BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Although Charles Williams only played two seasons of football during his time at Samford, he has left behind a legacy of selflessness, perseverance and determination that has been carried on for more than a decade.

Williams, a Birmingham native, played defensive back for the Bulldogs during the 2001 and 2002 seasons after redshirting his freshman year in the fall of 2000. Williams was poised to begin his redshirt junior season in the fall of 2003 when tragedy struck.

On the night of May 23, 2003, Williams was killed in a car accident in downtown Birmingham. According to an Associated Press report, Williams was the passenger in one of the four vehicles involved in the crash. 

Williams' death left a gaping hole both on the field and in the locker room.

Current Samford Linebackers Coach Ross Newton, a team captain in 2003, knew Williams as both a teammate and suitemate.

"He was one of the guys that the whole team respected, looked at how he worked, looked at how he played and looked at how he lived his life," Newton said. "He was a leader on the team."

To commemorate Williams, it was decided that no player would wear his No. 5 jersey over the course of the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

"No one was going to wear his jersey for two years because Charles would've worn it," Newton said.

In the fall of 2005, two seasons after his death, the first Charles Williams Memorial Jersey was awarded to a senior on the team who embodied the same qualities as the original No. 5.

"The idea was originated right after his passing," Newton said. "Charles was a great guy who cared about his teammates and loved to play the game. He was a good student and a high-character young man, who just embodied everything we want in a Samford student-athlete. The jersey was going to be given to a young man who was a lot like Charles, who had similar characteristics."

That fall, senior Ossie Buchannon was chosen to be the first recipient of the Charles Williams Memorial Jersey.  Since the inaugural jersey was awarded in 2005, 10 Bulldog football players have had the honor of sporting No. 5.

This season, members of the coaching staff awarded the jersey to senior defensive end Brinson Porter.

"It means a lot," Porter said. "I couldn't have asked for a better award." 

Newton, who recruited Porter out of the Wesleyan School in Peachtree Corners, Ga., sees many of the same qualities in Porter that he saw in Williams.

"Brinson has a lot of the same qualities as Charles," Newton said. "His leadership skills are very good, he's very unselfish. Charles put his teammates first a lot, and Brinson does that a whole lot as well. They both are team guys. They both love to play the game. They both took care of their responsibilities on and off the field, and that's part of this award."

Although he never met Williams, Porter and his teammates understand the stature of the jersey.

"None of the guys around now knew Charles, but they know what the number signifies," Porter said.  "The only thing I know from Charles is the guys that represented him in the past. And from what I can tell from them, he must have been a great guy."

As an underclassman on the team, Porter followed the leadership of Ryan Dudchock and Justin Shade, the 2012 and 2013 recipients of the No. 5 jersey.

"All the guys that have had the jersey in my time, they've been leaders in a lot of different aspects. You need to listen. You need to follow his suit. You can look to him for strength," Porter said.

Porter is aware of the heightened expectations associated with the No. 5 jersey, but he doesn't shy away from the added spotlight. Rather, he uses the extra attention as a source of accountability and motivation. 

"When you're a senior, you're going to have a lot of guys looking at you," Porter said. "When you're a senior and wearing No. 5, you're going to have a lot of the team following your lead, feeding off your energy. If I was going to take a short cut here, or not run a rep as hard as I normally would, it's in the back of my mind. It's helped me train myself to train harder, work harder and play harder."

Since being awarded the jersey, Porter has become more comfortable with offering vocal advice to his teammates. Whether it's at halftime, during the game or in practice, Porter doesn't hesitate to shout out words of guidance and encouragement to his fellow players.

"I can have confidence that when I talk, people are going to listen, that the words that come out of my mouth are going to be heard," Porter said. "It's reassurance that what I say needs to be said and can be appreciated."

Newton applauds Porter's strong work ethic and exceptional reliability, two traits that have contributed to his success as a team leader. 

"He's done a great job. Brinson comes to work every day. He leads. He talks to the team at the appropriate time. He understands what it's all about," Newton said.

Porter's accomplishments are quite remarkable considering that he began his collegiate football career as a walk-on back in the fall of 2011.  

"Brinson worked his way into a leader and a great player," Newton said. "He's someone who is going to be a great citizen, employer, businessman, whatever he decides to do, he's going to be good at it his whole life."

As the football season nears the midway point, Porter continues to set the tone for the rest of his team, just as the nine previous No. 5 recipients have.  While Porter cherishes his time as the current No. 5, he remains confident that Williams' legacy will be carried on by equally capable men for years to come.

"The guys before me have done a great job," Porter said.  "Hopefully, I can keep that standard. I have no doubt the next No. 5 will be just as good, if not a better leader, then what I'm able to be."