Larry Williams, the head coach of the Eagle football program, has been with Hinds since 2013. Williams was the defensive coordinator prior to being named the head coach in 2017. Williams currently holds a 33-19 (.634) overall record as Head Coach of the Eagles.
Despite only playing four games in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Williams led his squad to a 3-1 record, his third season with a winning record at the helm.
In his third season in 2019, Williams led to the Eagles to final national rank of 8th according to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) as they advanced to the Graphic Edge Bowl in Cedar Falls, Iowa. 10 Eagles were recognized for their play on the field by the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) as well as the NJCAA while 17 Eagles inked with a four-year university on signing day.
In fall 2018, the Eagles were ranked as high as 13th in the NJCAA. Under the tutelage of Williams, 11 Hinds Community College football players were recognized by the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) along with the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) for outstanding play on the field.
In his first season, Williams led Hinds to a 6-3 overall record and the Eagles’ first berth in the MACJC playoffs since 2013, rebounding nicely from a 2-7 finish in 2016.
Five players from his 2017 squad received MACJC First Team All-State honors, including four who were named to the NJCAA All-Region 23 team. Additionally, three players received Second Team MACJC All-State Honors and 14 received honorable mention.
His 2017 team also finished in the top 25 in 19 team statistical categories, including yards per game, first downs, third down conversions, third down conversion percentage, kick return average and red zone percentage.
“My main goal is to continue to build upon the great tradition of this football program and to make Hinds a household name in the state of Mississippi,” Williams said.
Williams is no stranger to Mississippi junior college football. As a player, he led Mississippi Delta Trojans to an undefeated season and the 1993 NJCAA national championship. He made second-team NJCAA All-American in the process. He continued his playing career at Mississippi State University as a defensive end under former head coach Jackie Sherrill, where he led the Bulldogs in sacks in both 1994 and 1995 and was selected as the Bulldogs’ Most Valuable Defensive Player in the Peach Bowl. In the game, he collected a sack as well as a forced fumble and fumble recovery against North Carolina State to finish with 12.5 sacks for this career in Starkville.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Mississippi State after spending time with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens and the Scottish Claymores of the World League of American Football.
After his playing days, Williams returned to MDCC to begin his coaching career. He served as the Trojans’ defensive coordinator and defensive line coach from 1997 to 2002. He helped guide Delta to a pair of state runner-up finishes (1997 and 2001).
After MDCC, Williams was the defensive coordinator at Hinds from 2003 to 2009, leading the Eagles to a state runner-up finish his first year.
In 2012, he served as defensive coordinator at Copiah-Lincoln Community College, helping lead the Wolfpack to the 2012 MACJC state championship. He had spent the 2010 season as the defensive line coach at East Mississippi Community College.
Williams returned to Hinds in 2013 and had an immediate impact on the Hinds defense. In his first season back in Raymond, his defensive unit finished 14th in the nation in total defense.
Williams currently resides in Raymond with his wife, Diane.
