Sept. 7, 2017
By Greg Ostendorf
AuburnTigers.com
AUBURN, Ala. -- When Tre' Williams first arrived at Auburn in the summer of 2014, former Auburn linebacker Cassanova McKinzy took him under his wing.
McKinzy, who played for the Tigers from 2012 to 2015, told Williams, "Hey look, you need to get right. You need to get your stuff together. They're really looking for you to play." He sat Williams down and went over the playbook with him, preparing him to get on the field early and make an impact as a true freshman.
"When I first got here, I just wanted to contribute," Williams said. "Just be able to say, `Hey, I actually helped out,' and just to play a part, to do whatever the coaches or the players needed me to do to help us be successful."
Four seasons later, Williams is much more than just a contributor. As a senior and as the starting middle linebacker, he's one of the faces of this defense. He's coming off a season in which he finished second on the team in tackles, and if the season opener was any indication, he might make an All-SEC team before he leaves Auburn.
Williams led the Tigers with 10 tackles and also recorded two sacks in the 41-7 win over Georgia Southern last Saturday.
"Our coaches were talking the other day about how he's raised his level," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said after the game. "He was fierce out there. There were a lot of the big hits, and he was the one getting up off the pile of that.
"The seniors -- when you have a chance to have a good team, they find ways to raise their level. He's one of our team leaders, and I couldn't be happier for him."
Williams still credits players like McKinzy for teaching him how to be a leader and for instilling that leadership trait in him. Williams is now the one encouraging the younger players and going over the playbook with them, just like McKinzy did for him when he was a freshman.
"I know how that feels for a young guy to come in and to be nervous and not to know what to do," Williams said. "I also know for the older guys who haven't played as much, the nerves they have. I can be there for those guys and be like, `Hey look, you're going to be fine. We got your back. When we're going into these games, you're not going in by yourself.' That's what a lot of guys need to understand.
"So that's where the leadership comes in -- giving those guys the confidence and build them up to where they can perform at their highest [level]."
McKinzy, who recently made the St. Louis Rams practice squad, finished his Auburn career with 263 career tackles. Williams, currently sitting at 148, might have a difficult time eclipsing that mark. But there's something else McKinzy has that Williams wants -- a ring.
As a sophomore in 2013, McKinzy helped Auburn win an SEC championship and nearly win a national championship. Williams missed that team by one year.
"This is the time where I have to leave my mark," Williams said. "This year determines not only the last part of Tre' Williams but also the last part of the 2017-18 Auburn Tigers because there will never be another team like this team. New people are going to be playing next year. So this is the year to leave our mark. We've got to approach every game with that mindset."
The next hurdle in Auburn's way? The defending national champions. Williams and his teammates will play at No. 3 Clemson Saturday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.
Greg Ostendorf is a Staff Writer for AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter:
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