The Trojan Wall Remembers Former AD Johnny Williams
Former Athletic Director Johnny Williams passed away today after a battle with leukemia. He was 68 years old.
The North Alabama graduate came to Troy in the late 1980s and was on Rick Rhoades’ staff during the 1987 Division II National Championship season.
In his seven seasons on the sidelines, Williams would serve as a assistant coach under Rhoades, Robert Maddox, and Larry Blakeney.
His final season would see Troy finish 12-1-1 and make it to the DI-AA Semifinals, losing 24-21 against Marshall.
During this period, he was a member of the Athletic Challenge Fun Steering Committee. It helped raise $1 million within a two year period to help push Troy towards the move to Division I.
Williams also handled football promotions within the Athletics department.
Beginning in 1994, Williams would become Troy’s newest Athletic Director. He was instrumental in helping Troy to have one of its most sustained periods of success.
Troy would make it to the D-I AA Playoffs in football six times in seven years, winning three Southland titles.
Overall, Troy’s athletics would win 28 total conference titles during his tenure. Men’s Track and Field would win 6. Baseball and Men’s golf won 4. Men’s basketball, along with football, won 3. Softball, Men’s tennis, and Women’s tennis all won 2. Women’s Track and Field would round it off with 1.
Williams guided Troy through its most difficult period, the move to D I-A. He raised the money to make the move, scheduled new opponents, and renovated and expanded Veterans Memorial Stadium.
This included a 1998 deal to name the field after Richard M. Scrushy, the former HealthSouth CEO, and a 2003 deal selling the naming rights to Movie Gallery, the video rental company headquartered in Dothan.
Both of these deals provided the money to expand The Vet to 30,000 seats.
In his final football season in Troy, Williams would engineer two moves that would catapult Troy.
He helped get highly ranked Missouri to come to The Vet for the 2004 season in a nationally televised game. Secondly, he helped usher Troy into its FBS conference home in the Sun Belt, a move that has resulted in Troy winning more football games and conference titles than any other team.
In 2004, he would depart Troy and begin working at the University of Alabama until 2007. He would return to college football as the executive director of the Camellia Bowl (now the Salute to Veterans Bowl).
He was inducted into the Troy Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016, forever enshrining him as an integral member of Troy’s success.
Williams left an indelible mark on Troy’s history. He was by all accounts a good person and great friend.
He loved Troy and his time there. He will be truly missed.
Just wanted to say he was always such a nice person, always smiling when I saw him which mostly was waiting on him at Barnhills Buffet in Troy. He didn’t come in just to have lunch he was always seem to be promoting Troy Football even on his lunch breaks. Fly high and Rest in Peace. You will be missed by so many. Thank You for all you have done for Troy University and Our Town.
My heart is heavy! Johnny will be missed dearly. RIP JOHNNY!
Johnny had a huge impact on me during my time at TROY and coaching career.
Sorry to hear of Johnny’s passing. Was a great friend and knew him as a great football coach when I was coaching at Troy at track and field program decades ago. It was a great Trojan and a great innovator for Troy programs. He’ll be sorely missed. Go Troy. Go Johnny
My heart is saddened. Johnny Williams was one of a kind. He was a good friend, former colleague at Troy. Loved coaching with him.
He could find the best restaurant in the middle of no where!!! Mike OToole can verify that situation. He could always make me laugh a lot. I will miss my friend. Football and athletics has lost a monumental figure.
Sending my condolences to Robin, Andrew and David
Rest easy Johnny
I didn’t attend Troy University but I was on Johnny Williams High school football team in 1985 at Pickens County High School . My Uncle Cephas Brownlee was Johnnys booster club President and Johhny Met Uncle Cephas At Mary and Company in Reform , Alabama to have an Ole School talk …. John said Cephas I respect you …. This is my first year at PCHS and I want to build this program ….. but I got a call today from Troy University ….. They called me to Coach ….. my Uncle looked Johnny in the Eye and said “ Coach … Fly High … son don’t you turn this down …. Your Wife and Andrew deserve this open Door !” Johnny told me when he was Sr . Athletic Director at Alabama …. If your Uncle had of told me not to take it I would have stayed but your Uncle believed and supported me !
Coach Williams remained a huge influence in my life till he died …. At 19 a year after I graduated High School I had some complications in life and Coach Johnny Williams wrote the Secretary of Navy and told them it would be a mistake to America if I was prevented from serving because of a mistake at 15 years old . 8 years and a War later I returned to Alabama with an Honorable discharge .
I’m grateful God allowed Johnny and Robin Williams to be part of my Journey . In 2016 when I had to Bury my son from being murdered in Tuscaloosa for trying to save a young lady in trouble while graduating Alabama Fire Colledge
Coach Johnny Williams checked on me every day !
Johnny was my Coach …. Then we was Life friends …. Johnny trusted me and that meant the world to me .
RIP Johnny ,
We got the watch now , Coach 👊🏻❤️