OU football: Roy Williams joins radio crew

Roy Williams is joining the OU football radio broadcasts — he’ll co-host some of the pregame show and do some sideline analysis during games — and while you never know how someone will do, Williams has a chance to be very popular with the Sooner fans.

He’s already got the pedigree. In my opinion, Williams is OU’s best defensive player since Lee Roy Selmon, whose final Sooner season came 36 years ago. I generally rank Williams No. 3 on the all-time OU player list, and his 2001 season was as dominant of a season as any Sooner ever had. Williams ranks No. 2 on OU’s all-time passes deflected list (44) and No. 3 on OU’s career tackles list (287). That’s quite a combination.

So the fans remember Williams. And Williams has a charming personality. Again. Williams’ personality sort of got squashed in the NFL for reasons I don’t fully understand. But I moderated a Pros for Africa presentation back in the spring, in which Williams participated, and he was back to his old self from the early Bob Stoops days.

After nine years in the NFL, Williams has migrated more and more back to Oklahoma. He lives in Oklahoma City and seems settled on retirement from pro football, after nine seasons. Williams approached OU officials about helping out with the broadcasts, and they carved out this niche for him.