The Cardinal Countdown: 63 Days Until Kickoff

#63 Zach Williamson

Class: Freshman

Ht/Wt: 6-6/271

Position: Offensive Line

Hometown: Huntington, WV

Twitter: @ZWilly32

Thoughts: If you missed my early signing period breakdown on the true freshman feel free to go back and check it out here. I’ll repost the major content below but on a high level, Williamson is a nice piece to an O-Line that needed some new and talented bodies. I spoke a couple days ago about the opportunity for Rudd to steal some reps at tackle but don’t sleep on the ‘Zach Attack’, who Satterfield hinted at a few months ago getting some PT this season, just months removed from High School. Williamson has already undergone a little transformation physically just 5 months into a D-I college weight training program, and that’s encouraging to see. While we might have added a little bulk he didn’t lose any length and that 6-6 wingspan will certainly help in an offense that requires movement and the ability to block at multiple levels. I think Zach gets some love this year in terms of on-field action and fans will watch him grow into a solid piece of the line moving forward. Check out my comments from December below:

Zach helps fill a position of need. I typed my way through ‘The Cardinal Countdown’ heaping praises on top of praises for the improvement of the O-line in 2017…and then they totally let me down in 2018. The good news for Zach, and Cardinal fans in general, is the hiring of the well-known and well-respected Offensive Line coach, Dwayne Ledford. That my friends is what they call a win-win. Satterfield pulled Ledford away from NC State after he served in the same role over there for three years. The Cards at a minimum are losing three players in Lukayus McNeil, Kenny Thomas, and Linwood Foy who have at one point or another started games up front for Louisville. At 6-6 and a milkshake over 270 pounds Williamson has the size to be an impact player at the Division-I level. Not necessarily being blown away by what I saw last season I’ll be interested to see if Zach can beat out some current players on the roster and start stealing reps as a true freshman.

Sweet Tweet:

Take a dash of Williamson, a sprinkle of Ledford, and add one sick beat. Set oven to 350 = a fresh offensive lineman