Isiah Williams
Encyclopedia
Isiah John "Juice" Williams (born November 19, 1987) is an American football
quarterback
who is currently signed to the Chicago Slaughter of the Indoor Football League
. He was undrafted in 2010. He played college football
at Illinois
.
After his Senior year of high school in 2005, Williams was considered a top recruit for the quarterback position.
Williams was dubbed "Juice" by his grandmother because of his large size as a child. "I was kind of big … you know, big and juicy, I guess."
He was a high school honor student and attended the same school as former Illinois star Dick Butkus
. Williams is active both in his church and local community.
) in the third game of the year against Syracuse
. In the 4th game of the season, Williams made his first collegiate start in a losing effort vs Iowa
.
On September 30, 2006, Williams led the Illini on a game-winning 4th-quarter drive for a 39-yard field goal that gave the team a 23-20 upset victory over host Michigan State
. Illinois came into the game as 26-point underdogs. It was the team's first conference victory since the 2004 season. Williams finished with 122 yards passing, one touchdown pass, and 103 yards rushing. Illinois could not keep the momentum from the Michigan State game, losing the remainder of their games (several by less than a touchdown and two on last second field goals). Williams displayed inconsistency in his game finishing the season with a completion percentage below 40 and passing for fewer than 100 yards in the season's final three games.
and kept out of the second half for precautionary reasons. Williams showed improvement in his accuracy in the 3+ drives he was in, throwing 9 balls, 6 of which were caught for 59 yards. Williams had mediocre games in the Illini's first 3 victories over Western Illinois
, Syracuse, and Indiana
. Williams had average numbers in Illinois' back-to-back victories against ranked teams, defeating Penn State and Wisconsin
.
It seemed as if Illinois' promising 5-1 start may have been a fluke, as they proceeded to drop their next two games, a 10-6 loss at Iowa and a 27-17 defeat against Michigan in Champaign. Williams threw for a combined 168 yards and 1 TD and 1 INT in the two losses.
The Illini, however, turned it around in their next two games in victories over Ball St
and Minnesota
. Williams had perhaps his best game to that point vs Minnesota totaling over 300 yards on offense (203 passing, 133 rushing) and scoring 3 touchdowns (2 passing and 1 rushing).
Yet, the best was yet to come as Williams had what some consider his greatest game at Ohio Stadium versus the top ranked Buckeyes. Williams led Illinois to a 28-21 upset over Ohio State, its first win over a #1 ranked team since 1956. During this game he threw for 4 touchdowns and completed 12 passes of 22 attempts. He threw a total of 140 yards and rushed for 70 yards. Williams amassed over 350 yards of offense en route to a 41-22 victory over in state rival Northwestern in the regular season finale. Williams totaled over 2200 yards of offense and scored 20 touchdowns, as he led the Illini to a 9-3 record and their first bowl berth since the 2002 Sugar Bowl
. Illinois was selected to play against perennial power USC
in the Rose Bowl, the Illini's first time playing in the Rose Bowl since 1984. Illinois would lose the game 49-17, with USC scoring 28 points off of 4 Illinois turnovers (2 interceptions and 2 fumbles on runs after completions. Williams threw for his highest passing yard total to date (245), but had no touchdown passes and 2 interceptions.
. Williams and the Illini opened the season vs. Missouri, and despite one of the best passing games in Illinois history where Williams threw for 451 yards and 5 TDs, the Illini lost to 6th ranked Missouri 52-42. The Illini would pick up their first win of the season vs Eastern Illinois, where Williams amassed 174 yards rushing with 2 TDs in the 47-21 victory. Williams and the Illini struggled in a 20-17 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette, in which Williams amassed just over 180 yards of total offense. After a bye week (the first at Illinois under Ron Zook), the Illini traveled to Penn State and fell 38-24, with Juice passing for 183 yards and rushing for another 64. Illinois next traveled to Michigan and Juice amassed 431 yards of total offense (310 passing, 121 rushing, 4 total TDs), which is both the most total yards in Michigan Stadium
history and the most given up by any Michigan team, as the Illini won 45-20. The Illini fell flat vs Minnesota the following week, losing 27-20 despite Williams throwing for a career high of 462 yards along with 2 TDs. Williams had a solid game vs Indiana, passing for 271 yards and 4 total TDs.
