From left are Matthew Fox, Dave Williams and Matthew McConaughey
Last spring, I went several weeks without hearing from Dave Williams, my best friend from my days at the University of Georgia and a frequent visitor to see me in Chattanooga after we graduated.
I eventually learned the reason was that he had literally gone Hollywood, in a good sort of way. In a sequence of events that only artist Andy Warhol of “15 minutes of fame” legend could have predicted, he had landed a fairly visible role in the Warner Bros. movie, “We Are Marshall,” which opened in Chattanooga and around the nation on Dec. 22.
The movie, which stars noted actors Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox (of “Lost” TV fame), deals with Marshall University’s efforts to rebuild its football program after a tragic 1970 plane crash wiped out virtually the entire team and coaching and support staff. Dave plays John Riley, the defensive coordinator on the 1971 squad in the aftermath of the crash.
Although Dave said he was filmed talking in some of the takes, they are not included in the film. But he is shown seemingly countless times and is easily recognizable as the lone coach wearing a headset and Vince Lombardi-style eyeglasses popular in the early 1970s.
On two or three occasions, he is featured very prominently. In one, he is shown for several seconds sitting next to Mr. Fox while the noted actor suggests that the team could switch to the veer offense. In another scene, Mr. McConaughey comes up to him and puts his arm around him during a game and says the defense needs to try a new strategy. He is also shown prominently while the coaches are being hired.
According to Dave, who lives in Athens, Ga., and works in event management for the University of Georgia Athletic Department, his unusual summer job began after he read in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the movie producers were looking for extras.
Thinking it might be fun, he drove to Atlanta and stood in line to turn in a picture and fill out a form. The key turning point for him evidently came when he mentioned that he had done some coaching.
While a Georgia student, he had helped coach some middle school football on a volunteer basis under the tutelage of legendary coach Billy Henderson at Clarke Central High School in Athens, his alma mater. We had also played junior varsity football together at Georgia as walk-ons.
He decided not to pursue coaching as a career after graduating, but that experience would help him successfully pursue a film career, or at least get him in this film. As the situation turned out, he was contacted not to be an extra but to play a much more prominent role.
“A few days later they called and said they wanted me to be an assistant coach,” Dave recalled this week. “After they assured me they were indeed serious, I went and got fitted for wardrobe, etc. It just snowballed from there.”
He said being on a big-time movie set was neat, but required hard work. “It was very exciting and interesting being on the set,” he said. “ I was struck by how nice everyone was and how young everyone was. The hours were grueling. We went all afternoon and all night one day. I commuted from Athens and would leave at 4 in the morning for a 6 o’clock call.”
Some of those who landed coaching or prominent player parts were professional actors, while others, like Dave, had just tried out for fun, he said.
During the filming, he became well acquainted with some of the lead actors, particularly the popular Mr. McConaughey, who plays head coach Jack Lengyel. Dave said that Mr. McConaughey, whose father played football for “Bear” Bryant at Kentucky and for Green Bay, stayed at a campground outside Atlanta in his camper trailer during the filming and was accessible to fans.
“Matthew McConaughey could not have been nicer,” Dave said. “He is very down to Earth with no Hollywood attitude at all. He was very helpful and we hit it off by talking about college football during breaks.
“Matthew Fox (who plays Red Dawson, the lone assistant coach still around from the tragic season before) was a little reserved and to himself but is a very good actor,” he continued. “David Strathairn (who plays school president Don Dedmon) was also very nice and wanted to know how Georgia was going to be (in football).”
Even while they were taking breaks, Mr. McConaughey continued to stay in an acting frame of mind and referred to Dave and the others by their names in the movie, Dave said.
On one occasion, the real Coach Lengyel came on the set, Dave said, while a top Warner Bros. executive showed up another time. When the latter arrived, Dave said he was with Mr. McConaughey and Dave told the lead actor that the executive was checking on his investment. A moment later, Mr. McConaughey greeted the official and, using Dave’s line, said, “You must be checking on your investment.”
I found the movie excellent and very moving. In fact, after Marshall came back in exciting fashion to win its first home game since the crash at the climactic end of the movie, I felt like shouting “We Are Marshall” as I left the theater. At other times, some of scenes were so touching that they almost moved me to tears.
I also enjoyed looking for my old college buddy in all the scenes. It was a lot easier than finding Waldo.
Dave said he hopes to look for himself in future pictures. After making such an unusual film debut that in some respects mirrored Marshall’s unexpected success in being able to field a fairly competitive team of young players less than a year after the tragedy, he has decided to at least explore if other film opportunities might be available.
“I have met with some agents and am waiting for the release to follow up on things. A lot will depend on how well ‘We Are Marshall’ does,” he said.
Dave Williams, left, and Matthew McConaughey with Marshall team