Finally healthy, Gentry Williams hoping to 'build on' Illinois State game
NORMAN — Being healthy for the Sooners’ season-opening win over Illinois State Saturday was really important for Gentry Williams.
But it felt real for Williams when he was able to make his first tackle, which came on the second drive of the game. Two plays later, he blew up a screen pass for a five-yard loss.
For a player who missed most of last season with lingering and reoccurring injuries, those moments meant a lot for Williams.
“I needed that,” Williams said Monday. “I needed that for me personally. I felt like that was a lot of hard work that I put in. Being able to have that moment again, feeling that adrenaline rush again, man, it speaks volumes.”
More importantly, it gives the senior cornerback something to build on.
Staying on the field has been difficult for Williams the past two seasons. He missed three games in 2023, then played just 17 snaps across two games last season after reaggravating a shoulder injury. He had shoulder surgery and was able to be fully healthy for preseason camp.
The biggest sign of growth? He started against Illinois State and played 34 snaps — double the amount he played last season — and finished with three tackles.
“Feels great, to be able to build on something,” Williams said. “That’s my starting point from now on. Just continue to do the steps that I did to perform on Saturday. I think I had a great week of preparation beforehand, but I;ve gotta do an even better job, because every week is going to get harder, each opponent.”
No one is more excited for Williams than his head coach, Brent Venables.
“He’s been through a lot,” Venables said. “A great example of a guy not giving up on his opportunity. It would’ve been easy for him to try and start over or maybe even just kind of give in and think it wasn’t in the cards. Really thankful for his toughness and his resolve to figure it out. He’s a wonderful leader. I know y’all had an opportunity to visit with him yesterday, and he’s got a great, positive energy about him and tremendous wisdom as well.
“He’s a really connected guy, one of our best leaders on our team and excited to see him have success. I know he’s gonna play his best year for football.”
It was an encouraging start for Williams. Now, he’ll be presented with a much bigger test this weekend.
The Sooners welcome No. 15 Michigan to town for a primetime matchup at Owen Field (6:30 p.m. Saturday, ABC). Williams is going to need to play a heavy dose of snaps, particularly with Eli Bowen and Kendel Dolby’s status unclear for this weekend. He hasn’t played more than 40 snaps in a game since late in 2023, and this contest will also be his first against a Power 4 team since the 2023 Alamo Bowl against Arizona.
But it was important for him to get through the season opener fully healthy, and now he’s ready to build on it.
“(Michigan has) a championship coach, two years removed from being in the College Football Playoff,” Williams said. “They know what it takes, they’re a physical team. That’s kind of what the Big Ten’s based on. We’re preparing for that. We know what the challenge has ahead of us.
“We’ve gotta take it week by week. Prepare. We understand what’s at stake, but we understand what’s at stake every week when you’re at OU. Every team, you’re going to get everybody’s best shot. We got Illinois State’s best shot, we’re going to get Michigan’s best shot, so we gotta prepare the exact same.”
Not a subscriber? Join OUInsider now and get your first week for just $1. No, this deal is NOT too good to be true! Take advantage today and get the market’s best Oklahoma football and recruiting intel!
Click HERE to subscribe today!