College Football Notebook
Texas' Williams touched by Doak Walker's passing
Posted: Friday October 02, 1998 06:04 PM
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Williams will dedicate his season to Walker by wearing a decal with his No. 37 on his helmet Saturday against Iowa State AP |
By Joe Rizzo, Sportsticker
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Doak Walker is gone, but
Ricky Williams is doing his best to honor the legend with whom
he shared a unique relationship.
Walker, the former Southern Methodist star who won the Heisman
Trophy in 1948, died Sunday at the age of 71. He was paralyzed
eight months earlier in a skiing accident and never recovered.
In 1997, Williams won the award in Walker's name, given to the
best running back in the country. The two met at the ESPN
College Football Awards night in December and again at the Doak
Walker Award ceremony January 20. That was the last time they
would see each other in person.
After Walker's accident, Williams remained in contact through
notes and faxes.
"I just wanted him to realize he was special to me and to let
him know my prayers and thoughts were with him," Williams said.
But Williams has done more than that, showing an admiration for
the history of the position which he now dominates. While Mark
McGwire and Sammy Sosa did not have the privilege of knowing
Babe Ruth or Roger Maris, Williams took advantage of the chance
to be touched by a legend.
While he was first honored by Walker, the Texas tailback has
turned the tables.
He has dedicated his season to Walker. He will wear a decal
with Walker's No. 37 on his helmet starting Saturday against
Iowa State. He will inspire many to open a book and find out
just who Walker was and how he turned football on its ear, first
in college in the late 1940s and as a professional in the
ensuing decade.
At Walker's funeral, announcer Vern Lundquist read this note from Williams:
"The news of the death of Doak Walker has
saddened me greatly. After being fortunate enough to receive
last year's Doak Walker Award, I was able to meet and get to
know Doak and see what a special person he was. He was
gracious, friendly and funny with me and I was honored to be
mentioned in the same breath as this wonderful man.
"I will be wearing Doak's number on my helmet in honor of him
this weekend and am dedicating my season to his memory. He will
forever be an inspiration to me. We will all miss you, Doak."
Williams has realized at a young age what many people never
understand in a lifetime. He respects and learns from those who
have come before him. It has helped build his character and
make him a likable individual -- and a tremendous football
player.
But Williams' admiration for the Walkers did not stop at Doak.
Skeeter Werner Walker was an athlete in her own right -- an
Olympic skier in the 1956 Winter Games.
"I really enjoyed spending time with Skeeter, too," Williams
said. "It was especially nice to talk to her because when I was
a little kid I dreamed of one day being an Olympian. We talked
for a long time about her experiences at the Olympics and what
it was like. She is a really great person. They were such a
great couple."
An improbable end to an incredible streak
Never did a six-hour bus ride go as fast as the one from
Oklahoma City to Prairie View, Texas last weekend. That is
because Prairie View finally put an end to its 80-game losing
streak -- by far the NCAA record -- with a 14-12 triumph over
Langston.
It came down to this: With 34 seconds left, quarterback Archie
Craft tried to run up the middle for a potential game-tying
two-point conversion. He fell short, but a huddle of officials
needed more than a pregnant pause to determine that, adding to
the drama.
When the Panthers finally received the good news, the ultimate
weight was lifted off Prairie View's back.
On top of it all, defensive back Quincy Fuller was even more
happy to see the defense wrap up the magical win.
"We came out sluggish in the first half, then the offense
started believing," Fuller said. "Then they gave the defense
the opportunity to win the game."
Of course, the defense came close to blowing a 14-3 lead by
allowing a field goal and then a 51-yard scoring pass from Craft
to Ted Roberts in the final minute.
"We always wanted it to come down to the defense winning the
game for us," Fuller said. "I can say our offense believed they
could and they put points on the board and the defense held.
That is all it boils down to.
"Actually it was like deja vu, because I dreamed of the number
80 and this game was my best performance."
John Danley, a linebacker, gave his take on things.
