Quarterback Chase Williams took the stage at the 2023 CIAA media day last July, hoping to launch what would be a breakout season for himself and Elizabeth City State football.
“I definitely believe I have a good team around me,” he confidently told the audience in attendance. “Good offensive line up front, good receivers, good running backs. All I have to do is do my job, get them the ball and get out of the way.”
Alas, a late-game injury in the league opener against Winston-Salem State in mid-September cut Williams’ season short. Donoven Davenport took the reins at QB for the final seven contests, and the Vikings had an up-and-down campaign en route to a 3-7 campaign.
Flash forward to this week. Williams, now a junior, was back on the CIAA media day stage in Roanoke, Va. Back with ECSU head coach Marcus Hilliard. Back with linebacker teammate Tracey White.
A year older. A year hungrier. Healthier and ready to step up and fulfill expectations — both for himself and the Vikings.
North Carolina Football News turns its D2 spotlight today on the former prep standout from Hyattsville, MD, who turned heads earlier in his prep career and even more by choosing an HBCU in eastern North Carolina to play his college football.
“I am fired up more than ever,” Williams said Wednesday morning during Elizabeth City State’s media session. “Last year I was upset I didn’t get to play. Donoven Davenport did a great job. This year we have even more pieces. This is the year we are going to tie it all together.”
Williams started making headlines as a high school sophomore, leading a powerhouse Our Lady Of Good Counsel program in Olney, MD, to a championship in the top-flight Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.
He transferred to St. Albans School in Washington, DC as a junior, intrigued by the prospect of a stronger academic setting and playing in a more wide-open offense. He was featured in a major story by The Washington Post.
But the COVID pandemic interrupted most prep sports in the DC area. Not being able to play a normal 2020 season affected Williams recruitment, he said. A football player’s junior year is a key time to accumulate film, build relationships with college recruiters and start collecting offers.
Williams had his eye on Virginia, Maryland and Penn State, according to sites like Rivals and 247Sports. Charlotte showed interest and eventually offered, as did multiple Ivy League schools. But Williams “shocked the DMV on signing day,” according to one athlete promotional Web site that followed his recruiting (GMTM.com), by picking Elizabeth City State.
“It’s an honor to play at an HBCU, I understand what HBCU’s mean to the culture and how necessary they are especially in today’s climate,” Williams told GMTM.com back in 2022. “The opportunity to attend a prestigious university such as Elizabeth City (State) and contribute day one was an opportunity that I could not pass on, plus to do it in North Carolina which is where my family is from means that much more …
“HBCUs have a rich tradition of not only producing Hall of Fame talent, but also some of the world’s greatest thinkers, it’s unfortunate that that has been overlooked in recent years.”
Williams saw the field for eight games as a true freshman at Elizabeth City State. He had highlight moments, accounting for five total touchdowns. He played in three games last season before the injury, winning in week two against St. Augustine’s. He had 142 passing yards and a touchdown before going down against Winston-Salem State.
Though one of the CIAA’s top receivers, Quinzel Lockhart, has departed after a great 2023, there is a sense that ECSU as a whole is on the rise and could be a sleeper in the league this fall. Coach Hilliard believes a more solid foundation has been built going into his third season.
Williams has things to work on for sure. He threw four interceptions against Catawba in last season’s opener. His completion percentage needs to improve (career: 26-for-90). But he has always had notable talent and confidence, according to coaches. And he will have help in the backfield this season with one of the league’s top rushers returning: preseason All-CIAA pick Zechariah Adams-Duckson.
The Vikings won two of their last three contests a year ago, and that should provide momentum. One of those victories was a stunning 17-16 triumph at Virginia State, which has been picked to win the CIAA this go-around.
ECSU was tabbed to finish 10th in the 11-team conference by coaches and sports information directors. The voting was announced Wednesday and didn’t set too well with those in Viking colors.
Williams and his teammates know they have a lot to prove. And maybe by next year’s media day, Elizabeth City State will find itself voted among the favorites in the top half of the league.
“We are up for the challenge,” Hilliard said. “These guys have grown with the program and grown with me. We are excited to see this brand of Viking football.”
#11 Chase Williams
- Position: Quarterback
- Height: 6-2
- Weight: 200
- Class: Junior
- Hometown: Hyattsville, MD
- High School (Previous School): St. Albans School
2023 Highlights: Suffered an injury in the third game of the season against Winston-Salem State and did not return. Finished the season with 248 yards passing and two touchdowns, along with 104 rushing yards and two more scores …
2022 Highlights: Played in eight games as a true freshman, finishing with 47 completions for 533 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed for 126 yards and found the end zone twice… His biggest game came against Lincoln in mid-October: 12-of-20 for 219 yards and a pair of scores, including an 80-yard strike.
Prep Highlights: Dual-threat standout threw for 465 yards and five touchdowns in the first two games of his senior season at St. Albans. He rushed for 158 later in the season as the offensive became more run-centric … Quarterbacked Good Counsel to a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title as a sophomore before transferring to St. Albans in DC.
