2011 - Junior: Played in 10 games, starting the final three at outside linebacker ... Make two tackes and forced a fumble in the Kraft Figth Hunger Bowl win over UCLA ... Tied career-high with six tackles, including four solos, at Minnesota ... Had a career-high six stops against Wisconsin ... Saw first action of season in week four vs. Western Michigan, making two tackles and breaking up a pass ... Was suspended for the first three games of 2011 for a violation of team rules.

2010 - Sophomore: Played in all 13 games as a defensive back ... Recorded 19 tackles and had one PBU on the season ... Tallied three solo tackles and first PBU of the season in victory over Purdue ... Recorded a career-high five tackles, including a career-best four solos, in win over Southern Illinois.

2009 - Redshirt Freshman: Played in eight games and made two starts, recording nine tackles and two PBUs on the season ... Made first collegiate start against Michigan, recording two tackles ... Had two solo tackles and a pass break up vs. Michigan State ... Recorded three tackles, a PBU and a QB hurry vs. Penn State.

2008 - Freshman: Redshirted the 2008 season ... Enrolled at Illinois in January 2008.

High School: Totaled 99 tackles, including 62 solos, six tackles for loss, two sacks, 10 passes defended and two forced fumbles in 2007 ... Returned his only interception of the season 41 yards for a touchdown ... Named the NEOC-River Division Offensive Player of the Year ... Earned first-team All-Northeast Ohio Conference honors ... Rushed for 1,574 yards on 276 carries and scored 17 touchdowns as a senior ... Also added 337 receiving yards and two touchdowns, averaging 18.7 yards per catch ... Returned punts and kickoffs, averaging 9.6 yards per punt return and 25.8 per kickoff return ... PrepStar All-Region ... Named the Cleveland Touchdown Club's Cyahoga County Offensive Player of the Year ... Named to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer and Northeast Ohio News Herald's "Best of the Best" list ... Mayfield High School team Most Valuable Player in 2007 ... High school coach was Larry Pinto.

Personal: Full name is Ashante Raphael Williams ... Son of Andrekia and Chris Williams ... Born on Feb. 15, 1990 ... Majoring in communication ... Graduated high school with a 3.12 GPA ... Chose Illinois over Pittsburgh, Indiana and Syracuse.

CAREER HIGHS
Tackles: 6, twice (last time vs. Minnesota, 11/26/11)
Solos: 4, twice (last time vs. Minnesota, 11/26/11)
PBU: 1, four times (last time vs. Western Michigan, 9/24/11)
KO Returns: 1 vs. Indiana, 10/23/10
KO Return Yards: 4 vs. Indiana, 10/23/10
Long KO Return: 4 vs. Indiana, 10/23/10

Williams' Statistics:

Williams's Game-By-Game Statistics

(updated 5/23/12)