In Sunday afternoon’s contest between Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) rivals, The Rattlers of Florida A&M University defeated the North Carolina A&T State Aggies, by a score of 34-31.
This game served as the epitome of a pound for pound game, as both teams were vying to show who deserves the top spot in the MEAC in what was an overtime classic. As the Rattlers continue to fill up the win column with their sixth consecutive win, one player that stood out above all was Senior FAMU wide receiver, Marcus Williams.
Williams, who was riddled with injuries to begin the season, stepped up and delivered time after time for the Rattlers when they needed a play the most, as he finished his evening with four receptions for 71 yards and
two touchdowns.
In the team’s post-game press conference, Williams described how he was able to take advantage of his one on one matchup in the second half due to offensive adjustments and how the Rattlers exploited the Aggies defense in overtime.
“In the beginning of the game they were playing kind of soft, so we were kind of getting what we wanted after half time when they (NCA&T) came out and started pressing,” Williams said.
“We knew that we were getting the one on ones that we wanted and anybody that plays us (FAMU) one on one is at a disadvantage,” Williams added.
As time and pressure started to mount upon each team in the overtime period, Williams’ fourth reception turned out to be the one that sealed the victory over the Aggies, as he caught a 22-yard dart from Resean McKay in the corner of the endzone.
Looking at the context of his overall performance, Williams had three kickoff returns for a total of 96 yards that gave the Rattlers good field position for a majority of the game.
When describing the attributes that Williams brings to the team, FAMU Head Coach Willie Simmons didn’t waste any time heaping praise upon his star wide receiver.
“He (Williams) is a guy that’s a speed guy, a big-play guy, and someone that is a huge threat when it comes to kickoff returns for us,” Simmons said. “He is also great at perimeter blocking, and is huge third-down conversions, including his big touchdown reception to end the game,” Simmons exclaimed.
As FAMU (6-1, 4-0 MEAC) continues to write its storybook season, they must first travel on the road to take on conference rival Morgan State University (1-6 1-3 MEAC), this upcoming Saturday at 3 p.m.