JP Williams: From 2-sport standout at Wyoming to FCS official

JP Williams, a former Division I college football player, has found a way to stay connected to the game he loves — officiating. 

His journey from a two-sport student-athlete at Wyoming, where he also ran track, to a Football Championship Subdivision official underscores his passion for football and his commitment to giving back. 

"I just love the game. I don't know how to explain it, and I wish I didn't love it as much as I do," said Williams, an associate director of championships and alliances at the NCAA. "When you love something, you feel it."

In some ways, Williams' story reflects a much larger issue facing the world of officiating but also part of the solution. Officiating is critical to the student-athlete experience, but the profession is facing a crisis. The pool of officials is shrinking, largely due to the advancing age of current officials and a lack of interest or incentive among younger generations. Officiating offers individuals a way to stay connected to their sport and serves as an essential service to the next generation of athletes eager to compete.

Williams himself discovered that officiating was more than just a hobby; it became a way to give back. 

"I get to actually fulfill something that's important to me," he said. 

In his current role at the NCAA, Williams not only works on the day-to-day operations of championships but also advocates for the recruitment of officials, encouraging student-athletes to consider the role once their playing days are over. 

"What I try to do is if a student-athlete asks me a rules question, I always tell them, 'You'd be a really good official after you're done playing,'" Williams said. "We need to change the stereotype. Student-athletes think officials are a certain type of person. But they can be people like us, people who love the game."

He added, "It's an opportunity to give back while staying connected to the game you love."

Williams' love for football began at a young age. One of his earliest memories is cheering on the 1982 Washington football team now known as the Commanders, a memory that ignited a lifelong passion for the sport. He recalls clinging to every issue of Sports Illustrated, eagerly waiting for the next one to arrive. This love for the game carried him through his college years at Wyoming. 

"I loved my experience," he said, reflecting on his time as a student-athlete. "It was an absolutely amazing experience."

However, after his playing days were over, Williams found himself missing the game. "It was, like, 'All right, now what do I do?'" he recalled thinking. 

He played a couple of years of arena football but ultimately stayed close to sports through administrative roles at Little League Baseball and the Colonial Athletic Association, a Division I conference. In 2012, he landed his role at the NCAA, where he manages various Division III championships.

Williams' journey into officiating began as part of his NCAA role when he worked with a former NFL official who encouraged him to give it a try. "He had all the information ready for me, and he was like, 'You should do it.' It was like, 'All right, I'll try it,' and then I fell in love with it," Williams said.

For Williams, officiating quickly became more than just a way to fill the gap after his playing career ended. 

"I get to stay in the game, and that's really the coolest part to me," he said. His experience as a defensive back also gave him an edge when he took on the role of back judge. His time as a student-athlete continues to inform his perspective as an official. 

"I've seen a million plays," he said. "So I don't have to see and feel what it's like." 

At the NCAA national office, Williams' role involves day-to-day operations of championships, including selections, work with committees and coordination of teams' travel to championship sites. Balancing his role at the NCAA with his officiating duties requires strong support from his family, friends and supervisors. 

"Family support is most important because if you don't have that support, that changes the game totally," he said. Despite the challenges of balancing the roles, Williams finds joy both in his job and his officiating. 

"Neither of them feels like work, and I think that's part of it," he added.

For Williams, officiating is not only a way to stay connected to football but also an opportunity to make a difference. His journey from student-athlete to official is a testament to his love for the sport and his commitment to giving back to the next generation of student-athletes. 

"We want the game to go on forever," he said. "Officiating is something that may be amazing for you when you finish playing."