Growth (noun): the process of developing or maturing physically, mentally, or spiritually.

Despite being a redshirt senior, Head Coach Mike Leach called receiver Dom Williams one of the most improved players of the year because he’s gotten bigger and stronger. Williams’ 6-foot-2-inch, 200 pound frame is a far cry from where he began.

“Dominique was a small baby, he was probably not bigger than a shoe box,” his aunt Lynette Moton recalled. “We used to tease Dominique all the time because he was so little.”

Williams was raised in Pomona, California, by his grandparents Jennie and Allen Dodd amid what he called a corrupt law enforcement system. Williams credited his grandmother with keeping him out of trouble by committing to football and staying active in church when he was younger.

It was with a heavy heart that he learned of the death of Jennie Dodd on Oct. 4, 2015, as a result of chronic kidney disease.

One day before he conducted the proceedings for his grandmother’s funeral in Moton’s home on Oct. 11, Williams played a key role in what was perhaps the biggest upset of the Leach era at the time.

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“That was a long week for him and a hard week for him, and we weren’t sure if we were going to have him,” outside receivers coach Graham Harrell said. “He came out in the Oregon game and had a couple of early drops, then responded with a huge catch to tie up the game on the second-to-last play of regulation.”

His younger sister Dashayane Dodd, his godmother Clara Hudson, and his godsister Christina Norris were able to attend the Cougars’ 45-38, double-overtime victory in Eugene and be with Williams. Moton described Williams’ relationship with Dashayane as “more than close” and knew he would be in good spirits to see her.

“I do have my ups and downs still,” Williams said. “Some days I’m just like, ‘Why?’ and other days I’m like ‘Oh, it’s a blessing, she’s not tired anymore, she’s not hurting, she’s not in pain.’ Whenever I have a problem, I usually go to (senior linebacker) Jeremiah Allison because he lost his mom, too, a while back and it was hard for him.”

Saying that Williams has felt sorry for himself, though, would be untrue. He knows how to love and whom to love. Everyone wants to be around him because of his sweet spirit, Moton said, which has proven true during a season where losing a relative is a challenge that is not unique to Williams.

“A lot of guys (on the team) are going through tough times,” Harrell said. “Dom tries to go put an arm around them. Even though he’s the one that’s got to live through the tough times, he still goes and puts his arm around other guys. He’s there for other people. He just loves people.”

Spiritual growth has followed Williams over the past two months, as well. After beating UCLA in the Rose Bowl on Saturday, he was able to see family and friends from church that he’s stayed close with during this tumultuous period in his life.

“God’s my rock, my soul, my everything,” Williams said. “Every Sunday I talk to them, call them, have a little Bible study or something like that.”

Williams has heightened his focus in terms of improving his on-field play this season. Harrell said he has become one of the best route-runners he’s seen and that he is fun to coach because of how hard he works. His aunt isn’t surprised by that at all.

“He strives hard to achieve,” Moton said. “He’s always willing to help when he can. He’ll take a challenge or a task and he tries to be a perfectionist.”

Moton illustrated this by sharing an anecdote about how Williams turns almost anything into a competition – even something as seemingly random as cooking.

“We really enjoy when he comes home to visit with us, especially during the time my mother was living because everybody would fix different dishes, and it would be almost like a competition, who could make the best dish,” Moton said. “(His grandma) would kind of give him little pointers on ‘this is how you can make this dish better.’ But she did that to all the grandkids because everybody’s trying to get the secret recipe. All the dishes were basically the same, with the exception of one little ingredient.”

That competitive nature will come into play on the field at Martin Stadium for the last time in Williams’ career Saturday. His godparents, Clara and Joe Hudson, along with godsister Norris will be attending the game for senior night. While his grandmother can’t be there in person to show her support, he will be playing for her, and Williams knows she’ll be watching.

“One thing that coach (Leach) tells a lot of guys who are going through tough times is ‘You were lucky to know them for as long as you did, and do whatever you do in a way that would make (them) proud,'” Harrell said. “I think he’s kind of taken that and really responded well. It’s a tough situation for anyone to go through, but for him to continue to play as well as he has speaks volumes about him.”