Reggie Williams

Bio

Reggie Williams overcame several obstacles to become a College Football Hall of Fame member. Born in Flint, Michigan, he first had to overcome a hearing disability as a child. When he became a high school all-league fullback, Michigan coach Bo Schembechler rejected him as too small. When Dartmouth College became interested in Williams due to his academic abilities, a high school counselor told him that he was not equipped to pursue an Ivy League education. Confident in his abilities, Williams would go on to confound all of his detractors. When he came to Dartmouth he was moved from fullback to linebacker in his freshman year. "Reggie could literally cover sideline to sideline with his speed and instincts," said coach Jake Crouthamel. "He played a hundred miles an hour on every play at a different speed than anyone else." In the off-season before his sophomore season, he injured his knee when hit by an automobile and did not make his first start until the Harvard game. The game with Harvard may have been the biggest in his career as the victory over the undefeated Crimson was critical in Dartmouth's successful quest for a fifth consecutive Ivy League title. For the year his 117 tackles led the team as Reggie was named an All-Ivy League player. Williams would repeat as the team's top tackler and make the all-league team each of the next two years. In his senior year, he was named a team co-captain and was named a first-team All-America, becoming the last Ivy League player to gain major college All-America status. When not playing football, the psychology major was a first-team All-Ivy League wrestler. He did not compete in wrestling as a senior, as he graduated in only three and a half years. He played 14 NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and appeared in two Super Bowls before starting a career in politics and business.

Career Highlights

• 1975 All-Conference
• 1975 First Team All-America
• 1974 All-Conference
• 1973 All-Conference