That had to be a typo, right?
Heck of a place to make a typo, too — but right on the Mizzou player’s jersey, his last name read: “WILLIAMS SR.â€
But it turned out, last season, Sidney Williams was only a junior by school classification.
See, the Mizzou safety is a father.
And so, by having “SR.†on his jersey, “It just connects (us) and lets people know that I have a kid,†said Sidney Williams Sr., who will be a senior safety this year for the Tigers. “I’m really just excited to let people know that I have a kid and I’m willing to show the generations.â€
Sidney Harold Williams Jr. is 1. Turns 2 in March.
“He’s full of life — very, very observant,†Mizzou’s Williams said. “Paying attention to everything. So I wanted to bring him here to Columbia and show him a lot of love. … He still wakes up at 4 in the morning, 5 in the morning. But I play ball, so I’m pretty much used to getting up around that time (for workouts) anyway.â€
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Williams, who is part of Mizzou’s defensive back rotation, was born in New Orleans and raised in Mobile, Alabama. Akeria Jones is the mother of his son, and she moved to Columbia this summer, along with Junior.
And so, Mizzou’s Williams is double majoring in football and life. Oh, and he’s apparently doing well in actual school — he was named to the 2023 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll.
“That’s something that’s always hard, to juggle those things — those are real things that pull at you,†said Corey Batoon, Mizzou’s defensive coordinator. “And it’s (about) being able to peel that away and understand — this is who I am at heart, but I also represent more than just what’s on the front of the chest. On the back of the jersey means something. It’s kind of cool, man. I mean, everybody’s in different situations. And those guys that have those other blessings outside of the building, what a neat opportunity. Really a neat thing that Sidney has been able to accomplish. That is part of what his walk is right now.â€
At first, Williams admitted, it was “a little weird†seeing “SR.†on the back of his jersey. But “it grew on me — it’s a good fit,†he said.
Junior visited Mizzou for one game last season. Now in 2024, the plan is for him to attend as many home games as is doable.
And just a couple days before Mizzou’s media day in July, Williams brought his son to the football facility.
“I want him to really get to experience being with his father and an atmosphere like this,†said Williams, who originally played for Florida State. “Nothing but love out here, it’s quiet out here, it’s a blessing. … When I first got here, the coaches, the players, everybody was just accepting me as a person and as a player, too. Every day, I always have some Mizzou on. I really cherish where I’m at and where my feet are right now.â€
There is a special camaraderie among the Mizzou safeties, teammate Daylan Carnell explained. But also a fierce competition for playing time. Williams spent time last year at the linebacker-safety position called STAR, as well as at a traditional safety spot. He totaled 25 tackles, as well as two sacks and 2 ½ tackles for loss.
No. 3 on defense tallied five tackles in the win at Kentucky, six and a sack in the win against Arkansas and three in the Cotton Bowl win against Ohio State.
“Sidney is, first and foremost, a high-energy guy,†said Batoon, who knows Williams well — Batoon was recently a defensive coordinator at South Alabama in, yup, Mobile. “So, I’ve known a lot about him. His high school program (Vigor High) is one of the better programs in Mobile.
“But he’s really good, really a pleasure to coach. Very much like a sponge, wants to learn, wants to absorb things. He played a lot of football, played linebacker at Florida State. … He’s one of those guys that always has a smile on his face. Always ready to work. Always gives it — anything that you ask and more. And so, from that standpoint, he’s good to be around. He’s a benefit to our room.â€
And Williams feels he fits in the defense because “coach Batoon gives us safeties a (chance) to put a little flavor to it. He doesn’t try to say, ‘We need it this way always or that way always.’ We can pretty much be ourselves, bring our own swag. And that’s what I really appreciate about coach Batoon.â€
Becoming a father gave Williams a perspective on life he couldn’t have imagined. And he takes pride in passing his name down. In being Senior.
“You just know — Sidney loves his son,†Carnell said. “He always is talking about him. I mean, if you just walk around the facility and you see Sidney, he’s probably on FaceTime and it’s his son on FaceTime with him. So you can tell by how he walks around — he’s proud to be a father.â€