Ottawa Redblacks Chris Williams watches for a pass during 1st quarter CFL action against the Montreal Aouettes in Montreal Quebec, Thursday June 30, 2016. (CFL PHOTO - Peter McCabe)
Jim Morris
Jaime Elizondo paused to find the right word to describe wide receiver Chris Williams.
“Wow,” the Ottawa REDBLACKS’ offensive coordinator said finally. “That’s the word.”
It’s early in the CFL season but Williams really has been a wow.
Entering Week 3 he leads the league in receiving yards (363) and combined yards (436). He is tied for receptions with 15 and touchdowns with three.
Williams’ 218 all-purpose yards per game puts him on pace to surpass the CFL single-season record of 3,863 yards set by Chad Owens in 2012.
He is also averaging 181 yards from scrimmage per game. Continue at that clip and Williams will smash the current record of 2,414 yards from scrimmage for a season, set by Mike Pringle in 1994 and 1998.
The 28-year-old was named a Shaw CFL Top Performer for the second consecutive week for his role in Ottawa’s 28-13 win over Montreal. Williams had seven catches for 187 yards and hauled in a 52-yard touchdown catch against the Als. He also returned four punts for 20 yards and a missed field goal 29 yards.
Williams refuses to take all the credit for his success.
“It’s a combination of having really good teammates around me,” he said. “You can never do this by yourself. You always have to rely on your teammates.
BLAZING START: WILLIAMS ON FIRE THROUGH THREE WEEKS
| GP | REC | YDS | TD | AVG |
| 2 | 15 | 363 | 3 | 24.2 |
 |
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“For me individually, it was making sure I was ready this season. Coming in and having the mindset of going out there and making every single grab I could make, whenever I had a chance.”
No one has ever questioned Williams’ talent. The difference Elizondo sees this year is the maturity he has brought to his game, both on and off the field.
“We have been really pleased with his approach to the game,” said Elizondo, who is in his first season with Ottawa after being the Toronto Argonauts receivers coach last year. “He has continued to mature. Just how he approaches practice, how he sees the importance of going full speed and maintaining a consistency day in and day out.
“I have seen him grow from mini-camp in April to now into a leadership role. I think he feels he has a little bit more responsibility on his shoulders . . . especially (with) the young guys, to teach them.”
Williams admits to being both older and a little wiser.
“You always want to get better,” he said. “As you get older you figure out the most efficient ways of having to do that.
“When he runs, he runs with long strides. He’s got such a natural ability to shift into another gear. He’s by you before you know it. (He has) that combination of speed and he can jump out the roof. When he drops the hammer it’s a different level.”
– Ottawa offensive coordinator Jaime Elizondo
“That’s what you pass onto the young guys. Let them know the stuff that worked for you and the stuff that didn’t work. I learned from the veterans early in my career, people giving me the proper knowledge and proper mindset on how to approach seasons, games and practices. Now it’s my turn to help and share.”
Williams was the CFL’s rookie of the year when he broke into the league in 2011 with Hamilton. Besides making 70 catches for 1,064 yards and six touchdowns, he also returned six kicks for touchdowns, setting a CFL single season record.
After a successful 2012 campaign with the Tiger-Cats, Williams spent the next two seasons with the NFL New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears. He signed with Ottawa as a free agent in April 2015 and had a career-high 88 catches for 1,214 yards and five touchdowns.
Born in Fort Worth, Tex., Williams attended high school in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, where he starred in football, basketball and track. He captured the state titles in the 200-metres, 400-metres and high jump.
At five-foot-eight and 175 pounds, Williams was never the biggest receiver on the field, but he possessed blazing speed and a great leaping ability.
“Dynamic is an understatement,” said Elizondo. “We are continuously impressed.
“When he runs, he runs with long strides. He’s got such a natural ability to shift into another gear. He’s by you before you know it. (He has) that combination of speed and he can jump out the roof. When he drops the hammer it’s a different level.”
What Williams has added this season to his already impressive arsenal is an improved ability to run routes.
“His speed scares defensive backs, there is no doubt,” said Elizondo. “But I think that’s one of the areas that I have seen him improve, he has become a better rout runner.
“He’s become more detailed in his craft, how the routs should look. That’s where he has matured.”
As Williams becomes more of a workhorse on offence, his returning duties may be reined in. Elizondo said it’s a simple matter of harm reduction.
“A huge part of our job as coaches is how can we maximize the effectiveness of a player and at the same time not over use him,” said Elizondo. “Playing special teams there are violent collisions, there are big hits.
“As some point there has to be a balance of using him on offence and using him on teams. I don’t think he’s reluctant to do it. I just think it’s balance.”
Williams will face another challenge this week when the REDBLACKS (2-0) face the Calgary Stampeders (1-1) at TD Place. The Stampeder defence is second in the league in points allowed (42) and touchdown passes given up (two).
“On the back end those guys are very good pattern readers,” said Elizondo. “They use that to their strength.
“They don’t necessarily get up in your face and challenge you. They see things well and break on the ball well. That defence is based on a flow, guys communicating well and passing things off. It’s going to be a heck of a challenge for us this week.”
The REDBLACKS were the CFL’s Cinderella story in 2015. A team that struggled to a 2-16 record in their inaugural 2014 season rebounded to finish first in the East Division at 12-6. Ottawa battled its way to the Grey Cup before losing 26-20 to Edmonton.
Having had a taste of success, Williams knows the REDBLACKS want to devour the whole meal this season.
“We just know how close we really were,” he said. “We were probably less than a quarter away from getting a Grey Cup championship.
“We know we have the team that can get there. We just can’t forget the journey and the grind and make sure we keep getting better every day.”
