The Focus is Clear

NORMAN, Okla. -- Whether he's on the field playing football for the University of Oklahoma or just playing pool with his friends, Darien Williams is focused on winning.

“I love competing,” Williams said. “I'm a competitor. I don't ever want to lose. I love all types of sports -- pool, tennis, ping pong, video games. Anything that's competitive, I love.”

One of Williams' most common opponents off the field is roommate Alonzo Dotson. Dotson said he often has the upper hand on his roommate in competition.

“First of all, he likes to compete but he gets beat in Madden, basketball, boxing and every other video game out there,” Dotson explained. “We also wrestle a lot because we're like brothers. I think we're tied right now.”

Growing up in Mesquite, Texas, Williams never thought about being a Sooner. When Oklahoma won the National Championship in 2000, he started to take notice. And when it was time to make a decision on where to play his college ball, his desire to win led him to Norman.

“Like I said, I love to compete. I love winning and that's what OU did every time I watched them,” Williams recalled. “I remember the day I verbally committed. It was when we won the Rose Bowl in 2003. I knew this is where I was supposed to be. When I got here, it was everything I expected and more.”

"I love competing."

"I'm a competitor."

"I don't ever want

to lose."

A lot of defensive backs play a finesse game, looking to get interceptions and score touchdowns. While Williams loves both of those things, he prefers the contact that the game brings.

“I like inside drills, going around hitting those running backs,” Williams said. “I'm more physical and I like going up against physical people, like Allen Patrick. I guess my game is not so much covering but more being physical.”

Despite his competitiveness, Williams is a quiet, easy-going person.

“I'm a real quiet guy,” Williams said. “I'm more of an observer than an outgoing person. I like that about myself."

Dotson describes Williams as “quiet and shy” and said that causes some people to misunderstand his friend.

“Everybody thinks he's mean because he's quiet,” Dotson said. “But he's really a caring person. If you know him, he really keeps a tight circle of people that he really trusts. The outside people think he's mean but he's really caring and he's all about his friends.”

No friend is closer to Williams than Dotson.

“I've never had a brother, so he's really the closest thing to a brother I've ever had,” Dotson said. “We get on each other's nerves like brothers. We argue all the time but at the end of the day, I love him like the brother I never had. His parents are like my parents and vice versa.”

Williams is a big family guy. Not only is he influenced by his immediate family, but he is also inspired by the family surrounding him at the University of Oklahoma.

“My mom, my dad, my brother, my sister -- everyone in my family has a certain affect on me. They help me do everything,” Williams said. “And as far as the people here, I have a lot of inspiration. Oklahoma has a lot of leaders and people who come through these walls. Everybody around here has helped me along the way.”

Looking back on his career, Williams said that he had to work hard and stick with it to be successful.

“I had to have a lot of patience,” he said. “When I first got here, I wasn't like the Adrian Peterson's or the Marcus Walker's who had the opportunity to play their first year. I had to be patient in order to get playing time, but it was all worth it.”

When they walk down the tunnel together for the final time at the Fiesta Bowl, both Williams and Dotson agree that it's going to be tough.

“It's going to be emotional. We talk about it all the time,” Dotson said. “It's the last go-round for us. Being able to hang around and stick it out while contributing to the team together has been really cool.”

Williams said the week leading up to the bowl game will be one to remember and he just wants to take it all in.

“It's gone by way too fast, but it's all been worth it. If I had to describe my career in one word, I'd say it's been memorable.”

If it's up to Williams, he'll walk off Owen Field for the final time with a victory. He wouldn't have it any other way.

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Story by Kellen Coleman | OU Athletics Media Relations

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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