"It meant a lot to me because I knew the team had it all along,
the only thing the team needed was somebody to lead them," he
said. "I put that burden on my shoulders and I kept everyone
going. The defense played well and we're ready for next week."
The Panthers' next game is Saturday in Dallas against Grambling
and first-year coach Doug Williams.
"I think we will get a winning streak going," Danley predicts.
Why not?
Big game in the Big Ten
Saturday's Big Ten Conference slate has one titanic battle and a
couple of other interesting games. Top-ranked Ohio State's game
at Ohio Stadium against No. 7 Penn State is the weekend's
marquee matchup.
Because of the stature of Penn State, Ohio State has been
saddled with the roughest road in its efforts for the Big Ten
title. This is the third straight time both teams have been
undefeated and ranked in the top 10 heading into this game. And
it usually is not the most difficult game of the season for the
Buckeyes, considering coach John Cooper's horrible record
against archrival Michigan.
The Nittany Lions and Joe Paterno have plenty more to gain than
the Buckeyes in this contest. A win would vault them into
consideration for No. 1 and give them the upper hand in the race
for the conference title. It also would be about as impressive
a road win as anyone will garner this season, something worth a
little extra in the Bowl Championship Series standings.
Ohio State needs to win just to keep on top of things. The
Buckeyes must also be careful about how they win, since Nebraska
keeps getting better and better every week and should cruise
through the schedule with one big test remaining -- the game at
No. 3 Kansas State on November 14.
Ohio State's offense has been tempered so far. The Buckeyes
have an arsenal comparable to any in the country and should
explode in their conference opener. The defense has enough
weapons to shut down Penn State's rushing attack and force Kevin
Thompson to throw. Look for something like a 48-14 score for
the home team.
Michigan and Iowa have gotten off to 2-2 starts with some
unimpressive games, but the pair are 1-0 in the conference,
along with No. 13 Wisconsin. Michigan should wipe out the
home-standing Hawkeyes and could be the only 2-0 team in the Big
Ten by the end of the day.
Wisconsin will be in for trouble if it takes Indiana lightly.
The Hoosiers are improving rapidly under Cam Cameron, especially
since he handed over the reins to freshman quarterback Antwaan
Randle El.
Of course, if Ron Dayne is running at full speed, then Indiana
will be hard-pressed to win. But the Hoosiers should be able to
hold their own against the Wisconsin defense, which is yet to be
tested in wins against San Diego State, Ohio, UNLV and
Northwestern. The Badgers have surrendered just 28 points.
Catch Randle El on ESPN2 at 12:30 p.m. EDT. While most are
tuning it to see if Dayne is as good as advertised, impress your
friends by laying on them Randle El's numbers: 43-of-84, 733
yards and four touchdowns with one interception; 200 yards and
five touchdowns in 57 rushing attempts; and a 51-yard touchdown
catch.
Also in the Big Ten, somebody has to win when Illinois visits
Northwestern.
Bailey reprising Charles Woodson role
Speaking of versatile players, Randle El -- and 1997 Heisman
winner Charles Woodson, for that matter -- have nothing on
12th-ranked Georgia's Champ Bailey.
Bailey is a cornerback, one of the best in the country. He
doubles as a wide receiver and a special teamer, just like
Woodson and fellow first-round 1998 NFL draft choice R.W.
McQuarters, formerly of Oklahoma State.
The difference is Bailey has taken it to a new level. He is a
starter on both sides of the ball and is the team's leading
receiver. That's something even Woodson could not match.
His test this weekend is to shut down wide receivers Larry
Foster and Abram Booty at No. 6 Louisiana State while burning
the Tigers' secondary as a wideout and outplaying Kevin Faulk on
special teams.
Woodson's already fabled game last season against Ohio State
essentially salted away the Heisman but Bailey needs such a
performance just to get the recognition he needs to get into the
race.
Both coaches, Georgia's Jim Donnan and LSU's Gerry DiNardo, have
said their teams more than likely will be defined by this
matchup. Hopefully for the Bulldogs, Bailey will be the deciding
factor.
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