Former Florida State fullback Clarence “Pooh Bear” Williams Jr. died in a car accident Thursday morning near his hometown of Crescent City, Fla.
The Palatka Daily News first reported his passing. He was 47.
Williams was a part of the Florida State program from 1993-96 and quickly grew into a fan favorite. He was a part of Seminoles teams that combined to go 43-5 with four ACC championships while claiming a consensus national championship in 1993. He missed the 1994 season after a knee injury and finished his college career with 472 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns on 109 carries in 31 appearances.
He would briefly play in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills in 1998.
Williams returned home to Crescent City, which is northwest of Daytona Beach, serving as head coach at Crescent City High for a time. He recently returned to coaching, working as defensive backs coach at Palatka High in 2021. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, he was set to take over as defensive coordinator.
Funeral arrangements are pending.