Charles Williams sounds warning ahead of UNLV season opener

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Friday, Aug. 27, 2021 | 2 a.m.

As a sixth-year senior, Charles Williams has been around the block a few times.

He has played for multiple coaches in multiple systems. He has made All-Conference teams and ridden the bench. He has missed seasons due to injury. He even became a father last year. So when Williams has something to say about UNLV’s season opener against Eastern Washington on Thursday, it should carry significant weight with his teammates.

After Wednesday’s practice, Williams summoned all his wisdom and distilled it into one simple message.

“Basically, we have to prepare like we’re playing against Alabama,” Williams said.

Williams is, unfortunately, speaking directly from experience. He was part of a 2017 UNLV squad that had the ultimate gimme lined up for Week 1: a home game against FCS opponent Howard.

Things went horribly (and historically) awry that night, for Williams and the team. Williams ran for an early touchdown, but on his twelfth carry of the night he injured his ankle and missed the rest of the season. UNLV went on to lose the game, 43-40, becoming the biggest betting favorite to fall in college football history. Tony Sanchez’s tenure never recovered from that defeat, and it’s safe to say Marcus Arroyo doesn’t want to follow in his footsteps.

The scarlet and gray won’t be nearly as big of a favorite this time around—if they’re favored at all. While that 2017 team entered the game as a 45-point favorite, the spread against Eastern Washington probably won’t be more than a few points in either direction.

Though most prognosticators seem to expect a close contest, Williams doesn’t want to take any chances. He wants his teammates to understand how important the game is and not take their opponent lightly, and he’s willing to use himself and that 2017 debacle as an example if that’s what it takes.

“If you really think about it, in the past we’ve overlooked a team and got upset, so I’m taking this personally,” Williams said. “I’m not overlooking Eastern Washington.”

UNLV should heed Williams’s warning.

Eastern Washington is coming off an impressive 2020 campaign that saw them notch a 5-1 record in the regular season. Starting quarterback and Big Sky Preseason Player of the Year Eric Barriere returns to pilot an explosive offense that averaged 40 points per game last year.

Handing the ball to Williams as often as possible might be UNLV’s best chance to avoid another season-opening loss to an FCS opponent. He was not great last year—he ran for 495 yards and four touchdowns on 4.3 yards per carry as he acclimated to Arroyo’s offense—but given the massive question marks at the quarterback position, a strong running attack could serve the dual purposes of QB-proofing the game from UNLV’s perspective while keeping the Eastern Washington offense off the field.

Williams spoke highly of his offensive line and said they have been opening holes throughout training camp. Improved blocking could help Williams return to his 2019 All-Mountain West form, when he ran for 1,257 yards and 11 touchdowns while picking up 5.9 yards per carry.

With Williams looking fast and powerful in practice, it seems the ultimate veteran could be in store for a big farewell season.

He is determined to make the most of it.

“Football, it doesn’t last forever,” Williams said. “Take every opportunity and run away with it because not everybody gets this chance to come play college football in Las Vegas in Allegiant Stadium every week. It’s a blessing, so I’m going to keep appreciating it.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.