Post by MGB01 on Feb 20, 2006 0:05:22 GMT -5
DeAngelo Williams is stressed out. The former Memphis tailback isn't fazed by working against some of the nation's top college defenders under the scrutiny of scouts, coaches and executives at the Senior Bowl.
But he had to buy 60 tickets to the Jan. 28 game for family and friends.
"I just spent $330 on tickets," Williams grumbled, shaking his head.
The man who led the nation in rushing in 2005 didn't have too many other complaints about the weeklong audition though, making an impression for both his running and his ability to charm and get along with his teammates.
It's not just about business for Williams, drafted third overall by the Pittsburgh Ironmen last week in the XFL Draft.
"I still have a passion burning inside me to play football," he said. "Right now I play for passion, not for a paycheck.
"It's supposed to be fun and once it stops being fun, I don't want to play anymore."
The XFL will have the nation's top two rushers in its ranks in 2006, with Williams and Washington State rusher Jerome Harrison, who the dending champion Las Vegas Outlaws drafted at the end of the third round.
The Kansas City Monarchs made USC running back LenDale White the number one overall pick. White's teammate at USC and backfield mate Reggie Bush will be the top pick in the NFL Draft on April 29. The Trojans' terrific twosome often outshined the nation's top twosome during the season, but if Harrison and Williams were overshadowed, they don't seem too perturbed.
"People fall for the hype," Harrison said. "A lot of these people on the East Coast, they're usually sleeping when I'm playing."
But, he adds, "I'm self-motivated. All that other stuff doesn't bother me. It's politics."
Williams points out that the nation's media is fickle, focusing on Bush entering the Rose Bowl and Texas quarterback Vince Young after he led his team to victory and the national title.
Both Williams and Harrison have packed their résumés with impressive credentials. They were two of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award given to the nation's top running back. Bush won the award.
Harrison ran for 1,996 yards as a senior, more than double his previous season's numbers after transferring from junior college.
Williams was a three-time Conference USA offensive player of the year whose 6,026 career yards rushing ranks fourth all-time in Division I-A.
His 238 yards rushing in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit pushed him past Harrison to finish atop the season rushing charts. It also was his 34th career 100-yard game to break a tie with former Heisman Trophy winners Archie Griffin and Tony Dorsett for the NCAA record.
Harrison, a Michigan native, saw it in person -- with tickets compliments of Williams.
"He's probably one of the reasons I performed the way I did in the Motor City Bowl," Williams said. "Before the game I saw him in the stands and he waved at me. He's a great running back and to be able to perform well in front of him and getting his approval was fantastic."
Williams got an early -- but not unexpected -- potential setback Jan. 23 when XFL teams found out he's only 5-foot-8 at the weigh-in. That's two inches shorter than his listed height at Memphis.
The 215-pounder brushes off that number like a would-be tackler, saying "size isn't anything." Williams has tried to go about proving that in practices.
"I've just been myself since I've been here," he said. "I've done what I've done the last four years at Memphis, and that's play football.
"I don't know if I've impressed anybody since I've been here, but I've had fun."
Williams has earned a new admirer in new Pittsburgh Ironmen head coach Tom Moore. Moore praised him as "a good chemistry player" who has befriended his teammates easily. He was high on Williams' running ability, too.
"He's got great balance, he's got great vision," Williams said. "The sign of a good back is his ability when he sees a hole he can make the cut and not stumble through it.
"A running back that runs like a low-profile race car is what you're looking for, and that's what he runs like."
Had Williams come out after his junior season, the Memphis Maniax were ready to make him the number one overall pick, but that didn't happen. Instead the Maniax took Eric Shelton of Louisville and Shelton ended up leading the league in rushing, this while missing the Maniax' 2005 opener in Detroit with a knee injury.
That may create an interesting opener in Pittsburgh May 28 as the Maniax come to the Steel City.
Ironmen fans--in need of something to cheer about after going 10-28 the last three seasons--4-8 in each of the last two, will get their first look at Williams on May 6 as the Orlando Rage visit Pittsburgh in the team's preseason opener.
No showdown between Williams and Harrison, or LenDale White for that matter, is on the docket for this year however. The Ironmen's south opponents are Memphis and Birmingham, and face Los Angeles and San Francisco from the west.
