Luke Williams could see the proverbial writing on the wall, and he didn’t like what it was telling him.

After redshirting his freshman season at Purdue, the former Naperville North star did what thousands of college athletes are doing. He entered the transfer portal.

“It definitely was tough just knowing that Purdue was getting a new coaching staff and obviously they would be evaluating different things,” Williams said. “I just felt like I needed to find somewhere where I would grow.”

Williams, a safety, quickly found his place, committing to Austin Peay State on May 1. He also had contact with SMU, Sam Houston and Washington State, which was interested in him playing receiver.

“It definitely was tough just getting a new change of scenery down here in the South,” Williams said, referring to the campus in Clarksville, Tennessee. “The weather is a lot different down here, but you get used to it.”

Indeed, Williams is fitting in nicely in his new surroundings. He arrived on campus June 1, took an English class over the summer and is training daily with his teammates.

“I like the people down here,” he said. “Everybody has welcomed me with open arms. Everybody wanted to talk, get to know each other, so I feel like it’s coming along great.

“Just being with each other every day all day, it builds great team chemistry.”

Austin Peay State’s Luke Williams, left, plays defense during a practice on campus in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. (Provided by Austin Peay State Athletics)

Chemistry is vital to any team but is especially hard to build when there is so much player movement. Williams, who was the Naperville Sun player of the year in both football and basketball as a senior at Naperville North, is one of many athletes who have transferred.

“These kids move around pretty quick,” Naperville North football coach Sean Drendel said. “They’re all trying to find opportunities to get on the field, and if you’re a starter, the team is constantly trying to find someone who’s better than you.

“If you’re not mentally and physically strong, it’s a tough industry, and I’m super proud of how Luke Williams has handled it.”

Ultimately, the opportunity to play outweighed the prestige of the institution for Williams.

“He goes, ‘I want to go somewhere I can play,’ and it wasn’t about going back to another Big Ten school,” Drendel said. “It was about ‘I want to play and prove people wrong.’”

Doing so required Williams to leave his older brother Zeke, who is a cornerback at Purdue. Zeke Williams also transferred after his freshman year, but he went in the opposite direction. After redshirting at Northern Illinois, he moved from the Mid-American Conference to the Big Ten and has appeared in four games over the past two seasons for the Boilermakers.

Luke Williams moved from the Big Ten to the United Athletic Conference, but not before getting some advice from his brother.

“He just said, ‘Keep your head up,’” Luke Williams said. “Obviously, during camp there are days where you’re tired, but just keep your head up and keep growing no matter what.

“I’m getting in my Bible, being coachable and trying to be the best version of myself that I can be.”

The Governors open the season at Middle Tennessee State on Aug. 30. Williams doesn’t know whether he’ll see any action.

“They haven’t really discussed any of that yet,” he said. “We’re just going through the trials and tribulations of it right now, so just getting out there and just playing football. That’s what we’re doing right now.”

Austin Peay State’s Luke Williams takes a break between plays during a practice on campus in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. (Provided by Austin Peay State Athletics)

But Drendel is confident Williams will see plenty of playing time.

“He’ll get his chance there, and I believe ultimately he may get his chance somewhere else after there,” Drendel said. “That’s happening a lot.”

It’s possible that Williams will transfer somewhere else in the future. But he’s staying in the present.

“I’m just going to take it a year at a time, just being where my feet are right now, having this opportunity to play college football,” he said. “Austin Peay is a great opportunity, so I’m just taking it a day at a time.”

And Williams is enjoying each one.

“You can’t get closer as a team than at football,” he said. “You see each other every day, all day. We go bowling. It doesn’t get much better.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/14/college-football-luke-williams-naperville-north/