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| Photo of Devin Williams by Wade Gardner, d3photography.com |
By Greg Thomas
D3football.com
The Royals entered this season with a lot of known quantities, with 28 of their top 30 players returning. But it was two first year players — David Geebli and Devin Williams — that stole the show in Bethel’s 34-32 win over Wheaton in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.
So how exactly do two freshmen break through into prominent roles on a team with a depth chart that was already oversubscribed? It turns out the first step is showing up when they didn’t have to. “We knew they were good because in the summer our guys work out,” Royals coach Steve Johnson explained. “It's not mandatory, but they (the returning players) invited these guys and these guys have the courage to go.”
Reports back to the coaching staff after the summer workouts were positive. Bethel’s returning players found out quickly that Geebli and Williams had the physical chops to play right away. Just as important may have been the team building that happened in the summer.
“One of the best things that we do is we have that brotherhood and it doesn't matter how old you are, if you're the best guy you're going (to play),” Johnson said. “It takes a little bit of our older guys helping teach our young guys and I think we're good at that.”
Depth was a strength for Bethel at the start of the season and that depth has been tested. Injuries to Bethel’s top three cornerbacks pressed Williams into service. Injuries in the Royal backfield translated into extra opportunities for Geebli. Johnson explained that as the season went along “I think they both would have warranted time, but it was exacerbated a little quicker with injuries at both spots.
“We kind of thought these guys are special and then we had a chance to see it right away. Not because we like to have everybody get to play, but we needed them and they stepped up more than we could ever ask.”
Junior running back Bryce Kunkle was one of the known quantities Johnson had returning for this season. Kunkle was a first team all-conference performer one year ago and has been the primary back for the Royals this season. Kunkle has been one of those upperclassmen teaching the young Royals about Bethel football.
“[Bryce] prepares for games really well, and I'm trying to get as prepared as he is,” Geebli said. “He's a really good role model in that aspect. I'm still just learning offense and how to run the ball in college. Having a guy like that that we can watch it really just helps to bring up your game.”
While Bethel’s first option this year may have been a running backfield tandem of Kunkle and Gagliardi Award semifinalist quarterback Jaran Roste, managing Roste’s health has meant more Geebli as part of the backfield duo and less Roste.
“I think Bryce and I are pretty similar and we have the same tendencies,” Geebli commented. “I don't think there's much of an advantage if he’s in or when I'm in.”
Johnson sees more differences between the two runners. “David will feel his blocks and kind of put his hands on his blocker. It really is a natural thing. It's not something that we taught him.” Johnson continued, “Bryce is the kind of guy that if there's not a hole, he'll create one and David finds a hole.”
Geebli’s workload has increased steadily, however and his presence was felt early against Wheaton. Geebli had gains of 15 and 43 yards on Bethel’s second possession of the game before he finished the drive with a 9-yard touchdown. After four quarters, Geebli had 15 carries for 102 yards and one touchdown, his first 100-yard rushing game in his career. “It (rushing for 100 yards) felt good,” Geebli said. “It was definitely hard to get one hundred yards for sure, but it was fun getting them.”
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| David Geebli photo by Carl Schmuland, Bethel athletics |
While it was Geebli making a big splash in the first half for Bethel, rookie corner Devin Williams made one of the game’s biggest plays on the first offensive snap of the second half, intercepting Wheaton’s Will Bowers and sprinting 44 yards for a Bethel touchdown.
This was Williams’ first collegiate touchdown, but not his first trip to the end zone- Williams is the same player that intercepted an Augsburg two-point conversion attempt and returned that interception for two points for Bethel, preserving the Royals’ win and keeping their playoff hopes alive in Week 10.
As with Geebli, Johnson was impressed early on with Williams’ natural instincts for the game. Those instincts combined with preparation, created opportunity for these signature moments in Bethel’s 2022 season. “Just knowing what's coming and in what situations really helps a lot, especially at the corner position,” Williams explained. “Knowing what routes the receiver likes to run and tendencies they have when they're running certain routes. paying attention to little details and just tell you a lot during the game.”
Against Wheaton, Williams credits his teammates for the opportunity. “The D-line, being able to be such a good unit for us and being able to get pressure on the quarterback force and the ball out early. As long as I'm in a good spot, then I'm going to be able to make a play on it,” Williams noted.
While Williams has been at the center of big moments late in the season, it took time for him to get in to the starting lineup. His patience has paid off. “I came out of high school kind of figuring that I wouldn't be the guy at whatever school I went to,” Wiliams said. “Just that mentality if you go in thinking you're the guy, I feel like you're going to plateau and you're going to stick at the bottom of the depth chart.”
Williams certainly has not stuck at the bottom of the depth chart. After being inserted into Bethel’s starting lineup, Williams has been a mainstay. His play during the MIAC season has earned recognition as the MIAC Rookie of the Year.
Looking ahead to the second round matchup and Linfield’s tradition of strong passing offenses, Williams thinks this will be a unique challenge despite statistical similarities between the Wildcats and St. John’s. “St. John's is more methodical. [The Johnnies] might have a big play every once in a while, but they're going to use their size and they're going to march down the field more,” Williams said. “I feel like Linfield has put more big plays on the board. So I think Linfield is a kind of a different task. It's mostly just stay over top of routes and win jump balls. I feel like if we can do that as a secondary, we'll have played a good game.
“We have a thing around here, we talk about staying in the fight, man,” Johnson said. Football seasons never go according to plan. This game will always take an injury tax. A game result may not go the way you planned. Bethel’s season has had no shortage of twists and turns and the emergence of Geebli and Williams has helped the Royals keep the fight going in to the second round of the playoffs.