If your football team has a problem letting wide receivers slip past your defense, then he’s the man to call.

Nate Williams has been occupying the free safety position for the University of Washington Huskies as a sophomore and he has already drawn attention as a possible defensive secondary player in the National Football League.

“Obviously I’d like to make the NFL on day, but I’ll focus on the rest of this year and two more,” Williams said.

Williams has been seeing more action this year as a starter.

“So the transition (from high school to college) is better,” said Williams, a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School in Burien.

Williams saw different and somewhat frequent action last year.

“I was in every game last year,” he said. “On third down on the nickel patch.”

So Williams served as a fifth defensive secondary player on passing downs, while the only start of his freshman season came in the Huskies’ finale at Hawaii.

This year he has started in every game, although two were at strong safety instead of free safety.

Even though Williams has enjoyed more playing time, the whole team has been frustrated by its 0-11 record going into this past Saturday’s 2008 finale at California.

The struggles led to the dismissal of Washington head coach Ty Willingham.

“I’m upset, just upset,” Williams said. “It’s just how do you turn this around? Obviously after the game we’ll all be upset a little bit. We have to try and take it to the next level.”

Williams has taken his game to a higher level. He led the team with 13 tackles in early season action against Brigham Young University. He also had 11 against Oregon State University in one of the two games he started at strong safety. Williams had nine against Stanford. He had a total of 68 - 34 solo and 34 assisted -- going into the California game.

But Williams’ goals involve better team play.

“I want to start winning,” he said. “It’s as simple as that.”