When Gulf Coast Community College running back Albert Williams lines up against Hinds tonight he’ll see plenty of familiar faces on the other side of the field.

Six of Williams’ former Hinds AHS War Dawg teammates are suited up for the Eagles this season. The one Williams may see the most of all, ironically, is sophomore safety Austin Divinity, who was his teammate last year at Gulf Coast.

Gulf Coast coach Steve Campbell said he has no hard feelings toward Divinity and added that Williams is looking forward to seeing his old teammates.

“Austin just had a good opportunity to go back home. He’s a very talented kid and he’s become a big-play guy for them at safety,” Campbell said of the Vicksburg Post’s 2004 Area Player of the Year.

Williams has become an impact player for the No. 4 Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0 South Division), replacing last year’s leading rusher in former Warren Central standout Larry Warner, who is now playing at Southern Illinois. Through three games, Williams has rushed for 272 yards on 51 carries.

“Albert has been playing well for us,” Campbell said. “He is very quick and he has his own running style. He’s kind of a combination of Larry (Warner) and Dantrell (Savage). He runs hard and has good speed.”

Savage was the Bulldogs’ leading rusher in 2005 and started last year at Oklahoma State. He had a huge game, rushing for 192 yards as Gulf Coast beat Hinds at Renfroe Stadium two years ago.

This year Hinds enters with a 3-0 record but its wins, other than a 34-3 trouncing of Holmes in Raymond, have not been impressive. The combined record of Hinds’ first three opponents — Coahoma, Holmes and Northeast — is 0-9.

Gulf Coast, meanwhile, is coming off a stunning 24-17 win over then No. 1 Pearl River.

“We were able to control the clock and then our defense was able to put pressure on Pearl River’s quarterback,” Campbell said. “We created some turnovers. It was a big win, but we had a big win against them two years ago when we ended their 27-game winning streak and won the South Division.”

Williams played his part by leading the Bulldogs with 63 yards.

“He’s done a really good job for them and he makes it difficult to stop their run,” Hinds coach J. Mike Smith said of Williams. “He brings that blue collar work ethic which is something that Steve has done a good job of bringing to their program.

“Austin has pretty much told our guys that Gulf Coast is all business and that have left the Pearl River game behind them. We’re going to have to raise our game to a different level against Gulf Coast. It was no shock to me they beat Pearl River because they have a really good football team.”

Campbell says Smith has done a job raising the talent level back to where Hinds was in 2004 when they played PRCC for the state title.

“They have great athletes again. The linebackers, the defensive line and the secondary are all good. They have the best offensive line we’ve seen this year and they have the best running back in Anton Taylor that we’ve seen,” Campbell said.

Taylor, a Provine product, had three touchdowns in the Holmes win. Former Porters Chapel Academy star Chris Mixon leads the Hinds defense while defensive ends Dekores Branch of Vicksburg and Vincent McRaven of Warren Central have provided plenty of pass rush.