COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Hall of Fame and former Maryland Men's Basketball Head Coach Gary Williams spoke to the football team as part of the end-of-spring Champions Banquet on Tuesday night.

The team recognized its "champions" from the spring, rewarding those student-athletes that excelled both on and off the field through spring workouts.

Williams then addressed the team and talked about what it takes to be a champion.

"The toughest team wins most of the time," said Williams. "It's not the team that runs the best offense or the best defense, but the toughest team. And only you control how tough you are and how hard you work. You control your own success."

Head Football Coach DJ Durkin has stated numerous times that the "champions" have a responsibility to bring other guys on the team to their side and Williams echoed those same sentiments during his talk to the team.

"When other guys see you working hard, it becomes contagious," explained Williams. "Whatever you do individually as a player, it makes you better. But it also gives back to the team as a whole and when everyone buys into that philosophy, success follows." 

As Maryland Football is set to begin its summer workouts, Williams touched on what he's seen from teams that made them special. Having taken seven teams to the Sweet Sixteen, two to the Final Four and winning a National Championship in 2002, the team was aware that Williams has great insight on what makes a team special.

"The great teams really compete in practice and that's true in any sport," said Williams. "There are no days off. They have pride and care. They don't want anyone to beat them, EVER. I don't care if it's a summer pick-up game or in lifting weights, they compete and work their tails off to get better."

-Maryland-