Countdown to kickoff is back! USC will kick off its 2026 football season on August 29 when the Trojans host San Jose State at the Coliseum. In this series, we will be counting down the days until the season opener by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number.
Today, we look at former USC linebacker Thomas Williams.
Position: Linebacker
Years played at USC: 2003-2007
Career highlights: In most other eras, Williams would have started at linebacker for the Trojans. During the Pete Carroll era, however, USC had a plethora of great linebackers, including Dallas Sartz, Oscar Lua, Keith Rivers, Brian Cushing, and Rey Maualuga. Because of this, Williams was primarily relegated to reserve duty during his career in Cardinal and Gold.
Between 2004 and 2007 (he redshirted as a true freshman in 2003), Williams appeared in 49 of USC’s 52 games. He made 14 starts at three different positions—including fullback—and played a key role on special teams. As a redshirt senior in 2007, he was named All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention and USC’s co-special teams player of the year.
After USC: Despite not having started much at USC, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Williams in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He became somewhat of a journeyman in the NFL, spending time with six different teams over the next five years. He finished his NFL career with 14 total tackles and two forced fumbles.
Williams was forced to retire from football in 2012 due to a neck injury. Following his career, Williams has become a motivational speaker and author, having published three books.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC countdown to kickoff: Recalling Trojans linebacker Thomas Williams
Reporting by Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire | USA TODAY Network