Williams was pulled out of a game against Ohio State for throwing 2 key interceptions. Coach Zook announced on October 5 that Juice will be benched in favor of Eddie McGee.
Williams and his Fighting Illini finished a losing 2009-2010 season on December 5, 2009 to Fresno State
. During that game Juice Williams surpassed former Illini Jack Trudeau
to become second in team history with 56 career touchdown passes.
. The Chicago Bears
invited Williams to attend a rookie mini-camp tryout. The Bears had Jay Cutler
, Caleb Hanie
, and Dan LeFevour
already on the roster. During the offseason, Chicago also picked up Todd Collins and Matt Gutierrez
. Williams has not received any other invitations from professional teams.
On October 4, 2010 after a game against the New York Giants in which both starting QB Jay Cutler and 2nd stringer Todd Collins were knocked out of the game, Williams tweeted that the Bears had contacted him and that he was "high on [their] list." However, he was never added to the roster.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
who is currently signed to the Chicago Slaughter of the Indoor Football League
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
. He was undrafted in 2010. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini football
The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...
.
After his Senior year of high school in 2005, Williams was considered a top recruit for the quarterback position.
Personal
"Juice" Williams is the son of Stanley and Anita Williams. Williams nearly died at birth due to his large size of 13 pounds and 8 ounces. He has two brothers and four sisters.Williams was dubbed "Juice" by his grandmother because of his large size as a child. "I was kind of big … you know, big and juicy, I guess."
He was a high school honor student and attended the same school as former Illinois star Dick Butkus
Dick Butkus
Richard Marvin "Dick" Butkus is a former American football player for the Chicago Bears. He was drafted in 1965 and he is also widely regarded as one of the best and most durable linebackers of all time. Butkus starred as a football player for the University of Illinois and the Chicago Bears. He...
. Williams is active both in his church and local community.
2006: Freshman year
Williams played in the first four games of the 2006 football season, splitting time with senior quarterback Tim Brasic. He threw his first collegiate touchdown pass (a 76-yarder to Rashard MendenhallRashard Mendenhall
Rashard Jamal Mendenhall is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers 23rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois....
) in the third game of the year against Syracuse
Syracuse University Orange
The Syracuse Orange is the nickname used by the athletic teams of Syracuse University. The school is a member of NCAA Division I and the Big East Conference. The school's mascot is Otto the Orange. Teams were previously known as the "Orangemen" and "Orangewomen". The men's basketball, football,...
. In the 4th game of the season, Williams made his first collegiate start in a losing effort vs Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes
The Iowa Hawkeyes are the athletics teams that represent the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. The Hawkeyes have varsity teams in 24 sports, 11 for men and 13 for women. The teams participate in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and are members of the...
.
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...
. Illinois came into the game as 26-point underdogs. It was the team's first conference victory since the 2004 season. Williams finished with 122 yards passing, one touchdown pass, and 103 yards rushing. Illinois could not keep the momentum from the Michigan State game, losing the remainder of their games (several by less than a touchdown and two on last second field goals). Williams displayed inconsistency in his game finishing the season with a completion percentage below 40 and passing for fewer than 100 yards in the season's final three games.
2007: Sophomore year
Williams was injured in the second quarter of the season opening loss to MizzouMissouri Tigers
The Missouri Tigers athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of the University of Missouri, located in Columbia, Missouri, United States...
and kept out of the second half for precautionary reasons. Williams showed improvement in his accuracy in the 3+ drives he was in, throwing 9 balls, 6 of which were caught for 59 yards. Williams had mediocre games in the Illini's first 3 victories over Western Illinois
Western Illinois Leathernecks
The Western Illinois Leathernecks are the teams and athletes that represent Western Illinois University, located in Macomb, Illinois, in NCAA Division I sports. The school's primary conference affiliation is with The Summit League; its football team is a member of the Division I FCS Missouri...
