Tarron Williams has been named East Carolina’s cornerback’s coach according to an announcement from head coach Blake Harrell on Thursday.
Williams’ appointment to the Pirates’ staff ends a two-year stint at Old Dominion where he helped the Monarchs to the 2023 Famous Toastery Bowl against Western Kentucky. This past year, he played a role on the Monarchs defense that held opponents to 410.4 yards per game, including 237.8 passing yards per contest, and picking off 12 passes – ranking 44th in FBS. He mentored Angelo Rankin Jr, a Top 5 cornerback in the Sun Belt Conference. who tallied 45 stops (32 solo) standing seventh on the team. He registered three interceptions (23 yards) sharing the team lead with two pass breakups, while forcing a team-high three fumbles.
In his first season with the Monarch, Williams helped LaMareon James earn Sun Belt honorable mention accolades. All three cornerbacks that started games for the Monarchs had one interception, while James recovered four fumbles and scored a pair of touchdowns, one on an interception and one on a fumble return, in the game against Wake Forest. Nolan Johnson started nine games and had an interception while junior college transfer Rasheed Reason recorded four starts and notched an interception.
Williams came to ODU after spending the previous two seasons as the cornerbacks coach and defensive pass game coordinator at Richmond (2021-23). Williams helped the Spiders to a 9-4 record this season as Richmond advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs before losing to No. 2 seed Sacramento State.
Richmond finished in the Top 20 in defense in points allowed, first downs allowed, third down defense, turnover margin, total defense and defensive touchdowns. All three touchdowns scored by the defense were scored by defensive backs. Williams helped the 2021 Spiders defense to a Top 15 finish in third and fourth down defense, along with Top 25 places in scoring defense, defensive touchdowns and tackles for loss.
Prior to joining Richmond, he spent two years at East Carolina (2019-21) as the Director of Player Development and worked with the cornerbacks helping Ja’Quan McMillian to all-conference accolades in 2020.
Williams, who served as a defensive quality control coach at James Madison during the Dukes’ back-to-back FCS National Championship Game appearances in 2016 and 2017, completed a one-year tenure as cornerbacks coach at Virginia Military Institute (2018-19) before joining the Pirates’ staff.
In addition to assisting with the safety position, Williams was also responsible for monitoring academic progress and providing life skills development for the JMU program.
After earning a master’s degree in community counseling with school licensure from Lenior-Rhyne in 2012, Williams moved to private business where he was a district manager for Pepsico (Frito-Lay Division) for three years (2013-16) in the Triad area and established increased performance ratings on various metrics ratings, including sales and service.
Williams initiated his coaching career as a student assistant coach at Gardner-Webb during the spring of 2009 before accepting his first full-time position as defensive backs coach at Darlington (S.C.) High School. He joined Houston’s staff at Lenoir-Rhyne as a defensive graduate assistant in 2010 and played a key role in successive South Atlantic Conference championship squads in 2011 and 2012.
A three-year starter in the secondary at Gardner-Webb, Williams also excelled in the classroom with two selections to the Big South Conference Presidential Honor Roll. Additionally, he won the Atlantic Sun Outdoor 100-meter championships in 2006. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from GWU in 2009.
Williams is an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and an often-requested motivational speaker in area schools to promote the importance and value of an education. He also holds membership in the American Mental Health Counseling Association (AMHCA) and offers community support working with youth diagnosed with Autism.