Chargers News: Mike Williams Compares LA's Mindset to His College Championship Team
The Los Angeles Chargers are coming off a bitter year.
They came into the 2022 season with high expectations and aspirations of a potential Super Bowl run, only to have to win four of their last five regular season games to solidify a playoff spot before proceeding to get bounced in the AFC Wild Card Round by the Jacksonville Jaguars courtesy of a furious 27-point comeback.
That led to significant changes on the coaching staff -- Joe Lombardi was out as offensive coordinator, and Kellen Moore stepped in -- and a hungry Chargers team heading into 2023.
Bolts WR Mike Williams is familiar with that feeling.
He went to Clemson from 2013 to 2016 and was on the 2015 team that lost the College Football Playoff National Championship Game and won it the following year.
And the receiver sees similarities between the 2016 Clemson team and this 2013 Chargers group.
"At Clemson we had a lot of guys who wanted the same thing,” Williams said. “The previous year, before we won, we lost in the national championship game, and we all wanted to go back again and win it. We all had that mindset that we were going to dominate every week."
“Our mindset is similar. We're coming off a tough loss last year. Now we have a lot of guys back who still have that taste in their mouth. We'll try not to let that happen again. Put our best foot forward and see what happens.”
The Chargers have a group capable of making a run.
Justin Herbert returns along with Williams and running back Austin Ekeler, and rookie wideout and deep threat Quentin Johnson joins the mix.
On a defensive unit that's looking to improve off a down year, linebacker Eric Kendricks joins that group along with returners in defensive end Joey Bosa and safety Derwin James.
Time will tell if the Chargers can knock off the inconsistency that was a hallmark of last season's team.
But this new Los Angeles squad is motivated to make sure a repeat of last year's crushing playoff defeat doesn't happen again.
