A familiar face is sticking around Auburn as part of Bryan Harsin’s inaugural staff.
Cadillac Williams will remain as Auburn’s running backs coach, the program announced Friday evening. Williams is the first assistant from former coach Gus Malzahn’s staff to officially be retained by Harsin, who was hired late last month to take over the reins of the program.
“I’m fired up to have Cadillac on our staff,” Harsin said. “After several conversations it was easy to see how much passion he has and his desire to learn, grow and develop in the coaching profession. Just spending time with him you see why he is the ultimate ambassador for Auburn football, and that goes beyond just being an elite player but an elite person.”
Williams spent the last two seasons as Auburn’s running backs coach, joining his alma mater after the 2018 season. This past year, he helped groom SEC Co-Freshman of the Year Tank Bigsby, who rushed for 834 yards and five touchdowns while emerging as a rising star in the SEC.
A former Auburn running back himself, Williams starred at Auburn from 2001-04, rushing for 3,831 yards and 45 touchdowns during his college career. He set the Auburn record of career rushing attempts, passing Joe Cribbs, and most touchdowns, passing Bo Jackson, while finishing second in total rushing yards and all-purpose yards. He remains No. 2 on Auburn’s career rushing list.
“Auburn is a special place to me and I’m appreciative for this opportunity to be a part of Coach Harsin’s staff and coach at the school that made me the person I am today,” Williams said. “I’ve enjoyed getting to talk football with Coach Harsin and can’t wait to be part of something special.”
The retention of Williams leaves at least one familiar face on staff for Auburn in 2021, though the third-year assistant will have work to do in his running backs room, with the Tigers down to just two scholarship players at the position following the news earlier Friday that sophomore D.J. Williams entered the transfer portal. Williams is the third running back to leave the program since the start of the 2020 season, joining Harold Joiner and Mark-Antony Richards.
Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.
