Addison Williams joined the Coastal Carolina University football staff as the safeties coach in January 2020.
Williams came to Coastal Carolina after one season as an analyst and assistant to the head coach for Auburn football in 2019.
In his lone season at CCU in 2020, the "Black Swarm" defense swarmed the Sun Belt Conference in playing a pivotal part in the Chanticleer's winning the program's first-ever Sun Belt Conference title. CCU posted an 11-1 overall mark, including an 8-0 Sun Belt Conference record, and earned the program's first-ever FBS postseason bowl game in 2020.
The 2020 season marked Coastal Carolina's first-ever undefeated regular season and the first time that the Chanticleers were ranked in either the Associated Press Top 25 Poll or the Amway Coaches Poll presented by USA Today Sports.
The Chanticleers posted two wins over FBS top 25 nationally-ranked opponents, the first two such victories in program history, four wins over top 50 opponents, and was ranked as high as No. 9 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and No. 11 in the Amway Coaches Poll, both Sun Belt Conference records. The Chanticleers were also ranked as high as No. 12 in the College Football Playoff rankings, also a Sun Belt record.
In 2020, the Chants' defense led the Sun Belt in fumble recoveries (9) and was second in interceptions (16), which also ranked third nationally. CCU led the Sun Belt in turnovers forced (12) and was second in turnover margin (+13).
The defense was also second in the Sun Belt in scoring defense (20.2 points per game), second in sacks per game (2.83), second in fourth-down conversion percent defense (44.4 percent), third in first downs defense (223), third in fewest passing yards allowed (204.2 yards per game), third in fewest rushing yards allowed (147.7 yards per game), third in tackles-for-loss per game (6.4), third in total defense (351.9 yards per game), and fourth in third-down conversion percentage defense (38.0 percent).
Under Williams' tutelage in 2020, redshirt junior Alex Spillum was chosen to the 2020 Phil Steele SBC All-Conference third team and earned a spot on the 2020 All-Sun Belt third team. He ranked fourth on the team with 60 total tackles, including 39 solo tackles, and added 1.5 tackle-for-loss, four interceptions, four pass breakups, and recovered two fumbles. His four interceptions were tied for third in the Sun Belt while his 101 return yards were also third in the league on the season. He also totaled eight passes defended, which ranked 15th in the Sun Belt on the year.
Fellow starting safety Brayden Matts totaled 39 tackles on the season, including 26 solo stops, had two interceptions, and recovered two fumbles on the year, while playing and starting in all 12 games for the Chants.
Williams ventured to Auburn from Furman, where he had been promoted to defensive coordinator in the spring of 2019 following the departure of Chad Staggs to CCU.
Under Staggs at Furman, Williams served as the cornerbacks coach for the 2017 and 2018 seasons, helping the Paladins win a share of the 2018 Southern Conference title.
From 2013-16, Williams was the defensive backs coach (2013-16) and defensive coordinator (2016) at Tusculum College, where he mentored South Atlantic Conference (SAC) 2016 defensive freshman of the year and All-American Jay Boyd, and All-American Cameron Thomas, who led the league in interceptions (5) and passes defended (15) in 2015.
Williams played three seasons for South Carolina from 2007-09, appearing in 26 games before an injury ended his career. He was a three-time member of the SEC academic honor roll and received the 2009 Harold White GPA Award. He served as a student assistant coach for the 2010 Gamecocks that won the SEC East title and was a defensive graduate assistant at South Carolina during the 2011-12 seasons, helping the Gamecocks to a 22-4 overall record and wins in both the Capital One and Outback Bowls.
While at USC, he worked with all-SEC defensive backs Antonio Allen, D.J. Swearinger, and Stephon Gilmore.
A native of Atlanta, Ga., where he earned all-state and all-conference honors at Westlake High, Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in sports and entertainment management from South Carolina in 2010.
Addison Williams' Coaching History
2010: South Carolina (Student Assistant)
2011-12: South Carolina (Defensive Graduate Assistant)
2013-16: Tusculum (Defensive Backs)
2016: Tusculum (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs)
2017-18: Furman (Cornerbacks)
2019: Furman (Defensive Coordinator)
2019: Auburn (Analyst/Assistant to the Head Coach)
2020: Coastal Carolina (Safeties)
