William Holmes’ unlikely path to Utah State Football
Utah State outside linebacker William Holmes isn’t supposed to be here, at least not in the conventional sense.
On Sept. 13 at Maverik Stadium, in just his 12th career game of organized football, the 24-year-old sophomore piled up a career-high 13 tackles and a fumble recovery in the Aggies’ 49-30 win against Air Force.
For a player who never played Pop Warner, never suited up in high school and spent the first half of his 20s grinding on minor league baseball fields, the breakout marked another step in one of college football’s most unusual journeys.
Holmes’ story begins in Detroit, where his mother made sure he and his brother Jaren stayed on courts and fields as often as possible. Jaren is now playing professional basketball in Great Britain, while William cycled through multiple sports before committing to baseball full-time as a teenager.
“That’s all my mother did — just have us in sports,” Holmes said. “Me and my brother both played. He was the one who played football when he was little, and I was always with baseball, basketball. Then when I started discovering baseball, I completely dropped basketball and just focused up. I can remember I was always on a baseball field just playing sports all day, day and night.”
That commitment paid off quickly. By around the age of 15, Holmes was working with trainer Joe Neal at 2SP Sports Performance, a facility based outside Detroit. Neal said their relationship started rocky.
“I don’t think he was super bought in,” Neal said. “He was long, lean and lanky. He had some muscle, the frame and the general ability to jump out of a silo and just the makeup and the pedigree was there. We had a meeting with him and his family, and I was like, ‘Look, man, I am on board with what you got going on, but you got to put in more work.’ To his credit, he did.”
Holmes’ natural tools stood out to Neal immediately, who has worked with some of the most prolific athletes across the country.
“I’ve trained hundreds of athletes, from MLB All-Stars to professional hockey players to NBA guys,” Neal said. “Will is top three in athletic ability of anyone I’ve ever trained. He could play any sport he wanted.”
In 2018, Holmes was drafted straight out of high school in the fifth round by the Los Angeles Angels. He signed for a reported $700,000 bonus as a two-way prospect, capable of pitching and playing the outfield.
His fastball touched 95–96 mph, a weapon that placed him among the hardest throwers in his class. He reported to the Arizona rookie league, later appearing with the Orem Owlz and Inland Empire 66ers.
Holmes called baseball “a gift,” but the grind was difficult. He admitted mentally, the sport wore him down.
“I never had any physical struggles,” he said. “The power of the mind in baseball is so strong. I never struggled in baseball until 2020, and I didn’t know how to handle it. That’s why things had to come to an end. You live and you learn, and now I try to take real good care of my mind.”
Neal believes the Angels organization moved on too quickly.
“I felt like they didn’t give him the time of day,” he said. “He was throwing mid-to-high 90s, freakishly athletic, but development in pro baseball can be brutal. It happens even to first-rounders. With Will, the ability was there, but the timing and support weren’t.”
By July 2023, Holmes retired. He returned to Detroit, spending time traveling with his mom and watching football on TV. After years of seasons that stretched from spring training through August, followed by short winters filled with workouts, he finally had free time.
Within months, he called a contact he knew from his baseball spring training days in Arizona —someone who had connections at Utah State. The conversation was brief. Holmes said he wanted to play football. Days later, he was invited to walk on in Logan.
His first practice was jarring.
“My first time playing organized football was spring 2024,” Holmes said. “I got pancaked with no pads. It was a frustrating day. I called my mom afterward. But I stuck with it. We got better and better every day.”
The learning curve was steep. Holmes admitted frustration often got the better of him, and he considered transferring. He even briefly entered the portal, weighing a move to Arkansas State with a former assistant coach, but ultimately stayed.
“I was just looking for an opportunity,” Holmes said. “Coach [Derrick Nsubuga] gave me an opportunity, and I just ran with it. I love the culture we have now. I ended up sticking it out here, and it was a good choice.”
Photos courtesy of USU Athletics William Holmes celebrates after recovering a fumble against Air Force on Sept. 13
Utah State linebackers coach Jan Jorgensen had heard of Holmes before meeting him in person earlier this year.
“When we first got here, we kept hearing about a guy who just barely started playing — was really raw but really athletic,” Jorgensen said. “We watched film of the few snaps he played in 2024 and thought, ‘Dang, he doesn’t look like someone who hasn’t played before.’ He didn’t look out of place at all. So that was pretty impressive.”
Still, Jorgensen emphasizes Holmes is at the beginning.
“He’s an infant in football terms,” Jorgensen said. “The game takes years of experience. It reminds me of Ziggy Ansah at BYU. Ziggy didn’t play much until his senior year, but he was so athletic that he could do things anyway. Will is like that. His ceiling is very high, but he has a lot to learn.”
According to Holmes, his freshman season was uneven but encouraging. He gained around 10–12 pounds, began to grasp the football terminology and, by late fall, earned meaningful snaps.
Against Hawaii, he posted 1.5 sacks, which he said showed his disruptive potential.
“That’s when things got better,” Holmes said. “I was getting more comfortable, stronger, bigger. I felt like [the coaches] really cared about me and they wanted me to be here.”
Neal, who still trains Holmes each offseason, tailored his program for the transition. Baseball is a “traction” sport, where joints separate under repetitive throwing stress. Football requires “compression,” with joints braced for collision.
Neal loaded Holmes with squats, cleans, sled pushes and heavy overhead carries.
“At 245 pounds, running a 4.5 — that’s freakish,” Neal said. “The transition wasn’t as hard as it looks. He already had the traits. We just had to prepare his body for contact.”
Now in 2025, Holmes has grown into a full-time starter. The Aggies’ new defensive scheme under Bronco Mendenhall is more complicated, but Holmes has embraced extra film sessions, often starting his days before sunrise.
“I still get anxiety sometimes,” Holmes admitted. “I hate letting people down. But I’ve gotten more comfortable, and I feel good leading by example.”
His leadership is quiet but steady. Teammates point to Holmes for advice on taking care of their bodies.
“Your body is your money,” Holmes said. “I tell the younger guys to eat right, sleep, take care of themselves. I had to learn that myself. Now I try to help them.”
Jorgensen values that presence.
“He never gets too high or too low,” Jorgensen said. “He’s steady, and that’s important in a young locker room.”
The Air Force game was a breakthrough. Holmes flew from sideline to sideline against the option, producing his best tackling performance and creating a turnover for the first time in his career.
“That week was important for him,” Jorgensen said. “He finally started reacting instead of thinking. Hopefully, it gives him confidence.”
Neal sees more to come.
“Will has only two years of football knowledge compared to most guys’ 15,” Neal said. “If he’s doing this now, give him another year. I could see him being an NFL player. His ceiling is as high as he wants it to be.”
Holmes sets ambitious goals: a Mountain West championship with Utah State and ultimately, the chance to be drafted in two sports.
“That would be the ultimate story,” he said. “For now, I just want to make the most of every snap and enjoy it with my teammates.”
Through all the ups and downs of a dynamic athlete rarely seen at the college level, Holmes has already succeeded in two careers. Now, as the Aggies’ season unfolds, Holmes is proving late bloomers can still rewrite their stories, one tackle at a time.