Normally when players transfer from other schools there is a learning curve, but that doesn't seem to be the case with Ty'Son Williams.
After the regular season ended in 2018 the biggest question mark was around the running backs. With seniors Squally Canada, Matt Hadley and Brayden El-Bakri graduating and Riley Burt leaving the team, it appeared that the running back position was going to be very thin. Essentially there was Lopini Katoa and Tyler Allgeier. Combined that was 472 rushing yards, barely more than double the yards that Zach Wilson had in half a season.
Then the transfers came. Emmanuel Esukpa transferred from Rice and Ty'Son Williams came from South Carolina. Suddenly the Cougars have depth and can say that the running back position may be the strongest on the team.
Normally, transfers take awhile to adjust to a new team. Ty'Son Williams appears to be breaking that rule with what he has shown in Fall Camp. Although Kalani Sitake and the other coaches have been pretty quiet about specifics, it has been reported that Ty'Son Williams is the star of the team.
Here are just some of the things that have come out about him since the start of camp.
"He’s exactly what we’re looking for in a back. He’s an all-purpose back. He can run, he can catch, he can block,” - Offensive Coordinator Jeff Grimes
“Ty’Son Williams stood out to me just because I hadn’t seen him play before,” - Quarterback Zach Wilson
“Ty’Son Williams did really well today...[he] is getting real comfortable with this program."
Williams has been called a team leader and captain by Kalani Sitake. That isn't to say he will actually be 'Team Captain' but he is showing the leadership skills.
Ty'Son Williams also brings something that the backfield has struggled to have in a very long time, speed. Coming out of high school, Williams ran a 4.65 40-yard dash. Assuming he has sent cut that time down, he is probably faster than Jamaal Williams who ran a 4.59 at the NFL Combine.
Thinking back to recent running backs, and even running backs in the past decade, I can't recall any that could outrun the defensive backs and go for 60+ yards down the sideline. Hopefully Williams will be that guy.
We aren't far from finding out what kind of impact that Williams will make, but with his last name being Williams he is in good company with Jamal Willis and Jamaal Williams, two of the greatest backs to ever play for BYU.