, Syracuse, and Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers
The Indiana Hoosiers are the athletic teams for the Bloomington campus of Indiana University . Athletic teams sponsored by IU Bloomington include cross country, track, baseball, golf, tennis, rowing, volleyball, soccer, football and basketball...
. Williams had average numbers in Illinois' back-to-back victories against ranked teams, defeating Penn State and Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers are the collegiate athletic teams from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This NCAA Division I athletic program has teams in football, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, soccer, cross country, tennis, swimming, wrestling, track and field, rowing, golf, and softball...
.
It seemed as if Illinois' promising 5-1 start may have been a fluke, as they proceeded to drop their next two games, a 10-6 loss at Iowa and a 27-17 defeat against Michigan in Champaign. Williams threw for a combined 168 yards and 1 TD and 1 INT in the two losses.
The Illini, however, turned it around in their next two games in victories over Ball St
Ball State Cardinals
Ball State University's athletic teams are called the Cardinals. The Cardinals are part of the NCAA Mid-American Conference and located in Muncie, Indiana...
and Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota. The university fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's-specific sports include baseball, football, and...
. Williams had perhaps his best game to that point vs Minnesota totaling over 300 yards on offense (203 passing, 133 rushing) and scoring 3 touchdowns (2 passing and 1 rushing).
Yet, the best was yet to come as Williams had what some consider his greatest game at Ohio Stadium versus the top ranked Buckeyes. Williams led Illinois to a 28-21 upset over Ohio State, its first win over a #1 ranked team since 1956. During this game he threw for 4 touchdowns and completed 12 passes of 22 attempts. He threw a total of 140 yards and rushed for 70 yards. Williams amassed over 350 yards of offense en route to a 41-22 victory over in state rival Northwestern in the regular season finale. Williams totaled over 2200 yards of offense and scored 20 touchdowns, as he led the Illini to a 9-3 record and their first bowl berth since the 2002 Sugar Bowl
2002 Sugar Bowl
The 2002 Sugar Bowl a 2001–2002 BCS game was played on January 1, 2002. This 68th edition to the Sugar Bowl featured the Illinois Fighting Illini, and the LSU Tigers...
. Illinois was selected to play against perennial power USC
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
in the Rose Bowl, the Illini's first time playing in the Rose Bowl since 1984. Illinois would lose the game 49-17, with USC scoring 28 points off of 4 Illinois turnovers (2 interceptions and 2 fumbles on runs after completions. Williams threw for his highest passing yard total to date (245), but had no touchdown passes and 2 interceptions.
2008: Junior year
Illinois entered the 2008 season ranked as the #20 team in the nation, despite the loss of Big Ten MVP Rashard MendenhallRashard Mendenhall
Rashard Jamal Mendenhall is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers 23rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois....
. Williams and the Illini opened the season vs. Missouri, and despite one of the best passing games in Illinois history where Williams threw for 451 yards and 5 TDs, the Illini lost to 6th ranked Missouri 52-42. The Illini would pick up their first win of the season vs Eastern Illinois, where Williams amassed 174 yards rushing with 2 TDs in the 47-21 victory. Williams and the Illini struggled in a 20-17 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette, in which Williams amassed just over 180 yards of total offense. After a bye week (the first at Illinois under Ron Zook), the Illini traveled to Penn State and fell 38-24, with Juice passing for 183 yards and rushing for another 64. Illinois next traveled to Michigan and Juice amassed 431 yards of total offense (310 passing, 121 rushing, 4 total TDs), which is both the most total yards in Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000 and had an original capacity of 72,000. Before playing football at the stadium, the Wolverines played on Ferry Field...
history and the most given up by any Michigan team, as the Illini won 45-20. The Illini fell flat vs Minnesota the following week, losing 27-20 despite Williams throwing for a career high of 462 yards along with 2 TDs. Williams had a solid game vs Indiana, passing for 271 yards and 4 total TDs.
