NATCHEZ — At a practice earlier this season, Adams County Christian School quarterback Carlos Woods underthrew a deep route to wide receiver Shavarick Williams.

ACCS head coach David King spoke up.

“Carlos, I don’t want you to ever underthrow this guy,” King said. “This kid doesn’t know how fast he is, okay?”

It might have taken Williams a few weeks to learn about his full potential, but it didn’t take opponents long to realize Williams’ capabilities.

In the Rebels’ second game of the season, the newcomer from Block High School made an impact against Jackson Academy. With ACCS leading 14-7, Williams jumped a pass from his safety position and returned it to Jackson Academy’s 5-yard line to set up an eventual score en route to a 40-14 win.

Fast forward a month later and Williams is not only a ball-hawking safety, but he’s one of ACCS’ major offensive threats in the passing game. It’s somewhat surprising to Williams, he admitted.

“I will say my favorite thing is defense and hitting,” Williams said. “That other stuff is fun, but I’ve just always loved defense. At Block, that’s all I knew.”

Before he came to ACCS, Williams was playing strictly defense with the Bears while his brother Raymond Plummer handled most of the offensive duties at running back. After Plummer graduated last season, Williams transferred to ACCS where his good friend Chris Sikes transferred to a year ago. Because Williams and Sikes followed each other from Sicily Island to Block, Williams wanted to rejoin him at ACCS in 2015.

“We’ve been together ever since we were little,” Williams said. “I wanted to come at the same time, but the (Block) coaches didn’t want me to come.”

King was high on his abilities before he ever suited up, though.

“I saw his closing speed on a couple of drills we do,” King said. “He came from the safety spot to the line of scrimmage as quick as anybody I’ve coached.”

Williams has done it all for ACCS this season. So far he has a passing touchdown, receiving touchdown and a rushing touchdown to go along with his multiple interceptions.

King has a simple answer for Williams’ immediate success.

“Football is all about instincts, and you can coach these kids all day long, but some kids are instinctively better than others,” King said. “He’s one of those kids.”

At 7-0, Williams and the Rebels are one of the teams to beat in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools AAA. The Rebels meet another favorite Friday night, as they host (6-1) Cathedral High School.

Williams is ready to lay it on the line to ensure he and his teammates come out victorious in the cross-town matchup. For him, fighting for an undefeated season was unthinkable in previous situations.

“I’ve never been on an undefeated team before,” Williams said. “It feels good playing your heart out and winning games.”