Tide’s Williams thrives as freshman
Clemson’s Cain, Williams hope to make an impact
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Jonah Williams never got caught up in recruiting rankings. And he knew that his high school success assured him of nothing once he arrived at Alabama.
He doesn’t dwell on the praise. But there’s lots of it.
Outland Trophy winner Cam Robinson thinks Williams is better than he was as a freshman. Crimson Tide offensive line coach Mario Cristobal calls his young right tackle “the best I’ve seen.”
Williams, a 6-foot-5, 296-pound freshman from Folson, Calif., tries not to even consider the sentence “starting right tackle for the defending national champions.” But that’s what he has been all season and will be when the Tide plays No. 2 Clemson for another title Monday in Tampa, Fla.
“My friends, my parents, coaches, everyone was always — not putting me down or keeping me down, they’re very supportive of me — but it’s like, ‘You’re doing a really good job against this high schooler that’s going to go to technical school after this. You’re about to be going against (Alabama defensive end) Jon Allen and all these guys in practice and all the superstars and incredible D-lines in the SEC,’” Williams said recently.
“That was always the thing for me, is that, yeah, you’re doing well but there’s someone better.”
Like Robinson, Williams has started every game as a freshman. Both were five-star prospects, and now Robinson is a unanimous All-American and projected high first-round draft pick.
“He was probably better than me,” Robinson said. “I was just raw. I was just out there playing. I think he’s probably a little bit more focused and disciplined.”
Cristobal calls him the best tackle he’s been around, then backtracks just a bit to include Robinson. “Those two are the best that I’ve ever seen,” said Cristobal.
CLEMSON: Co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott walked over to receiver Deon Cain shortly before the Tigers left the locker room to face Ohio State with a smile and a simple message: “Welcome to the playoffs.”
It has been a long, fretful national title game journey for both Cain and Mike Williams, two of Clemson’s most dynamic receivers. Williams had to watch the 45-40 loss to Alabama last January from the sidelines, a frightening neck injury in the first quarter of the season-opener knocked him out for the year.
For Cain, it was his own mistake that cost him. He was sent home along with two other players — suspended for breaking team rules — two days before Clemson’s 37-17 win over Oklahoma in
the Orange Bowl. Cain also missed the national championship loss.
Now, both are back and eager to make an impact against No. 1 Alabama (14-0) on Monday night.
“They’re very excited,” teammate and fellow receiver Artavis Scott said. “Who wouldn’t be when you’re playing for a national title.”
OHIO STATE: Quarterback J.T. Barrett is returning for his final year of eligibility. Barrett broke school records for career touchdowns, but Ohio State’s passing game struggled against better defenses, including in the Fiesta Bowl rout.
Earlier Wednesday, linebacker Raekwon McMillan announced he would leave early for the NFL draft.
AUBURN: Defensive end Carl Lawson is leaving to enter the NFL draft, the fourth-year junior announced on Twitter Wednesday.
TEXAS: New head coach Tom Herman has hired former Ohio State offensive coordinator Tim Beck for the same position with the Longhorns.
CALIFORNIA: Wide receiver Chad Hansen will skip his senior season to enter the NFL draft. The former walk-on ranked third in the nation last season with 9.2 catches per game and fourth in yards receiving with 124.9 yards per game. He caught 92 passes for 1,249 yards and 11 touchdowns.