UM QB Emory Williams makes some surprising admissions, explains how he changed
If Canes fans’ confidence in backup quarterback Emory Williams was shaken by his disappointing play in the bowl game loss to Iowa State, Williams has news for you:
His confidence was shaken too.
That surprising admission, which Williams revealed Wednesday, was accompanied by more blunt self-evaluation.
“That was a wake-up call,” Williams said of his poor second half, which included just five completions in 14 attempts and an interception, after replacing Cam Ward at halftime of the Pop Tarts Bowl. It was his first game appearance since Sept. 14 against Ball State, but he didn’t use rust as an excuse.
That “was by by no means the result of what I was looking for,” he said of the bowl game.
Was his confidence shaken? “To be honest, yeah,” he said.
But it also made Williams realize that his game wasn’t good enough.
“That,” he said, “is what lit the fire” and propelled “me to change.”
As a freshman, he showed moxie and poise, completing 62% of his 71 passes, with three touchdowns and an interception in five games, including impressive work in a dramatic overtime win against Clemson.
“That freshman year I had a little bit of that [moxie],” he said. “I kind of lost it last year. Sometimes you need a wake-up call and I believe that was my wake-up call. I needed that. This year, I’m not going to let that happen again.”
So Williams committed to change. He altered his throwing motion, with the assistance of Texas-based quarterback coach Jeff Christensen. He tinkered with his footwork and delivery. He committed to improving his scrambling ability (he has seven career rushes for minus-17 yards).
The “overhaul” even included changing his number, from 17 to 8. “That [8] was the number I wore when I was young,” he said. “Sort of a throwback to the past, a fresh change.”
“And I dedicated a whole lot more time this offseason to enhancing my football intelligence and just growing up. It was a complete overhaul.”
After the bowl game, offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson encouraged him to get “faster, get stronger,” Williams said.
Message received. He added 13 pounds and is now 223.
Nevertheless, “this is the fastest I’ve ever been,” he said.
He also was determined to quicken other aspects of his game.
“Speeding up everything,” he said. “My footwork has gotten faster, my straight sprinting has gotten faster, my motion has gotten faster. Everything is just quicker. I no longer want to be the guy that feels like I don’t belong on the field because of my athletic abilities. I want to feel like I can make a difference with my legs, with my body.”
This past offseason, he studied tape of NFL quarterbacks Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford and Baker Mayfield, “guys that can rip it but can also make plays and extend plays.”
Several FBS schools reportedly would have pursued Williams if he had entered the transfer portal in April. Asked about a report that he considered Alabama, he said: “Nah,” and then changed the topic.
Why did he decide to stay? “I have a great relationship with the coaches here. It always felt like home. I love the university in general, love all the classes, love the people I’ve met here.”
He played well in the spring — while starter Carson Beck was out recovering from elbow surgery — “but I know I can play better.”
He appreciated sharing a quarterback room with Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall draft pick, but said Beck’s game is more similar to his.
“One thing I love about having Carson in the room — you know what an NFL quarterback looks like,” he said. “Cam... his style is a little different than mine. Carson’s is more similar to mine; his body fits mine. Seeing Carson, the anticipation he plays with, the knowledge of the game he has, learning from that has really been a help.”
Williams said UM coaches haven’t told him if he’s No. 2 on the depth chart. But that seems likely. Freshman quarterback Luke Nickel also was impressive in the spring game, but Williams seems back on track after the hiccup in the bowl game.
If UM doesn’t go portal shopping for a quarterback next winter, the Williams-Nickel starting battle is shaping up to be a fascinating one for 2026. Judd Anderson and Class of 2026 quarterback Dereon Coleman also will have a chance to make their case.
This story was originally published July 31, 2025 at 12:40 PM.
