Former South Carolina linebacker Debo Williams traded in his pads for a microphone last week, but the impact hit just as hard as any tackle he made in the SEC.
The 23-year-old, who recently launched his SpendHer Hotline app to help people connect across different walks of life, according to OutSports, pulled up at Palmyra High School and gave the Cougars something bigger than X’s and O’s: perspective.
Head coach Chris Pavone didn’t mince words about the effect Williams had. “Our football program is so appreciative of being able to have Debo Williams speak to them,” Pavone said. “His message on confidence, belief, and willpower while also talking about his life and football experiences through both the triumphs and setbacks, is something that our players needed to hear.”
Williams’ story runs deeper than highlight reels. He came up through South Carolina football, grinding through the highs of SEC Saturdays and the lows that come with injury setbacks. Now, he’s channeling that same resilience into tech, aiming to create a social network that connects real people with real answers instead of filtered timelines and empty scrolls.
For a Palmyra team trying to steady itself in the middle of a shaky season, according to Sports Illustrated, hearing about surviving adversity and leaning on belief couldn’t have come at a better time.
Because just days later, the Cougars showed exactly that.
According to Penn Live, after dropping two straight heartbreakers, Palmyra stormed into Frederick L. Gahres Stadium and outlasted Gettysburg in a 43-35 shootout.
Quarterback Roman Russek was locked in, throwing for 237 yards and two scores while also sneaking in a rushing touchdown. The offense piled up 494 total yards, with running back Travis McDannell adding 70 on the ground and sparking momentum with an 81-yard kickoff return.
Gettysburg actually jumped ahead early, but once Palmyra responded, they never let the Warriors back in front.
Even when Gettysburg punched late—closing the gap with two fourth-quarter touchdowns—the Cougars stayed composed, recovering an onside kick in the final minutes to ice the win.