Every football team craves leaders-some set the tone in practice, others look out for their teammates off the field, still others lead by example on it.

Worrell Williams does all of the above.

A Bear since 2004, the Cal senior linebacker has had ample time and opportunity to accumulate stories that speak directly to his own leadership. And in this, his final season, evidence that proves how complete of a leader he truly is accumulates quickly.

In practice, he establishes his team's competitive edge on a daily basis. No day speaks to that more than Tuesday, Sept. 17. The first day of practice following a loss to Maryland, Williams used one perfectly crushing hit on running back Peter Geurts to send a not-so-subtle message to his team that a "live week" of practice was exactly that.

Away from the field, Williams sends messages to teammates in more conventional ways-by phone. In fact, over the summer, sophomore cornerback Darian Hagan called Williams and reached out to the Bears' veteran for guidance, asking his elder defender to make sure he stayed on a straight and narrow path of progress. Hagan, in turn, listened-he has gone on to start every game this year.

And on the field, Williams leads by example, as his statistics speak for themselves: 33 games started, with 230 total tackles and 20 for a loss.

Though his credentials are comprehensive, they are by no means unrivaled. In fact, for the majority of his career, Williams has been flanked by fellow leaders in the form of seniors Anthony Felder and Zack Follett.

Over the course of their careers, the trio has amassed 677 tackles and this season in particular, been counted on as the emotional foundation of the team. And over that time, they've forged their own foundation.

"I can call (Zack and Anthony) any time," Williams says. "Zack always has us over playing video games, chilling at his house. Tony is laid-back, quiet … (But) I could honestly call those guys for anything, and they'll be there at the drop of a dime. I love those guys. They're my best friends."

Close knit and accomplished, one must wonder whether this year's group of "best friends" is better than the recent linebacking units that have passed through Berkeley. Two years ago, Williams started alongside future NFL players Desmond Bishop and Mickey Pimentel. Now, he starts next to two potential picks in Follett and Felder.

Who better to settle the debate than the one person who played with both?

"I think our 'backer corps this year is much better than that one," Williams replies quickly.

His justification to the claim, however, isn't exactly what you might think. Is it Follett's killer instinct? Felder's swift playmaking? His own stoic leadership?

According to the deferential Williams, the answer is none of the above.

"The fact that we have (linebackers coach Kenwick) Thompson," he explains as evidence. "He really has developed us into young men. Taught us how to play this game of football just the same way you would play the game of life. Play as hard as you can and give it your all. He's got our technique right, got our mindset right. He's developed real leaders.

"So, yeah, I think we're a better corps than that corps."

Ironically, though Williams willingly anoints Cal's current bunch of backers to be better than their predecessors, he does so in spite of himself. After all, according to his harshest critic, this year has not been among his best from a playmaking standpoint.

"Personally, I don't think I made as many plays this year as I did last year," Williams says of himself. "Sure, I made some pretty good plays this year, but I feel like I was more involved last year just with making plays. Regardless of whether it's because the defense, my thing is just because you're not having the season you want, don't stop motivating other people to do their best."

And with that acknowledgement, Williams crystallizes his own instincts as a leader. Even though he may not be up to his own standards on the field, he never stops pushing others, never backs away from a leading role.

"That's something I've been challenging myself to do," he continues. "And I think I've been doing a good job of it. Keeping everybody in tune, motivated. Keep the defense alive. I definitely take a lot of pride in that.

"I want to be a perfect leader for our team. Whatever I have to do to continue to do that, that's what I'll do."

Whether or not any player can be that "perfect leader" is up for debate. But when it comes to Cal, it's evident they've found something close in a senior linebacker who leads in more ways than one.

From his first day to his last as a Bear, there's no doubting that Worrell Williams has done all of the above.

Tags: WORRELL WILLIAMS, CAL FOOTBALL