How another ‘undersized’ linebacker from Wake Forest got on NC State football’s radar

Two Wake County high school football powers matched up a week ago when Wake Forest traveled to Leesville Road. Their showdown lived up to the billing, providing a reminder not to take prep sports for granted.

In fact, if a burgeoning filmmaker had been seeking a “Friday Night Lights” atmosphere, this was the real thing — Triangle style. No casting calls necessary to stage extras as excited fans.

Those who took the non-conference game for granted missed varying minutes of the first quarter. They were caught in traffic backed up entering the parking lots until they made their way into the packed stadium.

“It was a great atmosphere,” said Zane Williams, Wake Forest’s senior linebacker committed to play at NC State. “The weather was perfect. The fans were great and the students turned out. I just wished the score wasn’t so close.”

The Cougars (4-1) needed double-overtime to beat Leesville Road, 34-28. Next up is Knightdale (1-4) in their Northern 4A Conference opener at 7 p.m. Friday at Wake Forest.

Williams, despite his youth, is an authority on the atmosphere of Friday Night Lights.

The genre is ingrained in his football soul, growing up the youngest of four brothers to play for the Cougars, a state power. He has been awash in the culture with or without reading H.J. Bissinger’s 1990 classic book that enlightened the movie and TV industries to join the fun with profits. A big-screen movie came out in 2004, starring Billy Bob Thornton, and a TV series (2006-11) followed.

“I’ve always wanted to play on a big stage like my brothers,” Williams said. “I had always dreamed about being in this position.”

As Williams’ high school career winds down, his family has already completed two rare cycles. The first was last year, when he was named the conference Defensive Player of the Year. All four brothers have been a conference player of the year. The second was accepting NC State’s offer to play college ball.

Here’s the updated lineup:

▪ Zane, Wake Forest High Class of 2024; NC State.

▪ Seth, Class of 2018, NC State.

▪ Blake, Class of 2013, Guilford College.

▪ Hunter, Class of 2011, Wake Forest University.

“Zane’s family has been great to our program,” said Wake Forest coach Reggie Lucas. “All of them have played linebacker and all of them have been outstanding. Zane is the heart and soul of our defense, and he brings it in practice and the weight room. He is an extension of his brothers.”

Living up to an older sibling is not always an easy road to navigate. Athleticism is diluted among some siblings and concentrated among others. When Zane’s two older brothers played, he was too young to appreciate the work they put in to achieve their success. But he was in middle school when Seth played.

“Ever since 7th and 8th grade, I put it in my mind that if I put in the work, I can do what my brothers have done,” Zane said. “My brothers have always been supportive, offering me advice on training and giving me confidence.”

The sibling dynamic is something Lucas keeps on his radar. He’s in his 15th year as Wake Forest’s head coach, but he was an assistant before he was promoted. In that length of time, he has seen several families cycle through his football teams or the school’s overall athletic program.

“Most of the kids want to play like their sibling regardless of their talent,” Lucas said. “If we see one of them is feeling pressure to live up to a sibling, we tell them, ‘You are your own person. You only have to be yourself to establish who you are.’”

Williams’ football talent and academics — 4.2 GPA — meant completing the cycle of four college football players was a moot point. The question was the level. Power 5 schools considered him undersized as a 5-foot-11, 220-pounder. His early offers were from Harvard, Colgate, Wingate, UNC-Pembroke and Lenoir-Rhyne. Nothing wrong with those schools, but Williams believed he could play in the ACC.

NC State coach Dave Doeren and defensive coordinator Tony Gibson agreed, but the intangibles they considered were beyond Zane’s family tree. He reminded them of Drake Thomas, another undersized linebacker who played at a high school in the town of Wake Forest, Heritage. Thomas (5-11, 228) starred for the Wolfpack and has made the Seattle Seahawks’ roster as a rookie undrafted free agent.

“The NC State coaches knew Zane had everything else in place, but they wanted to see him in camp,” Lucas said. “He had a great camp.”

College, though, is next year. Zane Williams is still basking in “Friday Night Lights.”