Conway, Ark.- For fans of Central Arkansas football, the return of Chad Williams feels like bringing back a familiar heartbeat to the defense. The former NFL veteran and Southern Miss Hall of Famer is once again wearing the headset as defensive coordinator — and Head Coach Nathan Brown couldn't be more thrilled.
"With the retirement of Coach Greg Stewart, he was the first call I made," Brown said. "And he was ready to come back and run the show again. I'm excited to have Chad back and what he brings to the table."
A Proven Winner
Williams is no stranger to building winning defenses. Back in 2019, his unit was the pride of the Southland Conference. "We were South Conference champs, had the top defense in the Southland, number eight national seed in the playoffs," Brown recalled. 
But beyond his résumé on the sidelines, Williams' playing career still carries weight. "He's a guy with several years of NFL experience as a player," Brown said. "He's seen it, he's lived it, he's done it. Not only did he have a great college career at Southern Miss, he goes and plays in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens, right alongside Ed Reed, right alongside Ray Lewis."
For today's players, that matters. "It's pretty neat to have a guy with that kind of pedigree calling your defenses every single day," Brown said. "He demands respect. He demands attention to detail. He does not let any stone go unturned."
A New Defensive Identity
Fans can expect a shift in style this fall. Williams leans into creativity. "Coach Williams runs a little more of a pro-style defense," Brown explained. "He's going to bring blitzes. He's going to change the fronts. He's going to do a lot of stimming and twisting with the front. He's not going to let you get comfortable."
But don't mistake variety for recklessness. "Here's what makes him so unique: a lot of times when you play defenses that do a lot of things, they can be unsound. He tends to be very, very sound in what he's calling," Brown said. "He's not just going to blitz to blitz. He's got a reason why he's going to blitz. He's got a reason why he's going to run this coverage."
The players have responded to his demanding yet energetic style. "They love playing for him," the coach said. "They love the creativity that he brings. But I also think that they play extremely hard for him and he coaches them extremely hard. He holds them to an extremely high standard."
Players Fans Should Know
The defensive line looks like it could be the star of the show. "Our defensive front has really flashed this fall camp," Brown said. "When you talk about losing David Walker, people ask, 'Are y'all going to be able to sack the quarterback?' And I say absolutely."
Returning starter Deorius "Buck" Cobbs and veteran Sam Horton will anchor the edges, while newcomers Jacoby Shell and Gary Lewis — both former Division II All-Americans — bring fresh firepower. Reggie Shepherd and Duncan Parham have also had great fall camps. Then there's redshirt freshman Carmelo Allen, who has quickly turned heads. "That young man could make money one day playing this sport from defensive end," Brown said.
Inside, All-American caliber tackle Bradley Clark leads the way, joined by local transfer Trevion Traylor, a disruptive force from Northwest Missouri State.
At linebacker, Ashtyn Williams looks poised for a breakout year. "I think Ashton's a 100-tackle guy," Brown said. Transfer Ny'Len Jones (Old Dominion) and junior college standout Jhace Mallard add depth to the group.
The secondary brings both stability and upside. Preseason all-conference safety Dillon Williams headlines the unit. "Dylan's going to be an All-American type talent this year for us," Brown said. "He's not afraid of anything, but also can defend about any speed guy he needs to." Dude Person is our other safety, "He's had a great career for us, no one better at getting the opponent down as that last line of defense", says Brown. At corner, 6'3" LJ Hewitt is a name to watch. "There's not a better corner in our league. If he has a great year, he could get some NFL looks because of his size."
Looking Ahead
Yes, replacing stars like David Walker is no easy task. But the head coach believes the next breakout star is already waiting. "Is there a David Walker walking across that parking lot every day in practice right now? No, but there might be," he said. "We didn't know what David Walker was two or three years ago either. You always work to develop these guys, turn them into something special."
And with Chad Williams back on the headset, the belief in this defense runs deep. "I have no doubt that there's somebody special in that locker room that has yet to have his number called. And when the lights come on, let's watch them go to work."
Tomorrow: Part 3- Offense