What were you doing when you were 17 years old? Unless you’re one of three people in the last 40 years, you weren’t quarterbacking against a D-I football team. But that’s exactly what Steve Williams will be doing when he suits up for Old Dominion this weekend.
The Monarchs are taking on the Virginia Tech Hokies in Blacksburg, and with Williams being only 17 years and nine months old, he is believed to be the youngest player to ever start at quarterback at the highest level of collegiate football since 1973.
He certainly doesn’t look your typical 17 year old though. Williams stands at 6-foot-4, and weighs 196-pounds. In mop up duty last week, Williams quarterbacked the Monarchs to two touchdowns.
It was enough for coach Bobby Wilder to give him the nod moving forward.
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— ODU Football (@ODUFootball) September 23, 2017
Williams was a two-star prospect who signed with Old Dominion this past year. Despite his youth and inexperience, he appears to have gained the confidence of both his coaches and teammates.
“At 17 years old, he has to become the defined leader of this organization,” Wilder told the Virginian-Pilot. “I personally think he has the ability to do it. … He’s very dynamic. There’s a lot of things he does well.”
If ever there were a team to give player leeway on account of “growing pains,” this would be it. While most are content to have received their drivers license by the time they are 17, Williams will be looking to drive a D-I offense down the field.
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