https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/sep/04/qa-ex-washington-state-james-williams-talks-nfl-re/
Interesting comments about Leach and Dick erson
Interesting comments about Leach and Dick erson
James Williams interview, Spokesman
- Thread starter KingTrump
- Start date
Glad to see him and Leach are on goods terms. Contrary what media will says, Leach actually does care about his players and wants them to be successful. It just sad, dude is working out in a gym by himself in Lewiston and running sprints up a hill at his in-laws hoping he'll get a call to be on a practice squad.
He took on too much. You don't have to get engaged that young. You don't have to take on being a father that young. You don't have to find yourself with $1200 per month to pay for it all that young. It's a lot on your plate.
The worst thing that could happen has happened. He traded his senior year for a handful of snaps in a pre season game. Now what? No team, no practice, no coaching, no more game film, no more training facility, limited opportunity at best.
The worst thing that could happen has happened. He traded his senior year for a handful of snaps in a pre season game. Now what? No team, no practice, no coaching, no more game film, no more training facility, limited opportunity at best.
Anyone who advised him to leave early should be thrown in jail. Poor kid.
All he had to do was have another consistently great year and he probably would have gotten drafted by somebody.
In fact if he stayed for another season he would have probably passed Ruben Mayes for all purpose yards by a Running Back.
Mayes had 4024 yards from scrimmage. Williams had 2977 given that he had 1173 all purpose yards last year if he did the same thing this year splitting time with Borgi he would have ended with 4150.
What ED did was criminal. Criminal.
All he had to do was have another consistently great year and he probably would have gotten drafted by somebody.
In fact if he stayed for another season he would have probably passed Ruben Mayes for all purpose yards by a Running Back.
Mayes had 4024 yards from scrimmage. Williams had 2977 given that he had 1173 all purpose yards last year if he did the same thing this year splitting time with Borgi he would have ended with 4150.
What ED did was criminal. Criminal.
Just from football career standpoint, tell me why he would be drafted next year and make it versus this year?
1. Some of the weaknesses here, or that others may have brought to his attention, could be worked on and, as applicable, have the results displayed on senior game film:
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/james-williams?id=32195749-4c03-6341-6f6c-c94b1b156f32
2. Could improve that 40 time a few ticks. 5'9" is more workable at 4.5 than 4.58.
3. Could participate in senior showcases.
Not trying to BS you ... seemed that for the most part, he was what he was. But there were things he could work on and improve. This all is leaving aside him getting the degree, of course.
Because as an employer which is what the NFL is they prefer someone who finishes what they start.
He needed another year to improve his stock one way or another, and that was in his hands to control. The NFL told him to stay in college another year, as did Leach. Instead he listened to a well known, outspoken jackass in "ed" dick erson.
Passing off good advice doesn't look good for him when it comes to the draft or undrafted free agency.
He’d have his degree. That’s what is most important for a guy that is a marginal NFL prospect.
Agree, players both mentally and physically can continue to improve. We do know that as he stood now, the NFL wasn't interested.
No question but at same time we seem to making the assumption he comes back this fall he gets his degree or has the desire to get his degree .
It’s not like he was a true soph that only had two years of weight training etc. He had access to training , training table , film , etc if someone who was a senior in college .
Again we know the nfl isn’t interested. My guess is it is his 40 time and his lack of explosion. Not sure he becomes Travel Harris with another seven months and gets that explosion .
You don’t think a true senior in what many kids who don’t redshirt is at his physical peek? If that were the case rb’s should stay in school until they are 25.
I get he needed to improve his stock one way or another, but it is very likely he is what he is. Getting more reps in the same offense won’t get him more of a look. They have plenty of tape what he is capable of doing .
The comes the physical improvement . He had essentially 3.5 years of year around access to weights and speed and agility. There are times when the fact is a player is a good college player . Was it T Martin who ran a 4.8? Is that time going to be below 4.5 when he was going to finish ?
You really believe this despite Bledsoe Lear Rosie, Rian Long just to name a few didn’t finish what they started? Trust me if he was allowed to come out as a freshman and was Zeke Elliott they would draft him high.
There's something in the 18 to 24 year old male brain that somehow leads them to believe they are the exception to the norm. James obviously fell into that mindset.
Now he gets to learn the life lesson of choices and consequences. He seems like a good kid and has obviously overcome much adversity already in his life.
He will be fine as most 18 to 24 year olds eventually turn into 27 to 30 year olds. It just most likely his 'fine' won't be in the NFL.
