Dwayne Williams is the architect of Kansas City Schlagle football’s turnaround and coach of two straight 2,000-yard running backs with Cornelius Ruff and Ivan Webb.
Williams’ past stretches across most of the United States and includes connections with multiple Hall of Fame collegiate coaches.
He grew up in New Jersey and collected first team all-state honors as a running back at Bayonne High School.
After Williams graduated in 1978, he went to the University of Iowa for a staff that featured legendary coach Hayden Fry and offensive coordinator Bill Snyder.
Williams was part of teams that included quarterback Chuck Long, an eventual Heisman Trophy runner-up to Bo Jackson, and Andre Tippett, a longtime New England Patriot linebacker.
Williams played in 33 games from 1979-81 and collected 51 carries for 229 yards before a shoulder injury ended his career. His college roommate was Bob Stoops.
After his career, Williams went back to New Jersey and coached at Bayonne, among other schools. He moved to Kansas and served a stint as Highland Park’s head coach before he went back east.
He has remained in contact with Snyder and Stoops as they took over Kansas State and Oklahoma, respectively, and formed Hall of Fame careers.
In 2002, he served as co-offensive coordinator, running backs coach and special teams coach on a Bayonne team that won the state title. He coached multiple Division I signees, including Kenny Britt, a current Cleveland Browns wide receiver.
In 2011, Williams took over Bayonne rival Marist. In ’12, he led Marist to its first playoff berth since ’05. However, Williams wanted to re-connect with his college-aged daughter who lived in Kansas City.
At the Kansas State coaches’ camp, Williams roomed with Martez Wesley, the Kansas City Schlagle football coach. The two become close friends, and Wesley offered a spot on his staff as running backs coach for ’13.
“He is the reason why I am here,” Williams said.
Williams moved to Kansas and repaired his relationship with his daughter. In ’14, Williams took over for Wesley as Schlagle’s head football coach shortly before the season.
He posted records of 4-5 and 5-4 before a breakthrough 8-2 year last fall.
“I wasn’t planning on being out here this long,” Williams said. “I thought I’d come out here and coach with Martez for a year and kind of patch up some old ends with my daughter, kind of rekindle our relationship, and one thing led to another, and the next year I wound up being the head coach here, and here I am today.”
As freshmen, Williams promised his seniors he would take them to the Oklahoma team camp if they kept producing.
This summer, Williams kept his word. The 17 seniors traveled down to Norman before Stoops abruptly retired. Schlagle discussed 2016 and this fall at OU.
“That’s where it all started,” Williams said.
Schlagle is now 8-0, believed to be the best start in school history. The Stallions are again the No. 1 seed on the eastern side of Class 5A and have produced another powerful running game and a strong front led by lineman Tylen Wallace.
And, just like ’16, Schlagle’s strength of schedule trails well beyond 5A powers in the Eastern Kansas and Centennial League.
Last year, Schlagle entered the postseason 7-1 with a 30-0 loss to Atchison that cost the Stallions the KCAL league title. In the playoffs, the Stallions narrowly held off No. 16 seed Topeka Highland Park, 24-16, before a 53-17 home defeat to EKL power St. James Academy.
The Highland Park win marked the first playoff victory in Schlagle school history. The Stallions will face Highland Park (0-8) on Friday in the first round.
“I don’t make the schedule,” Williams said. “I just play. That’s how we do it.”
This year, Schlagle is very experienced, has a significantly improved defense and a quality resume compared to ’16.
The Stallions defeated Atchison, 30-0, ended a three-game losing streak in the series and captured the KCAL crown, its first conference title since 2011. In Week 8, Schlagle defeated K.C. Harmon, 58-0, after a 20-8 win last year.
In 2016, the Stallions had an average margin of 39-20. This year, the average score is 45-9, and Schlagle paces both 5A in scoring offense and defense with the second-lowest SOS in 5A, according to Prep Power Index. In each of his four years, Williams has improved the defensive numbers.
“All phases of the game have been playing well,” Williams said.