"When I came to Memphis we weren't a very good team, now we're going to bowl games every year. I can't wait to help the Ironmen start winning."
But he had to buy 60 tickets to the Jan. 28 game for family and friends.
"I just spent $330 on tickets," Williams grumbled, shaking his head.
The man who led the nation in rushing in 2005 didn't have too many other complaints about the weeklong audition though, making an impression for both his running and his ability to charm and get along with his teammates.
It's not just about business for Williams, drafted third overall by the Pittsburgh Ironmen last week in the XFL Draft.
"I still have a passion burning inside me to play football," he said. "Right now I play for passion, not for a paycheck.
"It's supposed to be fun and once it stops being fun, I don't want to play anymore."
The XFL will have the nation's top two rushers in its ranks in 2006, with Williams and Washington State rusher Jerome Harrison, who the dending champion Las Vegas Outlaws drafted at the end of the third round.
The Kansas City Monarchs made USC running back LenDale White the number one overall pick. White's teammate at USC and backfield mate Reggie Bush will be the top pick in the NFL Draft on April 29. The Trojans' terrific twosome often outshined the nation's top twosome during the season, but if Harrison and Williams were overshadowed, they don't seem too perturbed.
"People fall for the hype," Harrison said. "A lot of these people on the East Coast, they're usually sleeping when I'm playing."
But, he adds, "I'm self-motivated. All that other stuff doesn't bother me. It's politics."
Williams points out that the nation's media is fickle, focusing on Bush entering the Rose Bowl and Texas quarterback Vince Young after he led his team to victory and the national title.
Both Williams and Harrison have packed their résumés with impressive credentials. They were two of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award given to the nation's top running back. Bush won the award.
Harrison ran for 1,996 yards as a senior, more than double his previous season's numbers after transferring from junior college.
Williams was a three-time Conference USA offensive player of the year whose 6,026 career yards rushing ranks fourth all-time in Division I-A.
His 238 yards rushing in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit pushed him past Harrison to finish atop the season rushing charts. It also was his 34th career 100-yard game to break a tie with former Heisman Trophy winners Archie Griffin and Tony Dorsett for the NCAA record.
Harrison, a Michigan native, saw it in person -- with tickets compliments of Williams.
"He's probably one of the reasons I performed the way I did in the Motor City Bowl," Williams said. "Before the game I saw him in the stands and he waved at me. He's a great running back and to be able to perform well in front of him and getting his approval was fantastic."
Williams got an early -- but not unexpected -- potential setback Jan. 23 when XFL teams found out he's only 5-foot-8 at the weigh-in. That's two inches shorter than his listed height at Memphis.
The 215-pounder brushes off that number like a would-be tackler, saying "size isn't anything." Williams has tried to go about proving that in practices.
"I've just been myself since I've been here," he said. "I've done what I've done the last four years at Memphis, and that's play football.
"I don't know if I've impressed anybody since I've been here, but I've had fun."
Williams has earned a new admirer in new Pittsburgh Ironmen head coach Tom Moore. Moore praised him as "a good chemistry player" who has befriended his teammates easily. He was high on Williams' running ability, too.
"He's got great balance, he's got great vision," Williams said. "The sign of a good back is his ability when he sees a hole he can make the cut and not stumble through it.
"A running back that runs like a low-profile race car is what you're looking for, and that's what he runs like."
Had Williams come out after his junior season, the Memphis Maniax were ready to make him the number one overall pick, but that didn't happen. Instead the Maniax took Eric Shelton of Louisville and Shelton ended up leading the league in rushing, this while missing the Maniax' 2005 opener in Detroit with a knee injury.
That may create an interesting opener in Pittsburgh May 28 as the Maniax come to the Steel City.
Ironmen fans--in need of something to cheer about after going 10-28 the last three seasons--4-8 in each of the last two, will get their first look at Williams on May 6 as the Orlando Rage visit Pittsburgh in the team's preseason opener.
No showdown between Williams and Harrison, or LenDale White for that matter, is on the docket for this year however. The Ironmen's south opponents are Memphis and Birmingham, and face Los Angeles and San Francisco from the west.
"When I came to Memphis we weren't a very good team, now we're going to bowl games every year. I can't wait to help the Ironmen start winning."