Southern Illinois safety Jagger Williams played in 34 career games at Utah Tech before arriving in Carbondale via the transfer portal. (Photo by SIUSalukis.com)
Editor’s note: This is the first of a four-part series.
By Barry Bottino
Southern Illinois free safety Jagger Williams is used to the questions about his unique first name.
“A lot of people think I was named after Mick Jagger (of the Rolling Stones),” he said. “My parents wanted to name me something different. My mom was listening to the radio when she was pregnant and heard about a celebrity that named their child Jagger.
“She really liked the name. Luckily, Dad liked it too.”
This fall, the transfer from Utah Tech is focused on making a name for himself in Carbondale.
Williams is among four Fresh Faces for 2025 at Southern Illinois selected by Prairie State Pigskin. This series highlights new or returning players stepping into bigger roles at every Illinois FCS program.
Williams arrived at SIU with 34 games of experience under his belt and a desire to follow in the footsteps of multiple Saluki defensive backs who have made it to the NFL.
“That was definitely part of Coach (Nick) Hill’s pitch,” Williams said. “He brought up Jeremy Chinn and who’s the next SIU safety to go to the NFL? That was a big factor.”
While selling Williams on the program, SIU also expressed a need for improving its secondary.
“The biggest thing was they made it a necessity to have me,” he said. “I felt like I was needed here.”
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Williams, who had 61 tackles in 2023, feels prepared to play in the highly regarded Missouri Valley Football Conference.
“We had a tough schedule at Utah Tech,” he said. “I’ve been playing Big Sky (Conference) and Missouri Valley teams for four years. With that experience, I felt really comfortable coming here.”
Sixteen of Williams’ 34 career games, in fact, have come against Big Sky and MVFC teams.
His comfort level at safety is also high. Williams played nickel back as a freshman, then transitioned to safety, where he stuck.
“Fearless and very smart,” Williams said, describing his game. “I’m a guy who’s going to give my full effort on every play. I try my best to prepare as well as I can (watching film).”
Williams is one of six mid-year transfers added by the Salukis on defense through the transfer portal.
“You’re always looking for two things – a young guy that’s got a lot of upside or an older guy that’s played a lot of football,” SIU defensive coordinator Lee Pronschinske said of approaching the portal. “Sometimes, those guys are hard to get your grasp on at the FCS level.”
Since Southern lost both of its starters at safety last season, finding Williams was a plus.
“He carries himself in such as awesome way, on and off the field, because he’s done it,” Pronschinske said. “When you play the DB position, there’s a level of confidence, swagger and savvy that comes from doing it. That’s something that you can see translating right now.”
Here are SIU’s other Fresh Faces to watch this season:
Jake Parrella, DE
Though he played in 11 games last season, collecting 14 tackles, Parrella is stepping into a bigger role opposite Lindenwood transfer DE Donnie Wingate.
“He’s done a really good job being Donnie’s sidekick,” Pronschinske said. “They both have very similar styles of play.”
At 6-2 and 255 pounds, Parrella will be part of the effort for SIU to improve on its 25 sacks a season ago.
Parrella began his career at FBS Oregon State and is the son of former NFL defensive lineman John Parrella, who played for Buffalo, San Diego and Oakland from 1993-2004.
Chandler Chapman, RB
Chapman has turned heads during fall camp as a key piece of SIU’s revamped rushing attack, which ranked 10th in the 11-team MVFC with 144.8 yards a game last season.
The 5-11, 210-pound junior ran for 5.1 yards a carry and eight touchdowns in two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
“He does a good job of running hard,” Pronschinske said. “He’s created some issues during live tackling (in fall camp), as much as it pains me to say. I’m super excited to see him in situations where we aren’t the ones tackling him.”
Fabian McCray, WR
Playing in his seventh year of college football, McCray certainly has experience on his side.
Before missing most of last season due to injury at Jackson State, he was the team’s leading receiver in 2023 with 41 receptions, 584 yards and four touchdowns.
“He brings a little extra juice into that room,” Pronschinske said.
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
Find us on social media!
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/PSPigskin
Facebook: Prairie State Pigskin
Instagram: Prairiestatepigskin
Blue Sky: PSPigskin
Prairie State Pigskin 
Leave a comment