It's almost like old times for Quentin Williams and Donald Smith.

Williams is putting up Quentin Williams numbers. Smith is playing Donald Smith defense. The reunited Bethune-Cookman teammates are helping their new team, the Lubeck Cougars in Germany's GFL-2 league, put up Bethune-Cookman success – an 8-2 record after Sunday's 48-17 victory over the Troisdorf Jets.

Instead of "Hail Wildcats," it's "Hagel Wildkatzen" or "Hagel Pumas." (Thank Goodness for Google Translations.)

"It's like Déjà Vu, back to our last year at Bethune-Cookman," Smith said via Facebook Messenger. "Many people counted us out in 2015 just like people here counted Lubeck in GFL-2 this season.

Smith had been with Lubeck, located in a city 180 northwest of Berlin, for two seasons. Williams had stints with teams in Austria and Turkey – even winning a league MVP award – before moving to Germany and playing with the Hamburg Huskies in 2018, who tried to convert him to wide receiver. No wonder they went winless.

"My first two years here were a test of my character and my ability to lead, Smith said. "I chose to continue to return because I felt a sort of responsibility to help the Cougars get back to winning. With the addition of Q, it's just like before.  We made a promise to each other to lead each side of the ball all the way to a championship."

Williams has completed 61.9 percent of his passes for 1,901 yards and 18 touchdowns while rushing for 451 yards and 12 scores. He's had a pair of 300 yard games, including one against the Huskies where he threw a season-high four touchdowns.
"It just feels good to win," Williams said. "Last year was a tough, tough pill to swallow but, hey. I had to take one to the chin. I learned a lot from that winless season … what I took from it was to just work harder and control what I can control."

Smith, who leads the team in tackles, had his career day on July 13 with three picks in a 38-6 romp against Hannover.

"Just proof of Grind turning to Shine, all glory to God though," Smith said. "He put me in position to make plays and I did."

Both Williams and Smith admit that cultural differences abound, but appreciate and enjoy the experience of living abroad.

"The coolest thing about Germany to me is the fan interaction, to them we're no different than the players in the NFL," Smith said. "I realized how influential I am when a parent from a young boy came and told me how his six-year old son runs around the house saying "he's making tackles like Donald. Football is football so it's a blessing to be playing no matter what league."