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KENT -- Before quarterback Drew Brees began his journey to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he had a college showdown with Lisbon High School graduate Zach Williams.
It was a Sept. 9, 2000, matchup of starting quarterbacks between Brees of Purdue and Williams of Kent State.
“It wasn’t a big deal, in my mind, at that point,” Williams said. “We knew he was a very solid player and a very good player, but didn’t know how he would turn out.”
Brees was a second-round selection in the NFL draft and went on to play 20 seasons in the NFL, the last 15 with the New Orleans Saints. Brees totaled 80,358 yards passing and 571 passing touchdowns -- both second in NFL history. Brees will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next Saturday afternoon.
Purdue prevailed over Kent State, 45-10, that day in front of 62,151 fans at Ross-Ade Stadium.
“We knew we didn’t have much of a chance,” Williams said. “It was still a good experience and good to play in front of all those people.”
Brees completed 32 of 46 passes for 415 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two scores.
“I remember I threw one touchdown pass,” Williams said. “That was about all we scored in that game. They beat us pretty good. It was still an exciting moment. It was fun and a good story to have.”
Williams threw a 30-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter and finished 18 of 28 passing for 166 yards.
“It’s something I can tell my players about,” Williams said. “I played against Drew Brees at Purdue and Champ Bailey at Georgia. James Harrison (who starred on two Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl champions) was on our team.”
COLLEGE TRY
After leading Lisbon High School to the 1995 Ohio Division V state championship, Williams headed off to Kent State.
“I wanted to experience that and do that and it turned out well,” he said.
He said he also had offers from Akron and Youngstown State for football and some smaller schools for basketball.
“I really enjoyed my time there,” Williams said. “It’s a great campus and a great community. I enjoyed my teammates there. Where I am at today is because of what I did there. I’m doing well coaching and teaching at Wilmington.”
HEAD COACH
Williams is entering his first season as Wilmington High School’s head football coach.
“It’s going well so far,” he said. “I’ve got a good group of kids. We’ll see.”
He has been teaching at Wilmington since 2004. He was the girls basketball coach for eight years, the boys golf coach for five years and volunteered with the football team the last two years.
“The coaches I had and lessons I learned always followed me as a player and coach,” Williams said. “It was a good group of coaches I had in Lisbon. I hope I can do that for some other kids down the road.”
FOOTBALL NOTES
• Williams said he does not get back to Kent State often.
“Getting back during the season is tough,” he said. “I’ve been up there a few times through the years. I always check their scores on Saturdays.”
Former West Branch High School All-Ohioan Dru DeShields returns as Kent State’s starting quarterback.
“Good for a local guy,” Williams said.
• Wilmington competes in the American Division of the Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference (SBAAC) with Clinton-Massie, Batavia, Goshen, New Richmond and Western Brown.
Clinton-Massie won its third state title by rallying past Youngstown Ursuline, 29-28, in the 2021 Division IV final.
“They’re pretty solid every year,” Williams said.
• Wilmington dropped to Division IV this season.
“Our school system is getting a little smaller,” Williams said. “That’s just the way it goes.”
• The Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at noon Saturday, Aug. 8, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
Brees will be presented by Sean Payton, who was his coach with the New Orleans Saints and the current coach of the Denver Broncos.
Williams said he has never been to the Hall of the Fame.