Football: Williams offers some of his tricks to Permian

Permian's football players have been given a gift this summer.

Most high school athletes do not get to learn from a professional athlete at the top of his game.

Roy Williams, a Permian graduate and Detroit Lions receiver, is an assistant coach for the school's 7-on-7 team this season.

He is leaving the X's and O's of Permian's offense to Permian offensive coordinator Brandon Faircloth and wide receivers coach Mike Ballew, who are coaching the 7-on-7 team this season.

Williams is more concerned with the little things.

"For me to be in the position that I am and getting the coaching I have, I can bring it back here and teach these kids what I know," Williams said.

Little things like running a route based on the defender's positioning can be the difference between catching the ball and watching a pass fall incomplete.

Williams spent last week teaching Permian's receivers how a simple stutter-step can have a profound effect on a route's success.

"They were just being robots and running across the field," Williams said. "If they run, and then stutter, and then take off again, they'll lose the defender."

Williams has learned a lot of tricks in four years with Detroit of the National Football League, but he started learning about the little things during his freshman year at Texas.

Now, he is passing on his eight years of experience to a set of athletes who can benefit from tricks he never had while wearing the Permian black and white.

"He taught me to be more physical and use my hands," Permian senior Alan Castillejos said. "He just helped with little things like routes, cuts, different jukes we can use against the defensive backs."

Williams is fine-tuning a 7-on-7 unit that is performing well this summer. Permian finished second at the Wolfforth Frenship Tournament on June 14 and earned a berth in the 7-on-7 state championships, which will be July 11-12 at Texas A&M in College Station.

Permian was eliminated from title contention in its own tournament because only teams who have not yet earned a state-championship berth can advance.

The tournament, which begins today at 9 a.m. at Permian High School, has 14 teams divided into two divisions. The winners from each division advance to the championship game at 1:30 p.m.

Permian still can win its division, and in the process the Panthers can work on some of the little things Williams has been teaching them.

"Not many people have the opportunity to have a Pro Bowl wide receiver work with their kids three times a week," Faircloth said. "He's helped us improve immensely."

Getting the little things right can help a lot.

THE BASICS

>> What: Permian 7-on-7 Tournament
>> Who: 14 teams, 2 divisions
>> Schedule: Divisional games at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m.; division winners advance
to championship game at 1:30 p.m.