Buckeye Running Back Antonio Williams Ready for More
Sitting behind two 1,000-yard rushers during his first two seasons, redshirt sophomore running back Antonio Williams’ path to prominence at Ohio State has not been the one he had imagined. Currently a third-string running back for the Buckeyes, the future of Williams’ playing time and touches this season still remains a mystery, especially after two years of being buried on the depth chart.
But no matter the path he now takes or what his current role on the team might be, Williams remains confident that his time to shine for the Buckeyes will come, and so will the carries.
“We talk about the brotherhood here, and the brotherhood is understanding who you are and what you are for this team,” Williams said. “And understanding that maybe I didn’t play as much so far, you have to sacrifice yourself a little bit, and that’s part of being a Buckeye. That’s what it is, and I did that. I’ve done that and I’ll continue to do that if I need to. But eventually, I think it’s going to work out for me.”
As a football player and as a competitor, this path has been frustrating for Williams. But at the same time, he knows that he has a role on this team. Rather than focusing on his number of carries, he has made strides to improve his game and emerge as a leader in the running back room.
“Things like speed and conditioning and strength levels, he’s becoming a much, much better football player. It’s great to see,” running backs coach Tony Alford said. “He’s one of the leaders in my room. He’s a great leader. Does a great job in recruiting. Just overall, he understands the culture of this program and what we’re trying to do. He’s doing a good job and I’m proud of him.”
With a goal to play in the NFL one day, Williams has worked hard and has remained focused on taking advantage of every opportunity given to him at Ohio State. He has also taken the strides to improve all aspects of his play by cutting 17 pounds since he arrived at OSU, and has continued to gain more confidence in himself each year.
“My previous two years I was more of a power guy and a lot of people knew that,” Williams said. “But I’ve lost weight every year and right now I’m moving pretty good, so I’d say I’m definitely more balanced, a lot more balanced this year and I’ve got a lot more speed.”
Entire artice:
https://theozone.net/2018/04/ohio-state-football-antonio-williams-ready/