days with an hour-and-a-half routine before Cal's morning practices that includes stretching, hydration, breakfast, and some time in the tubs.
"I'm getting a little older now, so my body takes a little while to get warmed up," said Williams, who is 21 years old, with a bit of a grin. "I'm just trying to stay healthy, get a little activation in and get ready for the day."
His morning routine actually started back in high school when he and his older brother, Miles, who played football at Wyoming, would rise several hours before school began and walk to a local Planet Fitness for a workout before often following that up at a nearby park to work on their football skills – all before school started each day.
Williams hopes his enthusiasm and work ethic – and maybe his morning routine – will help the younger Bears on the roster and leave a lasting impact on the program.
"I knew I had to step into more of a leadership role this year with it being my last season," Williams said. "There are a lot of young guys in the room, and I had to show them the ropes. By just being here, having them see my routine and what I do, I feel like they can catch on. They don't have to do exactly what I do, but they can take little parts from my game to add to theirs."
Players Mentioned
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