DJ Williams is used to grilling Gators.
After going 3-0 against UF during his Hurricane career, it wasn’t hard to find the theme for his annual Dyme Lyfe pep rally.
“We are going to have a full gator menu—gator tacos, gator Cuban sandwich, even gator Al Pastor-style,” he said. “The gator Cuban is going to knock peoples’ socks off.”
Williams will be hosting the Drain the Swamp Cookout on Sunday, August 18th, at J. Wakefield Brewery in Miami. The event will feature gator and non-gator dishes prepared by El Bearded Chef from the popular Hate Mondays restaurant.
“The pep rally is a lost art,” Williams said. “I remember in college, we used have pep rallies where you beat up the rival’s car with a baseball bat. That is the feeling we are going for.”
The event is part of Dyme Lyfe’s effort to combine Miami culture, Hurricanes football and fashion. Williams launched the brand six years ago and it is easy to spot the logo at any Hurricanes game.
A $30 ticket to the cookout brings a plate, a beer (the Drain The Swamp IPA) and a Dyme Lyfe turnover chain. Attendees will also have an opportunity to view and enter a raffle for a live Canes painting by Beau Bradbury. Williams and other Canes greats will be in attendance.
“We got some backlash for cooking Gators, but I’m not too worried about that,” he said. “I promise we won’t cook an elephant when we play Alabama.”
Williams still closely follows the program and maintains a steady dialogue with the teams’ senior trio of linebackers. He isn’t shy about sharing his opinion, whether it is in person or on social media.
“I need them to be physical and violent. When we played—win, lose or draw—you were going to have guys on the other sideline limping and asking for crutches. I’m not worried about the leadership part. What I want is guys pushing each other out the way to make a tackle. That’s the next level.”
Williams made a similar decision to return for his senior year and was able to boost his stock from possible second rounder to solid first round pick. But it was even more important for him to erase the bad feelings from the Fiesta Bowl loss. This year’s group is hoping for a similar redemption.
“Your legacy is 7-6. You owe it to yourself and the fanbase to do better than that. And it will help your draft stock at the same time. The NFL wants winners.”
Coach Diaz recently signed two LBs (Sam Brooks and Avery Huff ) who did not play the position most of their high school careers. Williams endorses that approach.
“I want guys who love to compete. Those are the guys who play multiple sports and multiple positions. I played my first year at RB because I got beat out at LB. When you have guys who are willing to play any position for the good of the team, that’s when you get championship ball."
Fans will get more than just great linebacker play when they go to a game at Hard Rock Stadium. Dyme Lyfe will be starting its “Tailgate Crashers” program, where Williams and other Canes alumni crash your tailgate, bring giveaways and play you one-on-one in your tailgate game of choice.
“What’s your food? What are your traditions? Every tailgate is different and we want to show that,” he said.
The weekly winners are entered into a Tailgate Veteran competition with the winner getting two bowl tickets. All of these promotions—the Drain the Swamp cookout, Tailgate Crashers—are part of Dyme Lyfe’s vision.
“We want to bring the community together through Canes football.”
Tickets to the Drain the Swamp Cookout (4-8 pm) are available here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/drain-...field-hate-mondays-tavern-tickets-65839274041
You can follow Dyme Lyfe on Twitter @Dyme_Lyfe and at instagram at
https://www.instagram.com/dymelyfe/.