And there's nothing wrong with that. As long as he finds a new place of being fine relatively soon thereafter.
Now he gets to learn the life lesson of choices and consequences. He seems like a good kid and has obviously overcome much adversity already in his life.
He will be fine as most 18 to 24 year olds eventually turn into 27 to 30 year olds. It just most likely his 'fine' won't be in the NFL.
And there's nothing wrong with that. As long as he finds a new place of being fine relatively soon thereafter.
Well, there is Nathan Patterson. He was the player that the Oakland A's organization signed after throwing in the upper 90's at ballpark fan speed gun displays. He only threw in the upper 80's in high school.
Come on. The NFL doesn't give 2 craps if a guy has his degree or exhausted his eligibility.
For the most part, I agree with your position that he likely had very little to gain from an NFL career perspective by coming back for his senior year. I still think he made a poor choice in leaving early given that he should have known that getting drafted was unlikely and now, given the fact that he isn't even on a practice squad at this point, it's obvious that he never really had a chance. He had his reasons and it's his right to make that choice, but he'll likely spend the rest of his life wishing that he had come back to play. He can never get back the experiences that he is missing out on this year and he'll know later in life that great experiences are as important, if not more important, than money......especially when that money isn't an NFL salary.
He does and he chose poorly.
If you're not a 1st rounder, who could potentially fall to the 2nd round, why are you even thinking about this??? Take out the insurance policy on your senior year and go play ball.
Bloody hell, you can't leave school early to chase a league minimum paycheck that might only last 1-3 years. Herm Edwards is 100% correct when he says the NFL is nothing more than a great start. Your 1-3 season NFL career will likely be there if you stay for your senior year or not.
If I were the president of WSU, ED would be barred from campus. Im not gonna allow shady business people on my campus.
That'll put a dent in season ticket holders.....
Oh that seems simple enough. Once could argues the four years he already spent on campus would have netted his degree or be a little further along.
Bigg's University? Is that a branch of Jerry Falwell's Liberty University. When you have a plaque in the men's room I will then "allow" you to call it your university. And quit playing make believe.
Look people make bad decisions all the time. Your girlfriends made bad decisions. For people with a good base they come back from those decisions. Anyone ever ask Phillip Bobo if he missed not coming back in 93 for his senior year or was he ready to move on with his life.
Williams seemed ready to move because he was getting married, he had a kid on the way, things one could argue are much more important than football.
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He took classes for three and a half years and is a semester worth of credits short. You are breaking out next level loan officer math to pat the kid on the back for a bad decision.
I don't understand how anyone reads this article and doesn't see two tragedies: first he didn't make it in the NFL and is begging for a shot making peanuts on a practice squad. It's always sad when a good person is confronted with the reality their best isn't good enough. The second and greater tragedy is that James has no plan B. His fiancee left her job in Lewiston, he has a young kid and another young mouth to feed. His options are limited going forward. Hopefully he is able to provide his family with a good life, but the odds are stacked against him.
Did he leave school after the football season was done? If so, that would mean he was on campus for 3.5 years, not 4.
And, is this really a hill you're wanting to die on?
Oh gawd....I am not patting him on the back. My loan officer math is right on. He had summer school in which he took classes. I am simply saying he had the time to get the work done and didn't. And there was no guarantee that he was going to.
Stop with the odds stacked against him. He lived in a frickin car for crying out loud. He tore his acl after he committed. He lived in a gang infested area in I believe Toledo. Those are the tough odds. From what I read his wife has family in Lewiston so they seem to have a support group.
A tragedy for me if he isn't around (dead) to slowing fix what has occurred. A tragedy for me is someone who is addicted to Opioids then spiral to another level of drug, cause that is what tragedy looks like to me.
And I read the SR article, and you know what stood out to me? His love for his son. That he knew 1200 dollars doesn't go a long way. And in college he wouldn't see his son grow up.
I am not patting him on the back. But I am not putting his life in a coffin either. I have seen people bounce back, even without the education.
Once could argues that since he was on the team for three and half years he needed more time to get his degree.
Or at least once could argues.
Pretty sure Ed already died on the Wulff hill. Ed's ghost is continuing to use his account.
Is he going to see his son grow up working construction?
Your opioid tangent is just weird.
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Yeah...I know it is weird to you. It is linear and I apologize. I simply see tragedy different than Etown and clearly you, and stated as such.
I have no idea what he will see his son growing up doing. And if he does see his son growing up doing construction, do you see something wrong with that?
Or one could argue....Just give me your email and I will have you set up in a go to meeting so you can correct my typing errors.
