Cam Williams Building Confidence, Pushing for Bigger Role in Notre Dame WR Room
The spring always brings a fresh start for thousands of college football players.
Starters move on to the NFL, others transfer or exhaust their eligibility, and coaching changes can create opportunity across the roster.
For Notre Dame receiver Cam Williams, everything has been building toward this spring.
The 6-foot-2, 201-pound receiver arrived needing development. Now, entering his third year in the program, he’s pairing that growth with a new level of confidence as he pushes to climb the depth chart.
“I just think confidence and the work that I've done over the years,” Williams said of what’s allowed him to make a jump this spring. “Just sticking true to who I want to be, what I want to achieve and just believing in myself.”
Spring ball is no longer new for Williams.
With two offseasons already under his belt, the Glen Ellyn (Ill.) native is approaching this 15-practice stretch with a different mindset.
“It's go out there and have fun,” explained Williams. “I was thinking about this the other day. It's my third spring. I know how it goes. I know the flow of all this. Knowing that, you're able to play faster and push through this.”
Notre Dame’s receiver room has also been reshaped. Receivers coach Mike Brown added two transfers, while all five freshman signees enrolled early, creating a deeper and more competitive group.
“Competition is good,” Williams said. “You want to do it. You just want to be in here and compete. You want to fight for that spot. We all know that's what it is and at the end of the day, you just have to compete.”
That competitive edge reflects the standard head coach Marcus Freeman is building across the program. Still, Williams emphasized that the battle for reps doesn’t spill off the field.
“I'm not letting that get in the way of anything else,” stated Williams.
One key emphasis for Williams and the receivers this spring is yards after the catch. With quarterback CJ Carr under center, the expectation is to turn routine plays into explosive ones.
“We know with the quarterback that we have that these plays can go on, as long as they possibly can,” explained Williams. “Yards after catch is always important for us.
“We want every yard, every inch we can get, especially on third and fourth down. That’s always going to be an emphasis for us, especially when you have CJ, who can elongate the play all the time.”
Williams, who arrived at Notre Dame alongside Carr, has seen firsthand the growth from the second-year quarterback and it’s been noticeable.
“You just see him do something and you can tell,” Williams said of Carr being one of the best in the country. “That’s the guy we have. He’s elite and he’s showing us that every day.”
For Williams, this spring isn’t just another set of practices. It’s about proving himself.
“I see myself as someone who will find his role,” said Williams. “Someone who's going to make his role and my mindset.”
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