| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Defensive ends coach |
| Team | Indiana |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 2006–2008 | Charleston |
| Position | Defensive back |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2010 | Charleston (LB) |
| 2011 | Ashland (GA, defense) |
| 2012–2013 | Ohio (GA, defense) |
| 2014–2015 | Illinois (GA, defense) |
| 2016 | UT Martin (DL) |
| 2017–2021 | North Dakota State (DE) |
| 2022–2023 | Colorado State (DL) |
| 2024–present | Indiana (DE) |
LeDominique "Buddha"'Williams is an Americancollege football coach and formerdefensive back who is the currentdefensive ends coach of theIndiana Hoosiers. He played college football for theCharleston Golden Eagles.
Williams played as adefensive back for three years for theCharleston Golden Eagles. He produced 130 tackles with 11 for loss and 2 sacks.[1] He previously held the school record for single-game tackles with 17 againstWest Virginia State in 2006.[2]
Williams began his coaching career in 2010 atCharleston as a linebackers coach. He then served as a graduate assistant atAshland for one season in 2011. Starting in 2012, while working on his master's degree, he worked as a graduate assistant in defense atOhio until 2013. He spent two seasons atIllinois as a graduate assistant in defense from 2014 to 2015. In 2016 he joinedUT Martin as a defensive ends coach.[1]
Williams then worked as a defensive line coach atNDSU for five years from 2017 to 2021, where he was part of fourNCAA Division I FCS titles and fourMVFC championships.[3] In his first season, Williams oversaw the position group after all-American defensive end Greg Menard suffered an ACL injury in fall camp.[4] He was credited with developing three FCS All-Americans, including 2019 MVFC DPOYDerrek Tuszka.[3]
Following five seasons at NDSU, Williams left in 2022 to joinColorado State as a defensive line coach.[5] Williams oversaw the recruitment of2022 World Games sumo gold medal winner and defensive linemanHidetora Hanada, after being contacted byOttawa Redblacks defensive line coach and formerIllinois defensive coordinator and defensive line coachMike Phair.[6][7] Williams also coached second-team All-Mountain West player and future 5th round draft pick linebackerMohamed Kamara.[8] Williams saw interest from other schools prior to the 2023 season, but chose to stay for the rest of the season following efforts by coachJay Norvell.[9]
Williams was announced as defensive ends coach byIndiana head coachCurt Cignetti on December 13, 2023.[10] He started his first season at IU in the 2024 season, seeing a run to theCollege Football Playoff as well as overseeing the highest ranked rushing defense in the country. Defensive endMikail Kamara earned first-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-American honors under Williams' coaching.[1]
Williams graduated from Charleston with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 2009. He later earned a master's degree in recreation and sports science while working as a graduate assistant at Ohio University in 2013.[1]
Williams has a wife, Veronica, two daughters, Alexis and Gianna, and a son, Dominic.[1][3][8]