UW Roster Review, No. 2-99: Williams Serves Up Top Safety Showing

The junior puts a little distance between himself and the competition.

Cameron Williams came to the University of Washington to play football. He found himself in a tennis match that won't end with Asa Turner.

Williams captured the first set, starting the first five games of his true freshman season at strong safety.

Turner responded by claiming the next set, starting five games, before Williams returned to the lineup for the final two outings.

Back and forth they went — breaking service, literally. 

Game, set, match.

Last fall, Turner reclaimed the No. 1 job for all four games held during the Huskies' pandemic-shortened season.

Serve, Asa.

This spring, Williams and Turner actually took the field together for the first Saturday scrimmage, standing side by side as starters — doubles partners? — and that lasted until the latter went out for the rest of the workouts with a foot injury.

Williams, Cam not Serena, made strides, with or without Turner to push him.

Asked who were defensive standouts this spring, Husky defensive coordinator Bob Gregory came up with two names without hesitating. 

"Cam and Kam," he said, referring to his veteran safety and nickelback candidate Kamren Fabiculanan.

Going down the roster in numerical order, this is another of our post-spring assessments of all of the Husky talent at hand, gleaned from a month of observations, as a way to keep everyone engaged during the offseason.

As No. 6 opposite offensive counterpart Richard Newton, the 6-foot, 190-pound junior from Bakersfield, California, tweeted out video of his winter workouts that seemed to serve as a subtle reminder to Turner and everyone else that he wanted his job back. 

Williams was in all the right places as spring practice played out, no doubt making it difficult for Turner, healthy or not, to supplant him in the fall.

Serve, Williams.

2021 Outlook: Projected strong safety starter

UW Service Time: Played in 16 games, started 7

Stats: 35 tackles, 1 TFL, 3 interceptions, 3 passes defended

Individual Honors: None

Pro prospects: 2024 NFL mid-round draftee

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