Candidate profile: Travis Williams
Less than three weeks after signing a second extension to remain Missouri's defensive coordinator, Blake Baker has agreed to do the same job for LSU. Now, Missouri is searching for its fourth defensive coordinator in five years.
You can find out full hot board here. In the meantime, we will also bring you a more in-depth look at each candidate by profiling one every day during the search.
Current position: Arkansas defensive coordinator
Age: 40
Coaching experience: 15 years (five as defensive coordinator)
Salary: $1.175 million
Buyout: Unknown
Williams went to Auburn (2002-05) and was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference linebacker in 2004 and a second-team selection in 2005. He played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2006-07 seasons.
He got his coaching career started with his alma mater in 2009 and stayed through the 2011 season, which means he was on staff with Eli Drinkwitz in 2010 when Auburn won the national championship.
He then coached linebackers at Northern Iowa in 2012 under 2007 Eddie Robinson Award winner Mark Farley, before getting a defensive coordinating job at Creekside High School (Ga.) for the 2013 season.
He re-joined the college ranks by re-joining Auburn under Gus Malzahn as an analyst for the 2014-15 seasons before transitioning to the linebackers coach for the 2016-18 seasons.
In 2019, he was elevated to co-defensive coordinator with Kevin Steele.
| Years (record) | PPG allowed (FBS Rank) | Total yards per game allowed (rank) | Passing yards allowed per game (rank) | Rushing yards allowed per game (rank) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2019 (9-4) |
19.5 (17) |
337.0 (27) |
213.8 (47) |
123.2 (24) |
|
2020 (6-5) |
24.7 (38) |
406.0 (63) |
242.6 (79) |
163.4 (62) |
|
Average |
22.1 |
371.5 |
228.2 |
143.3 |
In 2019, Auburn went 9-4 and finished the season with a loss in the Outback Bowl to No. 16 Minnesota. However, the Tigers were one of the better defenses in the nation.
Auburn then went on a bit of a decline in Williams last season with the Tigers in 2020.
From 2016-2020, Auburn was a top-20 scoring defense and with Williams as the linebackers coach, the team only allowed 54 rushing touchdowns, which ranks fifth in the FBS during that span.
Williams would follow Malzahn to UCF, where he'd be the sole defensive coordinator for the 2021-22 seasons.
He had a bit of work cut out for him when he got there.
The season before he arrived in Orlando, UCF was the seventh-worst defense in the nation, allowing 491.8 yards per game, 33.2 points per game (92nd), 299.2 passing yards per game (121st) and 192.6 rushing yards per game (93rd) en route to a 6-4 record.
| Years (record) | PPG allowed (FBS Rank) | Total yards per game allowed (rank) | Passing yards allowed per game (rank) | Rushing yards allowed per game (rank) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2021 (9-4) |
24.5 (49) |
369.8 (52) |
210.1 (35) |
159.8 (78) |
|
2022 (9-5) |
23.6 (46) |
380.0 (69) |
222.3 (59) |
157.7 (78) |
|
Average |
24.05 |
374.9 |
216.2 |
158.75 |
In Williams' first season at UCF, the Golden Knights got better across the board defensively, with the team giving up 122 total yards less per game, 89.1 passing yards less per game, almost 33 rushing yards less per game and nearly nine points less per game en route to a 9-4 campaign.
In 2022, the defense slightly improved in points per game allowed while taking minor steps back in total yards and passing yards allowed per game.
That same year, Arkansas would have the eighth-worst defense allowing 465.2 total yards per game, 30.6 points per game (101st), 294.7 passing yards per game (last) and 170.5 rushing yards per game (94th).
When Williams joined Sam Pittman at Arkansas to be the Razorbacks' coordinator this past season, Arkansas got significantly better at all major defensive statistical categories.
The Razorbacks had the 47th-ranked defense, allowing 357.2 total yards per game, 27.9 points per game (80th), 202.8 passing yards per game (32nd) and 154.4 rushing yards per game (76th) as Arkansas finished 4-8.
Overall, what works for Williams is he has coordinating experience at the SEC level and his relationship with Malzahn and prior working relationship with Drinkwitz is a plus. Plus, his aggressive four-man front defense isn't too far off from what Baker liked to run.
The problem is his defenses have been good at best but never elite. Mizzou has the money to pay him or any coordinator top dollar, but Williams wouldn't likely command that right now.
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