Clarence ‘Pooh Bear’ Williams, former Florida State fullback, dies in car wreck

Clarence ‘Pooh Bear’ Williams, a key player on the great Florida State teams of the early 1990s, has died in a car wreck, according to multiple reports, including the FSU Rivals site. He was 47.

Williams, who is from Crescent City, Florida, played briefly for the Buffalo Bills in the NFL after his college career.

As a freshman on the 1993 national championship team, he carried the ball 39 times for 266 yards (6.82 yards per carry) and 3 touchdowns. In 1995, after coming back from a knee injury, he rushed for 12 touchdowns despite seeing his average-per-carry drop to 2.8 yards.

Thanks to his lovable nickname and plump physique, Williams became a huge fan favorite, with chants of “Pooooh” filling Doak Campbell Stadium on many of his carries. But as his weight ballooned close to 300 pounds, he ended up leaving the team in 1997.

In recent years, Williams has coached at his alma mater, Crescent City High, before he joined the Palatka High staff as an assistant coach. The Palatka program reported the news and shared what Williams meant to the program.

It is with a heavy heart I inform the Panther community that we lost a fellow Panther today. Coach Pooh Bear Williams is a dear friend, mentor, and brother. Prayers to the family, the Crescent City community, and loved ones. Pooh Bear will be greatly missed.

— Palatka Panthers Football (@PalatkaPanthers) February 17, 2022

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.