2023 Football Roster
Williams, AJ
Jersey Number 7
AJ Williams
- Height:
- 5-11
- Weight:
- 200
- Class:
- Redshirt Junior
- Hometown:
- Bamberg, SC
- High School:
- Bamberg-Ehrhardt
- Deals:
Bio
2023 (Redshirt Junior)
Saw action during 11 games and started in one game the 2023 season… Finished the season with 22 tackles including 16 solo tackles and one pass breakup… Had seven games with multiple tackles recorded… Recorded a season high five tackles with three solo tackles in the win against Elon.
2022 (Redshirt Sophomore)
Saw action in 12 games during the 2022 season, helping lead the team to its seventh consecutive bowl game and back-to-back bowl wins with a victory over Missouri in the Gasparilla Bowl…Finished sixth on the team in tackles with a career-best 48 total tackles including 30 solo tackles while also having 2.0 tackles for loss and a sack…Ended the Boston College and Louisville games with a season-high tying seven tackles…Had at least one tackle in 11 of 12 games played.
2021 (Redshirt Freshman)
Appeared in all 14 games during the historic 2021 season that included ACC Atlantic and Gator Bowl titles...Finished the season with six tackles including a pair of solo tackles...Ended the year with 273 plays including a season-high 34 against Norfolk State
2020 (Redshirt Freshman)
Played in eight games, including two starts ... Registered 30 total tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss...Notched seven total tackles and a pass break up vs UNC (11/14) ... Racked up a career-high nine tackles (sx solo) vs Virginia (10/24) ... Posted his first career sack and interception against No. 1 Clemson in the season opener to go along with six defensive stops ... Earned his first varsity letter.
2019 (True Freshman)
Retained his redshirt status while appearing in four games at safety and on special teams ... Played 36 snaps on the season ... Saw action on special teams and at safety against Elon, playing 19 snaps ... Scout team player of the week vs. Utah State and Duke.
High School
Team captain at Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School ... A three-star athlete by ESPN and 247 ... Rated the No. 28 player in South Carolina by ESPN ... Named the Orangeburg Times and Democrat Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 ... Played quarterback and defensive back for the Red Raiders ... Three-year starter who was selected to the Touchstone Energy Bowl North-South game ... Also picked for the Border Bowl game between South Carolina and Georgia All-Stars on Jan. 12 in Augusta, Ga. ... Led the Red Raiders to a 10-2 record in 2018 and Class 3A Lower State semifinals ... Played for Coach Robert Williams as a senior ... Rushed for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns while throwing for 584 yards and four scores ... Had 86 tackles, eight interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a pair of defensive touchdowns ... Named the Orangeburg Touchdown Club Defensive Player of the Week in mid-November after collecting three interceptions, two pass break-ups and a forced fumble in a playoff win over Hannah-Pamplico. . . In the same game, he rushed for 102 yards and four touchdowns ... Won the Class 2A Lower State championship in 2017 as he was named to the Orangeburg Times and Democrat All-Area team.
Personal
Son of Donneil Akins ... Born March 28, 2001...Majoring in Communications.
Saw action during 11 games and started in one game the 2023 season… Finished the season with 22 tackles including 16 solo tackles and one pass breakup… Had seven games with multiple tackles recorded… Recorded a season high five tackles with three solo tackles in the win against Elon.
2022 (Redshirt Sophomore)
Saw action in 12 games during the 2022 season, helping lead the team to its seventh consecutive bowl game and back-to-back bowl wins with a victory over Missouri in the Gasparilla Bowl…Finished sixth on the team in tackles with a career-best 48 total tackles including 30 solo tackles while also having 2.0 tackles for loss and a sack…Ended the Boston College and Louisville games with a season-high tying seven tackles…Had at least one tackle in 11 of 12 games played.
2021 (Redshirt Freshman)
Appeared in all 14 games during the historic 2021 season that included ACC Atlantic and Gator Bowl titles...Finished the season with six tackles including a pair of solo tackles...Ended the year with 273 plays including a season-high 34 against Norfolk State
2020 (Redshirt Freshman)
Played in eight games, including two starts ... Registered 30 total tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss...Notched seven total tackles and a pass break up vs UNC (11/14) ... Racked up a career-high nine tackles (sx solo) vs Virginia (10/24) ... Posted his first career sack and interception against No. 1 Clemson in the season opener to go along with six defensive stops ... Earned his first varsity letter.
2019 (True Freshman)
Retained his redshirt status while appearing in four games at safety and on special teams ... Played 36 snaps on the season ... Saw action on special teams and at safety against Elon, playing 19 snaps ... Scout team player of the week vs. Utah State and Duke.
High School
Team captain at Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School ... A three-star athlete by ESPN and 247 ... Rated the No. 28 player in South Carolina by ESPN ... Named the Orangeburg Times and Democrat Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 ... Played quarterback and defensive back for the Red Raiders ... Three-year starter who was selected to the Touchstone Energy Bowl North-South game ... Also picked for the Border Bowl game between South Carolina and Georgia All-Stars on Jan. 12 in Augusta, Ga. ... Led the Red Raiders to a 10-2 record in 2018 and Class 3A Lower State semifinals ... Played for Coach Robert Williams as a senior ... Rushed for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns while throwing for 584 yards and four scores ... Had 86 tackles, eight interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a pair of defensive touchdowns ... Named the Orangeburg Touchdown Club Defensive Player of the Week in mid-November after collecting three interceptions, two pass break-ups and a forced fumble in a playoff win over Hannah-Pamplico. . . In the same game, he rushed for 102 yards and four touchdowns ... Won the Class 2A Lower State championship in 2017 as he was named to the Orangeburg Times and Democrat All-Area team.
Personal
Son of Donneil Akins ... Born March 28, 2001...Majoring in Communications.
QB Robbie Ashford takes it himself for the score
Thursday, September 11
Chris Barnes scores the TD on the game's first kick
Thursday, September 11
Matt Barrie SportsCenter at Wake Forest with Demond Claiborne
Wednesday, September 10
Matt Barrie SportsCenter on Wake Forest Campus (Arnold Palmer Complex)
Wednesday, September 10
