Williams to get first start of year in Fiesta Bowl

By Jake Trotter

Published: December 28, 2007

So much so, the video game NCAA Football 08 rated Williams higher than any other Oklahoma defensive player.

But last summer, surgery for a stress fracture knocked Williams out of the defensive back rotation.

Until now.

Williams will get his first start of the year at free safety in the Fiesta Bowl against West Virginia in place of year-long starter Lendy Holmes, who is academically ineligible.

"It's very pleasing. I'm ready to show what I can do,” Williams said. "I haven't gotten as much playing time as I wanted to, but I feel like I have a chance to make a lot of great plays in this game.”

Last season, Williams was fourth on the team in tackles with 67 and among the Sooners' best defensive players.

He was the only defensive back to start in every one of the first 11 games.

But that's when injuries began slowing Williams' career.

Williams suffered a knee injury at Baylor and was forced to sit out against Oklahoma State.

Against Boise State in last year's Fiesta Bowl, Williams appeared in a reserve role.

Then in July, he had surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot.

By the time Williams recovered, Holmes had cemented himself as OU's new starting free safety.

"It's been a long season,” said Williams, who admitted he hadn't fully recovered until the third game of the year. "Constant work every day, out there fighting, trying to be seen, trying to get back on the field.”

That chance to get back on the field came when cornerback Reggie Smith broke his big toe in the Big 12 Championship against Missouri.

After the game, the Sooner coaches moved Holmes to cornerback before he became ineligible and inserted Williams into the starting lineup at free safety.

"You're comforted knowing he has experience playing,” defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "I'm happy for him. His spirit is up, he has great attention and he's excited to have a chance to play.”

Waiting for that chance, however, has been emotionally draining on Williams.

"It hasn't been an easy thing,” Williams said. "But if you want to play and want to succeed, you always have to have a positive attitude. This is what I signed up for, and sometimes you have to roll with the punches.

"I wanted to make sure, just in case I got to play, that I would be part of our team succeeding — I wanted our team to be just as good if I ever got a chance to play.”

To help him stay positive, Williams often confided in starting strong safety D.J. Wolfe, who understood Williams' plight.

Last year, Wolfe was benched from cornerback early in the season and rarely saw the field again until this year.

"This has been a good test of his character,” Wolfe said. "He's been in there every day, week in, week out, putting in the work to get better.

"I have a feeling he's going to have a big Fiesta Bowl.”

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