Can an unretired football player lead the Utes to a Pac-12 title
Since coming out of retirement, UTAH RB has been rock solid for a Ute squad that is 8-2 heading into today's game with Oregon.
By Rich Winter
A truly remarkable story taking place out west as the Utah Utes ready to tangle with Oregon in Pac-12 action today. Early in the season, UTAH senior RB, Joe Williams walked into coach Kyle Whittingham's office, summoned up his courage and told the coach he just couldn't do it anymore.
On that September day, Williams took the road non traveled and retired from the game. A senior season that started with 2 fumbles and just 75 yards and a banged up body took the steam out of the man that was in line to take over for departed Devotae Booker.
Done and done and Williams started looking towards life after football.
During Utah's 36-23 win against Arizona on Oct. 8, Armand Shyne, the leading rusher, tore an ACL. The Utes were suddenly down to a walk-on and a freshman they had planned to redshirt — that was it for the Utah rushing attack, and there was still more than half a season to play.
And then the prodding began....
A couple of former teammates called Williams to joke around. I hope you’re ready to run these gassers today, they said. It’s time for you to put those pads back on.
And then, after a phone call from RB's coach Dennis Erickson, Williams put the pads back on.
“Really, the reason that he came back was for the team, not for anything else,” Erickson said. “When we got in that pinch, when we got all those guys hurt — and still do — we reached out to him to see if he had any interest. When he did decide to come back, the players wanted him back. He'd been a very good teammate with all those guys, all the time he was here. He had to be mentally ready to do it, which he was.”
Prior to the retirement, Williams was just another guy.
Since coming out of his rocking chair, Williams has been among the best RB's in the country.
First two games - 75 yards, two fumbles and ZERO TD's.
Last four games - 864 yards, 8 TD's
What?
Williams came out of retirement and promptly dropped 172 yards and a TD on previously undefeated Washington. Then, he added 179 yards and a TD against Oregon State. The 23-year old simply erupted against UCLA with 332 yards and 4 TD's. Oh, and he added 181 yards and 2 TD's in a blowout win over Arizona State last week.
First snow of the season fell in Salt Lake City earlier this week and while temperatures are expected to be in the high 30's to low 40's up on the hill, expect Williams to bring a special kind of chill to the Wasatch Front.
In his four games since coming out of retirement, Williams has been Dalvin Cook in a Utes uniform. Expect more of the same today as he's averaging 216 yards on the ground over his last four.
Very quietly has this Utah team put together an 8-2 record. While it's a long shot, beat Oregon today, beat No. 10 Colorado in Boulder next week and the Utes will find themselves in the hunt.
Beat Washington in the Pac-12 championship game and suddenly, Williams and the Utes could find themselves knocking on heaven's door of the college football playoffs.
