Darrell Williams, Jr., earned the nickname “Diesel” during his middle school basketball days.
“Eighth grade playing basketball, I was the post player,” Williams said. “I was known for backing people down and going to the rim, so my friends all gave me that name. It stuck with me ever since.”
Williams’ diesel-like play has carried over from eighth-grade hoops into college football. The 6-foot-6, 310-pounder is a force at right tackle for Western Kentucky.
Williams has started on the right side of the Hilltopper O-line since his redshirt sophomore season of 2014. Now a redshirt senior, he’s one of the most physically imposing members of a WKU team that’s 6-3 overall, 4-1 in Conference USA play and hosts FIU coming up Saturday (4:30 p.