Agassi Prep’s Williams keeps family tradition alive as impact player

Football runs in Kobe Williams' family. So it should be no surprise that the junior running back is having a huge impact for Agassi Prep.

“My uncle played in the NFL for the (Pittsburgh) Steelers and the (San Diego) Chargers,” he said.

Williams’ uncle, Jerrol Williams, is a former fourth-round draft pick of the Steelers.

“He helped me out this summer,” Williams said. “He committed to a lot of my time in the weight room.”

Williams has rushed for 867 yards and 16 touchdowns this season, leading the Stars to a 5-2 record. They are 3-2 in the Division III Southern League. He also has returned a punt 68 yards for a score, and has two interceptions as a defensive back.

“I was planning on having my junior year be my breakout year, my best year,” he said. “I’ve been in the weight room all summer. I see it’s finally paying off.”

Williams has attended Agassi Prep since the third grade, and it was around that same time when he first picked up a football.

Growing up, his uncles were big influences because they all played and shared a love for the game. One of his cousins, Jerrol Garcia-Williams, plays outside linebacker for the University of Hawaii.

Williams tried other sports as a kid, but eventually found the love for football that runs through his family.

“I played basketball growing up also, and baseball,” Williams said. “(Football’s) the first sport I really started with though. It’s my bread and butter pretty much.”

Agassi Prep coach Ben Fermon, who’s in his first year at the school, said it wasn’t until the first game that he noticed something was different with Williams. Prior to that game, Fermon had Williams splitting carries in scrimmages and practices with two other players.

In the opener against West Wendover, Williams proved himself, rushing for 168 yards on 12 carries and scoring four touchdowns.

“He broke out in that game,” Fermon said. “We most along the lines said, ‘He’s a little different.’ He’s an insider and an outsider.”

Williams said his game is very similar to his favorite NFL player, Percy Harvin.

“I think of myself as kind of like a scatback, not that big, but don’t underestimate him,” Williams said.

Though Fermon likes to have three guys contributing from the backfield, there’s no question that Williams is Agassi’s team leader.

“It’s not my inclination to kind of go out there and feature him, but it just happens that the type of football player he is, he just makes things happen,” Fermon said. “He’s just been one of those kids that’s had a night consistently week in and week out.”

Outside of football, Williams likes to hang out with friends, but most of his time is dedicated to school.

“I’ve got to maintain a good GPA,” Williams said. “My dream school is USC. I want to be in mechanical engineering once I get there.”

There’s no question Fermon, who spent the last 21 years at Laughlin High School, found his guy at Agassi. And he’s lucky to have Williams for another year.

“He’s a really productive student-athlete,” Fermon said. “He’s a role model in the classroom, and kids gravitate to him on this campus.

“He’s the type of kid that every coach would like to have. I’m real fortunate that we’re not playing against him, but he’s playing for us.”