USC DB Marcelles Williams not looking like a freshman – Orange County Register

For brief moments, Lincoln Riley must remind himself that this feeling is really just déjà vu.

That defensive back Max Williams actually played his last game for the Trojans. And that this freshman, with the same last name, same first initial, is a Trojan horse.

Give Riley some breathing room, because Marcelles Williams is imitating a number of her older brother’s mannerisms. He and Max share facial expressions. Neither carries an arrogant bone in their body. And both, Riley said, are quality kids who, in Max’s case, left an impact on the program; and at Marcelles, is about to do the same.

“He’s a confident kid,” Riley said of Marcelles Williams. “He participated in this program a lot, and I think that helped him come in, not really being wide-eyed and just ready to compete. Based on his family history, I think there’s probably an understanding of what’s really needed at that level. I don’t think he’s shocked by this.

Through 13 spring practices, Marcelles Williams, who graduated from St. John Bosco this winter and enrolled at USC, has turned the heads of teammates and coaches, positioning himself for a real chance to play in September.

The coaching staff really likes him, his father Maxzell told the Southern California News Group. In an offseason where USC is reshaping its defense, Marcelles was able to acclimatize quickly.

“With him at USC, I think he’s in a comfortable position,” Maxzell said Saturday.

Marcelles Williams watched her older brother play for the Trojans for five years, starting 24 games over his final two seasons. Today, the freshman benefits from his brother’s advice on how to handle daily life at USC.

On November 24, he participated in the CIF-SS Division I Soccer Championship at the Coliseum when St. John Bosco faced Mater Dei. A week later, another cardinal and golden domino had fallen into place.

“Coach (D’Anton) Lynn expressed how much he really wanted to coach Marcelles,” his father told SCNG. “(Marcelles) was being recruited by UCLA. When Coach Lynn arrived, they began to build a very strong relationship.

The two stayed in touch during Lynn’s only season at UCLA. Then, on December 1, USC hired Lynn as defensive coordinator. Marcelles Williams signed her National Letter of Intent to join the Trojans on December 20.

Since then, Lynn has contributed to a complete overhaul of the Trojans’ defense, largely by bringing in top talent. Count Marcelles among these faithful.

Before ultimately choosing USC, he impressed coaches throughout the recruiting process with his verbiage and knowledge of the details of college defenses.

Those ways, Maxzell said, are a product of the game at Bosco, which tends to use defenses based on the looks of the University of Georgia, Alabama, Clemson and other Division I programs.

As a Trojan, the freshman gets attention from the staff because he is technically sound, cerebral and can hang with starting receivers.

“Marcelles Williams, he’s been fantastic,” wide receiver Duce Robinson said April 2.

His immediate progress surprised even his father, who receives text messages from his son with updates after every spring practice. He also participates in a group chat with other USC football parents, who on Saturday served as a source to share Marcelles’ highlight.

“One of the parents said to me, ‘Celles had another choice today,'” Maxzell said.

Riley also noted Williams’ interception that ended USC’s scrimmage. It wasn’t his first of the spring.

“He’s been unusually consistent for a true freshman,” Riley said. “His bad plays aren’t that bad. And then on top of that, he made exceptional plays.

Maxzell then texted Marcelles to ask about the play. His son’s response was short and sweet.

“He’s not really that excited,” Maxzell said. “He studies the game well and he’s not a ‘rah-rah, me-me’ guy. He’s like a head-down, hard-nosed type of player.