The sports community was stunned and saddened by the tragic news that longtime Auburn football team chaplain Chette Williams died on Sunday evening in a freak accident on Lake Martin.
Known to many as "Brother Chette," Williams played linebacker at Auburn from 1982 to 1984 under legendary coach Pat Dye. His remarkable journey of finding faith after hitting rock bottom not only transformed his own life but also became a cornerstone for reinvigorating the Auburn football program both on and off the field.
Former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville brought Williams back to Auburn after working closely with Wes Yeary during his time at Ole Miss. When Tuberville made the move to Auburn in 1999, Yeary decided to stay in Oxford. Tuberville knew Yeary's impact on the Rebels football team was crucial, so one of the first orders of business when he arrived on the Plains was finding a team chaplain.
When searching, it was Williams' name that kept popping up.
In an interview with 1819 News, the now-U.S. Senator spoke highly of Williams and described the chaplain's hiring as one of the best things he ever did.
"Chette Williams' name kept coming up, a former player for Coach Dye. He understood athletics. He understood how hard football was and he related very well. He was in youth ministry at that time, so I ended up hiring Chette in 1999," Tuberville told 1819 News. "He brought his family and just fit in perfectly. And we went out and, of course, the school couldn't pay his salary, so we went out and raised everything that he would spend for a year. And people were gracious. Auburn people, and even people that weren't Auburn, and Chette made a huge difference immediately of bringing kids together."
In 2004, Auburn's undefeated squad, led by Tuberville, became known as "The Hard Fighting Soldiers." The players locked arms as they exited the tunnel and sang the old gospel hymn after every game that season. It quickly became a cherished part of the Auburn's identity and inspired other programs across the country to explore and adopt elements of "The Hard Fighting Soldier" movement.
And, of course, it was Williams who started it all.
"Chette, for 25 years, made a huge impact. He started in 2004 the 'Hard Fighting Soldiers,'" Tuberville recalled. "And it brought kids together. We walked out arm in arm. We had a book about it, and it kind of caught – it was kind of a movement, not just in Auburn, but all across the country. And Chette and I traveled many places together all over the country talking about what we were doing. Everybody wanted to know about it."
"It was the easiest year I had to coach, because of great leadership. And Chette was as much of reason for that success as anybody, because those kids were the first senior class to really grow up under Chette," he later added.
After starting the movement in 2004, Williams and Yeary decided to work together at Auburn. The two started bringing in interns, training young men and women to be full-time team chaplains. It was something nobody had ever done before, but by the time they were done, they had placed full-time team chaplains at schools all over the country.
"Again, one of the best things that I ever did," Tubervile said of hiring Williams. "You know, obviously, winning and losing, but we won a lot of souls over those years. And again, Chette was kind of the face of our program. And he was as well spoken of all of our alumni at Auburn than any coach, any assistant, anybody that was there, because everybody knew the impact in what Chette Williams had done in thousands of lives. Again, not just football players, but coaches, families, and other sports. It was amazing to watch it grow and still continue to grow all over the country."
There's no questioning the impact Williams made in his time at Auburn and beyond. Williams not only served as the team chaplain for Auburn but was also the Auburn campus director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the state director for Urban Ministries for FCA.
From starting the Hard Fighting Soldiers movement to mentoring young men and women all over the world, Brother Chette's time will forever be cherished and remembered by everyone who knew him.
"A lot of people are going to be devastated from this. He touched so many people as a whole. People you know… understand that Chette would want things to go on. For somebody else to step in. So, there's somebody there always to fill the void, and there will be too. I wouldn't be shocked if it wasn't a former player that comes in. That worked with Chette," Tuberville said.
"The coaches are a dime a dozen, but people that mentor kids through tough times, full times, you know, through a personal experience and trials and tribulations is so important, especially in this day and time," he added.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email logan.fowler@1819News.com.
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