If Schlagle wins, they will play either two-time defending 5A champion Mill Valley from the EKL or the Centennial’s Topeka Seaman in the second round. Then, a quarterfinal with St. James is possible.
“We will see (EKL) coming down the stretch anyway,” Williams said. “It’s going to happen eventually.”
Williams has been pleased with the team’s work in the classroom. Ruff, Wallace, Webb and standout defensive back Gavin Williams all have grade-point averages of at least 3.0.
“I will match my kids athletically and academically with anybody,” Williams said.
Webb has continued Schlagle’s trend of outstanding running backs. In 2011-12, J’Veyon Browning set Schlagle records for all-purpose yards, rushed for more than 2,800 yards and scored 38 rushing TDs. Browning has played in 17 games the last two seasons for University of Northern Iowa.
Ruff followed and set the Wyandotte County career rushing record with more than 4,000 yards. That included 239 carries for 2,019 yards and 27 TDs in 2016. Ruff is now on the K-State roster. This year, Webb, a senior, is by far the state leader with 2,479 rushing yards and has 30 rushing scores.
“When I came to Schlagle, they run the football,” Williams said. “That’s right up my alley.”
He could break the state mark of 3,382 yards set by Claflin’s Kip Connell in 1998, according to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. Webb had 490 rushing yards and 10 scores as a junior.
“Browning set the tone,” Williams said. “Cornelius watched him, and then Ivan watched Cornelius. So you went from an 1,800-yard kid to a 2,000-yard kid to maybe a 2,800-yard kid, 3,000-yard kid, who knows.”
Williams gave significant credit to his sizable veteran offensive line that includes seniors Wallace (6-foot-4, 270), transfer Blake Garcia (6-1, 277), James Hampton (6-0, 250), Miles Davis (6-2, 207), and reserve Cecil Barnett (6-7, 340).
The line also features juniors Devin Hines (6-0, 272) and Paul Beasley (5-10, 250) and sophomore center Sam Polk (5-11, 225). Senior Steve Sanchez (5-10, 200) starts at tight end. Hampton, Davis and Wallace have played three years together.
“When you get linemen like that come in, I have a running back, I am like, you are chomping your teeth, you are licking your lips,” Williams said.
Wallace has earned all-conference each year on both sides, including league defensive player of the year honors in ‘16. He recorded 22 TFLs as a junior and has 12 this year.
Williams believes Wallace is the best lineman in the Kansas City/Missouri Metro area. Williams estimated at least 5,000 rushing yards from Ruff and Webb have come behind Wallace.
“Tylen Wallace is the man,” Williams said. “Tylen Wallace is the difference maker.”
He has played multiple positions on the line. Defensively, Wallace plays tackle, end and nose guard and creates a double team at any position. Davis and sophomore Manowa Ngenzirabona is on the edge.
“Making a lot of sacks, a lot of big plays for us,” Williams said.
Wallace’s father, Taylor, is the defensive coordinator and wrestling coach. Prentes Potts is on the football staff and serves as Schlagle’s boys’ basketball coach. Last winter, he led the Stallions to a 5A runner-up, the squad’s first state appearance since 2000.
Other assistants include: offensive coordinator Cernyn Macon, Tony Williams, Schlagle graduate Stephan McIntosh and Nick McGrain.
“Without them, this doesn’t happen,” Williams said.
Senior David Chacon has kicked well, and Williams has been strong in the secondary with 17 interceptions and six pick-sixes in his career. Webb, Wallace and Williams recently attended the K-State/TCU game and are starting to receive interest.
“Everybody talks about the strength of schedules and stuff like that, but these kids are athletes,” Williams said.
Coach Williams labeled Hampton, the starting middle linebacker, one of Kansas’ top players at the position. Senior Larmon Witt, a transfer from K.C. Washington, has had multiple collegiate looks as a cover corner. He has been timed as 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash with a 33-inch vertical. Sophomore Kendall Brewer starts at cornerback.
“I am really happy with my kicking game, the offensive line play,” Williams said. “I am proud of the defense. They’ve been playing well.”
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