The Daily OrangeWilliams back from injury to help WVU 'D'
By Ryan Marfurt
Posted: 10/28/09, 2:54 AM EST Section: Sports
To West Virginia head coach Bill Stewart, the difference in his defense is clear.
Despite the fact that the Mountaineers were ranked No. 1 in the Big East in scoring defense, only giving up 17 points per game last year, something was still missing.
That something was linebacker Reed Williams, who Stewart said makes a difference simply by stepping on the field.
"He makes you a whole lot better," Stewart said. "It's like going on the honeymoon with your bride instead of going alone; he gives us all the ingredients. This guy is special. He is the heart and sole of probably not only our defense, but our entire team."
Williams, a fifth year senior, only played in two games last year and took a medical redshirt as he struggled to fully recover from off-season surgery on both of his shoulders.
After an early-season injury this year, Williams is back and starting for the Mountaineers once again, adding a new level of toughness that Stewart said his team desperately missed during his absence.
As a junior, in 2007, Williams led the Mountaineers with 107 tackles and added three forced fumbles with an interception.
He capped off the year by winning defensive MVP honors at the Fiesta Bowl in a 48-28 West Virginia victory over Oklahoma. Williams had nine tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
The scary part of William's junior year, however, is the fact that he played a majority of the season with a torn labrum in not just one, but both of his shoulders.
"This kid was raised to do hard work on the farm and he has never backed off one iota, not one ounce in his entire life," Stewart said. "He is a tough football player, but he is just tough mentally in the way that he lives his life."
After the season was over, Williams opted to have surgery on both of his shoulders at the same time instead of having two separate operations.
Williams didn't recover as fast as he thought he would, but he still managed to play in two games last year. He sat out the first two games but played in the third and fourth games, managing to register 17 tackles, with two tackles for a loss and an interception.
Despite the fact that the Mountaineers were ranked No. 1 in the Big East in scoring defense, only giving up 17 points per game last year, something was still missing.
That something was linebacker Reed Williams, who Stewart said makes a difference simply by stepping on the field.
"He makes you a whole lot better," Stewart said. "It's like going on the honeymoon with your bride instead of going alone; he gives us all the ingredients. This guy is special. He is the heart and sole of probably not only our defense, but our entire team."
Williams, a fifth year senior, only played in two games last year and took a medical redshirt as he struggled to fully recover from off-season surgery on both of his shoulders.
After an early-season injury this year, Williams is back and starting for the Mountaineers once again, adding a new level of toughness that Stewart said his team desperately missed during his absence.
As a junior, in 2007, Williams led the Mountaineers with 107 tackles and added three forced fumbles with an interception.
He capped off the year by winning defensive MVP honors at the Fiesta Bowl in a 48-28 West Virginia victory over Oklahoma. Williams had nine tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
The scary part of William's junior year, however, is the fact that he played a majority of the season with a torn labrum in not just one, but both of his shoulders.
"This kid was raised to do hard work on the farm and he has never backed off one iota, not one ounce in his entire life," Stewart said. "He is a tough football player, but he is just tough mentally in the way that he lives his life."
After the season was over, Williams opted to have surgery on both of his shoulders at the same time instead of having two separate operations.
Williams didn't recover as fast as he thought he would, but he still managed to play in two games last year. He sat out the first two games but played in the third and fourth games, managing to register 17 tackles, with two tackles for a loss and an interception.
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