Davern Williams - Football Coach - Troy University Athletics

Davern Williams

Title:
Defensive Line
Email:
jmorgan@troy.edu
Phone:
3682

Davern Williams begins his third season at Troy coaching the defensive line following an impressive playing career with the Trojans.

Troy’s defense posted one of the best turnarounds in the nation in 2020 as the Trojans improved 63 spots nationally in scoring defense from 2019 to 2020 and 38 spots in total defense. Troy led the country with four defensive scores and the Trojans finished the season ranked as the nation’s No. 15 defense per PFF. Troy ended the season holding four of its final six opponents to 20 points of fewer.

Will Choloh finished the season as one of the nation's top pass rushing interior defensive lineman (min. 400 snaps) ranking second with a 90.3 grade from Pro Football Focus while his 31 pressures were the fourth most nationally; he finished with 4.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss from his defensive tackle position.

In Williams’ first season, Choloh earned All-Sun Belt Second Team honors and Marcus Webb were named to the All-Sun Belt Third Team. Paced by the defensive line, Troy sacked Georgia Southern nine times in the victory over the Eagles; it was the first time since at least 2000 that a Georgia Southern team had yielded more than five sacks in a game and just the seventh time the Eagles allowed four or more sacks in a game in the last 20 years.

During his playing days as a Trojan, Williams earned All-Southland Conference honors in 2000 and helped lead the Trojans to the conference title and berth in the FCS Playoffs in Troy’s final season in the league. As a senior, Williams teamed with NFL legends Osi Umenyiora and DeMarcus Ware, as the Trojans ranked fourth nationally in total defense in just their second season at the FBS level.

Williams returned to Troy following one season as the defensive line coach at Chattanooga; he had a brief one-month stint at Akron before joining the Troy staff.

At Chattanooga, Williams coached Isaiah Mack who was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award (top defensive player at the FCS level), was named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year and earned five different All-America honors. Mack increased his sack total from 1.5 as a junior to 8.5 as a senior under Williams.

Prior to his lone season at Chattanooga, Williams spent four seasons (2014-17) at East Mississippi Community College coaching the defensive line. The Lions posted a 42-3 record with two NJCAA National Championships (2014 & 2017) and three MACJC state titles (2014, 2016 & 2017) while Williams was on staff.

During his tenure, a total of 23 EMCC defensive linemen moved on to four-year schools. In Williams’ first season at East Mississippi, the Lions led the nation in scoring defense (7.6 ppg), while going the entire nine-game regular season without allowing a rushing touchdown. The following year, EMCC finished third nationally allowing just 14.8 points per game.

Williams spent the 2013 season as an assistant coach at Murray State. Prior to that, he worked four seasons at fellow OVC member Jacksonville State (2009-12). While at Jacksonville State, Williams helped produce at least one All-OVC defensive lineman during each of his four years with the Gamecocks, including 2011 NFL free agent signees Monte Lewis and Torrey Davis.

After beginning his collegiate coaching career with a two-year stop at Huntingdon College in his hometown of Montgomery, Ala., Williams spent the 2008 campaign at Millsaps College. During his lone year at the school, the Majors went 11-1 and ranked 25thnationally in scoring defense.

A seventh-round selection by the Miami Dolphins in the 2003 NFL Draft, Williams spent his rookie season on injured reserve, before joining the New York Giants the following year. He saw action in three games with the Giants, including one start, and totaled seven tackles.

Williams signed with Auburn out of high school and played sparingly during the 1998 season. He then transferred to Troy, where he finished with 164 career tackles, including 19.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks as a three-year starter. He graduated from Troy with a bachelor’s degree in sports fitness management.

A three-time all-metro selection during his high school playing days, Williams helped lead Jeff Davis to the 1996 Class 6A state championship as a junior after a state runner-up finish the year prior. As a prep senior, Williams was tabbed the Montgomery Advertiser’s Class 6A Player of the Year.