At the height of personal glory, a young man soon to become a husband thought only of God and service.
According to KSL, quarterback Levi Williams of the Utah State Aggies announced Monday that he would forego his final season of college football eligibility in hopes of joining the Navy SEALs.
When KSL “Sports Zone’s” Hans and Scotty asked Williams how he explained his decision to his fiance — whom he plans to marry on Mar. 15 — the young quarterback cited the universe’s ultimate authority.
“This is where God’s calling me,” Williams recalled telling his soon-to-be wife. “Obviously, we can’t prepare for everything. There’s going to be some unexpected turns along the way. As long you trust God and trust me, I think we’re gonna be alright.”
That attitude certainly helped explain how Williams has achieved success as a college quarterback.
On Saturday, Williams led the Aggies to a 44-41, double-overtime victory over the New Mexico Lobos. In that game, he accounted for five total touchdowns, including the game-winner on a broken play in the second overtime.
The victory gave the Aggies six wins on the season and made them eligible for a postseason bowl game.
Readers can view the game’s final play here:
UTAH STATE IS BOWL ELIGIBLE ON A WILD PLAY @USUFootball pic.twitter.com/vZWiRuDL8I
— CBS Sports College Football ? (@CBSSportsCFB) November 25, 2023
Meanwhile, Williams’ performance earned him the Mountain West Conference’s Offensive Player of the Week.
In light of his decision to work toward joining the SEALs, however, one suspects that Williams found more joy in his team’s accomplishment than in his own.
“What I love about [the SEAL’s] ethos and their motto is that no one guy is better than the other. It takes all of them to complete a mission. I think that’s super critical … Just to have the ability to be part of that brotherhood, it would be a great honor,” Williams told Hans and Scotty.
That perspective undoubtedly helped Williams think beyond his college football career.
“I love football, and it’s so great,” the quarterback said. “But I knew that, eventually, it was going to come to an end.”
And if you cannot be part of a football team forever, why not join a bigger team with an even nobler purpose?
“I just want to be in a spot where I can protect this great country where we get to play football with the freedom to do that. I think this is the best country in the world. So I’d like to keep it that way and protect it as long as I can,” Williams said.
As impressed as we are with Williams, the happiest people in this story have to be his future in-laws.
After all, imagine your daughter finding an elite college athlete who thinks nothing of his personal accomplishments. Instead, he only wants to be a husband, serve his country and praise God.
The U.S. Navy also should look forward to welcoming Williams into its family. While some commanders have gone nauseatingly woke, the military as a whole remains an object of intense admiration for many Americans.
In fact, our entire experiment in republican self-government depends on people like Williams who voluntarily practice the Christian virtues of courage and humility. The experiment cannot survive otherwise.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
