The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 04, 1998, Page Page 9, Image 9
Williams, M
Williams run- 0^^ m
with trophy W
college press EXCHANGE l|. ' I i |
He has the dreadlocks. He If/ jj j
has the tattoos and body pierc- B* 1J 1 JSvgij
ings that scream, "Notice me!" W Wm MB
But it still freaks Ricky K
Williams out when he thinks I
about the kid in San Diego, I
Calif., who had a Texas jersey
on. Not just any Texas jersey, H
but his jersey. H
Whether he likes it or not,
Williams is being noticed. Loads H|
of talent, big numbers and a
Rodmonian persona do that for ^
"He was just flabbergasted
they knew who he was," said jM
John Bianco, UT sports infor- , Wm JP
mation director for football.
Then, he flabbergasted
the fans of Longhorn football jP
and much of the college football *SflNpjir
world when he announced his
intentions for the 1998 season.
This was the guy who led the
nation in rushing and scoring ^ . amf ^
tt ^ attempts for 1,634
as a junior. Here was the guy . ' .
iLju . . , ?-7 averagmg a nation-l
who had been projected as a topfive
NFL draft pick, sitting before the bright posing
lights and the sea of microphones. run o1
When he talked, no one paid attention to get is
the silver post and stud in his tongue, or the ded b)
since-healed piercing of his left nostril, or when
the dagger tattooed on his chest, or the Mighty see is:
Mouse inked on his shoulder. Tt
He spoke quietly and sincerely in a long, happj
drawn-out route that led the listeners to be- have <
lieve at first he was leaving, then staying, then recorc
leaving, until finally uttering,"... and that's degrei
why Fll be back for..." TT
He finished the sentence, but you'd have to be:
to be a hp-reader to know what he said, what come
with everyone cheering and clapping. guy w
But beneath the dreadlocks and behind the neede
shield he wears on his face mask, underneath 1,928,
the No. 34 jersey he wears, there's Ricky who w
Williams. The Williams who rushed for to put
1,893 yards on 279 carries last season for a T1
6.8-yard average. 248 y
The Williams who slept with his favorite victor
helmet in high school and would do the same moth(
with his UT helmet if the equipment man would copy c
111' rm TTT'11 * 1 1 if TT
lei mm. i ne w imams wno passed on millions n<
for one last year of college ball. the fr
What you see is a Bob Marley fan who stud- near t
ies Rastafarianism. What you get is a kid who W
doesn't even drink. What you see is an im- get.
I itt-a
I Rictewith us \
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>
cNown sett
* is runr
wayintc
And ma
York's I
SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK where t.
Is the nation in rushing with 264 ,,, y
yards and 24 touchdowns. He is 0 aL,A
5est 204.25 yards per game. maac ,
Mel
16-foot-l, 220-pounder who'd just as soon Heisma
yer someone as around him. What you Willian
a high school linebacker who was kid- Couch a
r his teammates for sounding like a mouse tral Flo
calling the defensive signals. What you ' "It i
a't necessarily what you get. the ear]
us is the college football player who is to be mi
' he returned for his last year, eager to in the ?
i shot at Tony Dorsett's NCAA rushing But,
I, and another year at college life and a trophies
e. alent of
lis is Williams, who doesn't just want the fielc
remembered as another great player to he's in s
through Texas, but the best ever. A "He
rho knows exactly how many yards he veloped
id to catch Dorsett ("I think it's about UCLA c
he said at his press conference). A guy is drive:
rants to bring a Heisman Trophy to Texas UCI
i next to Earl Campbell's. year is
lis is the guy who, after running for onship
ards and five touchdowns in a narrow in West
y over Rice, went home, took over his McJ
ir's big-screen television and watched a 168.6 n<
if the tape. the best
3 played it over and over. He didn't watch 12th hij
/e touchdowns. He watched his fumble But
he goal line. ability 1
hat you see isn't necessarily what you A 6aspirati
MM Game
o and from the game
in/>.li brm/ided
4 11 VSI | |TI Vf 1V?VV|
irticipate/ you must*
a USC T-Shirt
on campus
spaces available!!
>1 to reserve your spot!
I
ECEMBER GRADUATE
JfvV ^Masters canc
FauHAi^ ^ree ^ooc' w't
I W announcement
gown order.
