HighPoint49er
12-12-02, 12:14 AM
Williams signs with State
By Tim Stevens, Raleigh News & Observer Staff Writer
Mario Williams followed his heart Wednesday night when he announced that he would accept a football scholarship to N.C. State. But it was an emotional decision that had been thoroughly researched.
"It was a tough decision. It really was," Williams said Wednesday night from Atlanta, Ga., after making his announcement on Fox Sports South's Countdown to Signing Day show. "The family environment at State was the final factor. I get along well with the people there. I really like those guys."
Williams, a 6-foot-6, 260-pound defensive end with 4.5 speed in 40 yards at Richlands High near Jacksonville, chose the in-state Wolfpack despite strong pitches by Ohio State and Tennessee and a late push by Clemson.
He told N.C. State coach Chuck Amato that he was joining State during an official visit last weekend, but kept his final decision a secret.
He told Richlands coach Kevin Wilson that he was going to State at 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning shortly before they and Mary Williams, Mario's mother, left for the Raleigh-Durham airport and a flight to Atlanta to make the national announcement.
"Mario has already told Chuck Amato that he plans to graduate in three years and be a first-round pick in the NFL draft," Wilson said. "Mario knows that defensive ends are among the best paid players in the NFL.
"But he also wants his business degree. That's very important to him." Williams will graduate from Richlands on Thursday, a semester early, and plans to join State's team as it practices for its Gator Bowl game against Notre Dame.
He can practice before the game, dress in his Wolfpack uniform and stand on the sidelines at the Gator Bowl, but cannot play. Amato cannot comment about recruits by NCAA regulations, but said he wants to use the bowl practice productively for any player that joins the squad now.
"It's a good time for them and can be a good adjustment period," Amato said. "I told our coaches, if it can happen, I don't want them just thrown out there and go down to the scout squad.
"I want them to stay with their position coaches, to go into a meeting and learn, and stand on the field and watch their position get coached. So they can learn and it will be a jumpstart for spring practice."
Amato doesn't know if bringing players in to practice before the bowls will become a trend. Amato hesitated saying that early high school graduation was a trend.
"It's something you can do," he said. "There's an awful lot that has to happen, not just graduate early but then get cleared by the [NCAA] Clearinghouse. Then you have to have a place in your scholarship numbers to bring someone in.
"A trend? I don't know. You do what you have to do in recruiting." Williams is ranked among the top college prospects in the country with an unusual combination of speed, size and strength (385-pound bench press).
He committed to State before the start of his junior year, but later agreed to be recruited by other schools. Williams had never been outside of North Carolina and had never flown in an airplane until he started being recruited.
"It was a good experience," he said of his recruitment. "I saw things that I had never seen before and went places that I had only seen on television."
He was very impressed with Tennessee and said earlier this fall that if he lived in Tennessee there would be no doubt that he'd join the Volunteers.
"But I live in North Carolina," he said. He loved Ohio State and was impressed that the Buckeyes are playing for the national championship in the Fiesta Bowl against Miami.
"But they are loaded with defensive ends," he said.
Mary, his mother, is the manager of the Subway sandwich shop in Richlands and wanted him to stay close enough so that she could go to his games, but said the decision had to be Mario's.
State could be assembling one of the top recruiting classes in the country, although none of the commitments thus far are binding on the school or the players.
Players may sign national letters of intent in February. Current N.C. State quarterback Phillips Rivers also graduated a semester early, enrolled at State and went through spring practice before his freshman year.
Before going to State, Williams is expected to play with the North Carolina squad in the Shrine Bowl Game of the Carolinas in Rock Hill, S.C., an all-star game between teams from North Carolina and South Carolina.
State also has received a commitment from LeRue Rumpf, a 6-2, 213-pound safety at Clearwater (Fla.) Central Catholic. He is ranked among the top 20 defensive backs in the country.
By Tim Stevens, Raleigh News & Observer Staff Writer
Mario Williams followed his heart Wednesday night when he announced that he would accept a football scholarship to N.C. State. But it was an emotional decision that had been thoroughly researched.
"It was a tough decision. It really was," Williams said Wednesday night from Atlanta, Ga., after making his announcement on Fox Sports South's Countdown to Signing Day show. "The family environment at State was the final factor. I get along well with the people there. I really like those guys."
Williams, a 6-foot-6, 260-pound defensive end with 4.5 speed in 40 yards at Richlands High near Jacksonville, chose the in-state Wolfpack despite strong pitches by Ohio State and Tennessee and a late push by Clemson.
He told N.C. State coach Chuck Amato that he was joining State during an official visit last weekend, but kept his final decision a secret.
He told Richlands coach Kevin Wilson that he was going to State at 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning shortly before they and Mary Williams, Mario's mother, left for the Raleigh-Durham airport and a flight to Atlanta to make the national announcement.
"Mario has already told Chuck Amato that he plans to graduate in three years and be a first-round pick in the NFL draft," Wilson said. "Mario knows that defensive ends are among the best paid players in the NFL.
"But he also wants his business degree. That's very important to him." Williams will graduate from Richlands on Thursday, a semester early, and plans to join State's team as it practices for its Gator Bowl game against Notre Dame.
He can practice before the game, dress in his Wolfpack uniform and stand on the sidelines at the Gator Bowl, but cannot play. Amato cannot comment about recruits by NCAA regulations, but said he wants to use the bowl practice productively for any player that joins the squad now.
"It's a good time for them and can be a good adjustment period," Amato said. "I told our coaches, if it can happen, I don't want them just thrown out there and go down to the scout squad.
"I want them to stay with their position coaches, to go into a meeting and learn, and stand on the field and watch their position get coached. So they can learn and it will be a jumpstart for spring practice."
Amato doesn't know if bringing players in to practice before the bowls will become a trend. Amato hesitated saying that early high school graduation was a trend.
"It's something you can do," he said. "There's an awful lot that has to happen, not just graduate early but then get cleared by the [NCAA] Clearinghouse. Then you have to have a place in your scholarship numbers to bring someone in.
"A trend? I don't know. You do what you have to do in recruiting." Williams is ranked among the top college prospects in the country with an unusual combination of speed, size and strength (385-pound bench press).
He committed to State before the start of his junior year, but later agreed to be recruited by other schools. Williams had never been outside of North Carolina and had never flown in an airplane until he started being recruited.
"It was a good experience," he said of his recruitment. "I saw things that I had never seen before and went places that I had only seen on television."
He was very impressed with Tennessee and said earlier this fall that if he lived in Tennessee there would be no doubt that he'd join the Volunteers.
"But I live in North Carolina," he said. He loved Ohio State and was impressed that the Buckeyes are playing for the national championship in the Fiesta Bowl against Miami.
"But they are loaded with defensive ends," he said.
Mary, his mother, is the manager of the Subway sandwich shop in Richlands and wanted him to stay close enough so that she could go to his games, but said the decision had to be Mario's.
State could be assembling one of the top recruiting classes in the country, although none of the commitments thus far are binding on the school or the players.
Players may sign national letters of intent in February. Current N.C. State quarterback Phillips Rivers also graduated a semester early, enrolled at State and went through spring practice before his freshman year.
Before going to State, Williams is expected to play with the North Carolina squad in the Shrine Bowl Game of the Carolinas in Rock Hill, S.C., an all-star game between teams from North Carolina and South Carolina.
State also has received a commitment from LeRue Rumpf, a 6-2, 213-pound safety at Clearwater (Fla.) Central Catholic. He is ranked among the top 20 defensive backs in the country.