SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 15, 2024

Debo Williams

South Carolina Gamecocks

Press Conference

Q. Obviously previously competing against Juice Wells internally, just practicing against him, what kind of player is Ole Miss getting and what is it going to be like facing him in the middle of the season?

DEBO WILLIAMS: I don't know what they're getting over there. Good player, though, for sure. All love to Juice. I don't know what he's going to bring to the team and I don't know how the team is going to be this season, but nothing but respect for Ole Miss.

Q. Rocket Sanders transferring in, just your perspective as playing on that defense, what has it been like going up against him in practice and what does he bring to the table?

DEBO WILLIAMS: He's been hurt, but he's coming back for camp, and just seeing -- he's my locker buddy, and just seeing him, he's motivated. He feels he's got something to prove to show he was even better than he was before he got hurt.

Q. What would you say some of the strengths of this defense is? What gives you confidence you'll have the bounceback year?

DEBO WILLIAMS: We have a bunch of veterans playing with guys playing with three to four years, the connection that's there. I know I can count on my d-linemen with my life depending on it, my defensive backs. We're family-oriented and we'll all going to give it our all when we're out there, for sure.

Q. It's an area of college football where players have options. You could have chosen to explore the pros or go somewhere else after last season. What were the big factors to you that made you decide to come back to South Carolina?

DEBO WILLIAMS: Still as far as having two years of eligibility and knowing that I can up my draft stock. So coming back, I know it's a legacy here, and I want to cement my legacy in South Carolina forever.

Q. With the new league, the schedule kind of changes and you have different opponents, but Texas A&M is an opponent you played every year. Just your thoughts on playing them again and what those battles have been like for you?

DEBO WILLIAMS: Shout-out to them. I know it's going to be a great competitive game. Every SEC game is. But I say nameless, faceless opponents. Doesn't matter who we play. We could play somebody in the NFL. We have to show up and ball-out.

Q. What's it like having Tonka back? He's a big part of the defense. Really impressive guy, what can you say about having him back for another year?

DEBO WILLIAMS: Just a big factor. Teams are going to have to have a game plan for all of us, man. I know he's got my back and I've got his. I can't wait for him to ball-out for sure.

Q. Describe your fit you got and the bling you've got going on.

DEBO WILLIAMS: I got the jewelry from Clarity Jewelers in Atlanta. I have an NIL deal with a suit place called Bride & Groom of Columbia, in Columbia, South Carolina. They got me right with the navy, and then on the inside I've got teal matching my shoes. I got some Alexander McQueen shoes on right now.

Q. With college football, the EA Sports coming out with the video game, how much are you looking forward to that, and have you looked at what your rating's going to be? Do you look into that?

DEBO WILLIAMS: Hopefully I got a pretty good rating, but I can't wait until the game comes out so I can play for sure. I actually don't have a console. I don't have a PlayStation or Xbox. I'll be using my friends'. I'll be playing with them.

Q. You had several NIL deals. How has that experience been for you trying to explain to the fans the new world of NIL?

DEBO WILLIAMS: It's a blessing. You can help your family out. You can start investing. As far as -- it's just a blessing, and I would say for sure it's like I think I've been in college for the best part of it, like NIL coming out. You got the college game coming out, guys that came in maybe a year or two before me probably didn't get that opportunity. So I think it's a blessing to be in college at the time out here.

Q. What can you say about the quarterback position, Spencer moves on? You've been working against the offense this offseason. There's competition. Luke told us about some of the competition going on there at the quarterback position. What can you say about what you've seen out of those guys? I would particularly ask about Robby Ashford, a guy we got to see.

DEBO WILLIAMS: They compete. And Robby and LaNorris are going at it for sure. We want the best quarterback on the field to give us the best chance of winning. I love the competition. All for it. Offense is getting better weekly. I see it tremendously. Moving.

Q. What have you seen from the offense going up against them and how do you feel like the transition with going from having Spencer, and how do you feel that offense is faring right now?

DEBO WILLIAMS: Mission is really good right now because during the spring, you know, a lot of new players, a lot of new offensive players, basically learning the plays. Now that they know the plays, they put it together, they're moving fast. They're doing really good right now. I can't wait to see the final product during the season.

Q. You've seen all of this transition that's happened in college football over the last five years. Your freshman year was the COVID year. Now we're at 16 teams. You're at Media Days in Dallas. What was the biggest thing that showed out in your experience as all this transitioned with the portal, NIL, expansion, super conference talk, what's it been like from the player's side?

DEBO WILLIAMS: I said earlier, I definitely think I'm in the best years, for sure, and it will continue to grow. But NCAA is definitely changing things and they're evolving, for sure.

I would say, as far as me just seeing everything, it's crazy. NIL, guys literally coming to school, leaving the next year. Things have definitely changed.

I think my loyalty towards Coach Beamer really stays with me coming before all of this stuff happened. If you were the team, you're going to work your tail off and you're going to work your way up, not going to leave because somebody's in your position right now.

Q. You mentioned it's a legacy year, that's one of the reasons you stuck around. What would you like to accomplish for it to be a fulfilling legacy year for you?

DEBO WILLIAMS: Obviously I just want to dominate the game, for sure. But winning, the SEC Championship, the national championships, the guys in South Carolina that will remember like the Jadeveon Clowneys, they remember because they were winning while they were in South Carolina. And the biggest thing is winning, for sure.