2009: Senior year
Illinois entered the 2009 season unranked. On August 3, 2009 Williams was named to the 2009 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List. Then On August 27, 2009 Williams was named to the 22-man watch list for the 2009 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award, given to the nation's top senior signal-caller.Williams was pulled out of a game against Ohio State for throwing 2 key interceptions. Coach Zook announced on October 5 that Juice will be benched in favor of Eddie McGee.
Williams and his Fighting Illini finished a losing 2009-2010 season on December 5, 2009 to Fresno State
2009 Fresno State Bulldogs football team
The 2009 Fresno State football team represented California State University, Fresno and the Central Valley in the 2009 college football season. The team was coached by 13th-year head coach Pat Hill. 2009 was the Bulldogs' 29th in their current home of Bulldog Stadium in Fresno, California...
. During that game Juice Williams surpassed former Illini Jack Trudeau
Jack Trudeau
Jack Francis Trudeau is a former professional American football player and current morning show co-host on Fox Sports Radio. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2nd round of the 1986 NFL Draft. A 6'3",...
to become second in team history with 56 career touchdown passes.
Career stats
- Statistics up to date as of October 11, 2008. High School stats from Rivals.com. College Stats from ESPN.
Passing
| Year | Team | Comps | Attempts | Yards | Average | Long | TDs | INTs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Chicago Vocational Career Academy | 72 | 128 | 1,841 | 25.5 | -- | 22 | 3 |
| High School Totals | 72 | 128 | 1,841 | 25.5 | -- | 22 | 3 | |
| 2006 | Illinois Illinois Fighting Illini The Fighting Illini are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports.... |
103 | 261 | 1,489 | 5.7 | 76 | 9 | 9 |
| 2007 | Illinois | 153 | 267 | 1,743 | 6.5 | 56 | 13 | 12 |
| 2008 | Illinois | 219 | 381 | 3,173 | 8.3 | 77 | 22 | 16 |
| 2009 | Illinois | 131 | 227 | 1,632 | 7.2 | 58 | 12 | 7 |
| College Totals | 606 | 1,136 | 8,037 | 7.1 | 77 | 56 | 44 | |
Rushing
| Year | Team | Attempts | Yards | Average | Long | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Chicago Vocational Career Academy | 66 | 1,441 | 21.8 | -- | 17 |
| High School Totals | 66 | 1,441 | 21.8 | -- | 17 | |
| 2006 | Illinois Illinois Fighting Illini The Fighting Illini are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports.... |
154 | 576 | 3.7 | 45 | 2 |
| 2007 | Illinois | 165 | 755 | 4.6 | 24 | 7 |
| 2008 | Illinois | 175 | 719 | 4.1 | 50 | 5 |
| 2009 | Illinois | 143 | 507 | 3.5 | 49 | 4 |
| College Totals | 637 | 2,557 | 4.0 | 50 | 18 | |
Professional career
Williams went undrafted in the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. The Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
invited Williams to attend a rookie mini-camp tryout. The Bears had Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, Caleb Hanie
Caleb Hanie
Caleb Jeffrey Hanie is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played high school football for Forney High School in Forney, Texas and led his team to consecutive top 3 finishes in...
, and Dan LeFevour
Dan LeFevour
Dan LeFevour is an American football quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Central Michigan University...
already on the roster. During the offseason, Chicago also picked up Todd Collins and Matt Gutierrez
Matt Gutierrez
Matthew Paul Gutierrez is an American football quarterback who is currently a member of the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
. Williams has not received any other invitations from professional teams.
On October 4, 2010 after a game against the New York Giants in which both starting QB Jay Cutler and 2nd stringer Todd Collins were knocked out of the game, Williams tweeted that the Bears had contacted him and that he was "high on [their] list." However, he was never added to the roster.