"fl BaHbar
IImiir zzzsz
lliUUl 'T>, <?. " ?
\| ?--lnt'IMI
ir Quality j )
ternative ''
*
3 battle for
iple things I 4
r? /? n HI:
fice for jh p
LA QB
ferLEW LOCKWOOD
s the other great quar- MjPw P \ y
inthePac-10.
s not the one who was RHHa
sprnnrl nvprall hv San R ^lil
The one who's one of F . *' ,4
lest-paid rookies in the K,
e McNown is the other Vy
's the junior who has destick
around for his se- f Jy *
tson at UCLA. The red- *
Steve Young-play-alike
nts to be the first quarcrosstown
series to go 4- |9L jmtm
st Southern California. I
lollars this fall. McNown
> the school record books.
1 11 .1 1 XT
tybe all the way to New
Jowntown Athletic Club,
hey pause every Decemresent
a cherished piece UCLA quarterback 5
j/urp lrnnwn nc tho Ttpie- ... ...
? wln me tlelsman nt
?Phy- game winning streak
^own is regarded as a
n favorite, along with running back Ricky ball
is of Texas, Kentucky quarterback Tim him
nd quarterback Daunte Culpepper of Cen- and
rida. I
s absolutely flattering," McNown said of Holl
iy Heisman talk. "I'm proud and honored (
sntioned as one of the top football players heat
ountry." Nov
, enough of that. McNown doesn't live for to hi
3. He lives to play. He is the football equiv- of C
' a gym rat. The guy you have to chase off
1 every day. When he isn't busy practicing, not I
some coach's office studying tape. and
knows the offense like a coach and has de- colle
[ a comfort level with our system," said 1
:oach Bob Toledo. "But, above all else, he pro.
n to succeed." "I've
A is having one of its best years and this can'
UCLA's best shot at a national champi- mor
season since Troy Aikman's senior year 1
wood in 1988. han
down's statistical quarterback rating of '
3t only led national passers in 1997, it was to oi
; figure ever recorded in the Pac-10 and the a Le
gfhest in NCAA history. gue:
it is not just his ability to throw. It is his 1
;o make plays. Nov
foot-1, 215-pounder with definite NFL ty p
ions, McNown is sort of a throwback foot- it ta
IflMOE LI
Friday, Nov. 6th - Saturday,
Large Groups
Mens & Ladies Hikinj
Mens, Ladies, and Yo
Ski Goggles & Gloves
Backpacks and Sleep
Ski Jackets and Vest
Rain and Wind Jackel
Long Sleeve T-sl
Ladies Silk & Ar
Ladies Sweat To
Polartec Fleece
IMIJCH- h
J DWW
I WEDNESDAY
" NOV 18
""-""""I DOORS 6:30*SHOW 7:30 P
THEIR ${/]? ARE AS HARt
Heisman
pH E^> > P
mml *" ih Jjf^L
mk yH
SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK
ide McNown is one of the favorites to
:xt month. He has his Bruins on a 17;
and ranked No. 3 in the AP polL
player. Norman Rockwell would have loved
, with his close-cropped haircut, his freckles
his easy smile. No earrings or tattoos for him.
STo, nobody ever will accuse this kid of going
ywood.
kio lool aiiorfnr* kroolr urkilo frinn^c urnro
_/ii iuo iaot vjuai tui ui^cuv, ?* xmt 11 igiiuo
ling for the beach or the desert to party, Morn
went home to West Linn, Ore., and talked
is old high school on behalf of the Fellowship
hristian Athletes.
It was no big deal," he said. "I just talked about
being ashamed of your faith, staying in school
gave them some idea of what it's like to go to
99
-ge.
[Jnlike Leaf, McNown is in no hurry to turn
"UCLA has been a great time for me," he said.
i grown up a lot. There are a lot of things you
t learn unless you come to L.A. I think I got
e of a sense of the world here."
Besides, you can go to Dodgers or Lakers games,
g out in clubs, take in all the sights. Right?
'Not really," McNown said. "I think I've been
re Dodgers game and haven't even made it to
ikers game the whole time I've been here. I
3S I'm funny that way."
[Jnlike some of his Generation-X friends, Mean's
tastes are more simple. A football, an empractice
field and a few spare hours. That's all
kes to keep him happy.
? \ 7 V ' CI Corner of
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ips or Bottoms $4.00
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