Former South Carolina standout returning to coach in Palmetto State

A former South Carolina football standout is back coaching in the Palmetto State.

According to a release from the school, South Carolina State has hired former Gamecock offensive lineman Cedric Williams. Williams will serve as the Bulldogs’ offensive line coach and run game coordinator. He will work under third-year head coach Chennis Berry.

Williams has made coaching stops all over the Southeast, most recently spending the 2025 season at Florida A&M.

Before Florida A&M, Williams had several other collegiate coaching stops in the southeast. Prior to a year in Tallahassee, he coached at North Carolina Central, where he was the offensive line coach and run game coordinator. He also spent some time as a graduate assistant and as an off-field strength and conditioning assistant with the Gamecocks and worked as the offensive line coach at Tennessee State, Newberry, Mississippi Valley State, and Georgia State. At Georgia State, he worked under current USC assistant Shawn Elliott.

In 2022, Williams helped lead NCCU to a win in the Celebration Bowl (sometimes known as the HBCU National Championship).

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During his South Carolina football career, Williams was part of a resurgent offensive line unit under head coach Lou Holtz. One of several offensive linemen to earn All-SEC honors in that era, Williams helped the Gamecocks beat Ohio State in back-to-back Outback Bowls following the 2000 and 2001 seasons. The Palmetto State native spent the majority of four seasons starting for USC.

Williams played under Holtz and coached in Columbia under both Steve Spurrier and Will Muschamp. He was an offensive graduate assistant from 2006-2008 and returned to the Gamecocks as a member of the strength staff in 2016. In 2008, he also served as the interim offensive line coach at the end of the season.

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