Willie: Freed

(Editor's Note: Since this article was written, West Virginia Unversity has denied Williams admission to their university. His current status regarding transferring is currently unknown.)

As most of you know by now, Willie has been freed.

Almost out of nowhere - in the dead of summer - rumblings of Williams transferring surfaced. Hurricane faithful didn't really know what to make of this news. It seems almost every year now, there is talk of SOME player from The U kicking rocks and leaving the program.

A few years back it was DJ Williams; rumored to be headed back west and transferring home to Cal. Last year (and earlier this summer) there was talk of James Bryant returning to the northeast; possibly winding up at Pitt. A few weeks back, it was second-string quarterback Kirby Freeman who flirted with headed back to Texas - unsatisfied with his role as a back up.

Freeman and Bryant have chosen to remain at Miami - and obviously, (DJ) Williams wrapped up his career as a Cane in 2003.

In regards to Willie Williams, this transfer rumor became true on Friday as the former Miami LB decided to run for the hills of Morgantown, West Virginia. Free Willie will soon be a member of the West Virginia Mountaineers - our former Big East rivals. West Virginia is picked as a preseason #1 in a few polls and is coming off a phenomenal postseason, beating Georgia in the 2006 Sugar Bowl.

Something stinks here.

Before I begin my rant, let's set the record straight. I wish Willie Williams all the luck in the world. I was 19-20 years old a dozen or so years ago. I know those are confusing times. I can only imagine walking in the shoes of a kid that age in 2006 -- let alone a baller who was heavily recruited, despite a shady past. There has to be a lot going through Mr. Williams head right now.

One big difference between Willie and I (outside of our arrest records and athleticism) - is our decision to seek counsel. Not legal counsel, but the advice of elders. "Willie to West Virginia" - in my opinion - seems like a knee-jerk reaction. I can't see how anyone close to Williams would push him in that direction.

Much has been made of the 'three year plan' in regards to Williams being financially driven and wanting to play at that next level. His collegiate years were a stepping stone to a large payday and the new Linebacker U was the place Willie would make his mark on the college level.

Three years into the 'three year plan' Williams is high-tailing it to West Virginia -- a school never initially on his radar. The Mountaineers were 8-5 in 2003 - Williams' senior year of high school. The Canes went 11-2 en route to a fourth straight BCS game, beating Florida State 16-14 in the 2004 Orange Bowl - a game WW attended and made a tongue in cheek comment about the winning team earning his services come Signing Day. A few weeks later, Williams was a Cane. What that Orange Bowl win had to do with it, we'll never know.

What we do know is that Williams quit on Miami.

There have been some grumblings this week that The U stuck it's collective neck out there for Williams and took some bad press in the process. Puh-leeze. Florida State, Auburn, Florida - any other school recruiting him would've done the same. Miami did nothing any other university in the Willie Williams Sweepstakes wouldn't have done. Williams doesn't owe the University of Miami for 'being there for him.'

He owes them because he made a commitment back in February 2004. He joined an elite fraternity and a brotherhood. I challenge Willie to go back and watch that NFL Films documentary which aired last fall, hosted by Steve Sabol.

Ed Reed. Santana Moss. Duane Starks. Reggie Wayne. Michael Irvin. Clinton Portis. Jon Vilma. Jeremy Shockey. These guys were telling it like it is. Talking about The U. The fraternity. The brotherhood. The showed their ice. They rolled up their sleeves to reveal "U" tattoos. The gushed and glowed about their time at Miami. It was everything to them and always will be.

If Willie didn't feel 'it' the way those guys do... then good riddance.

Injuries aside, Willie Williams had two years to crack the Miami starting line up. He didn't. Credit to him for staying out of trouble while in Coral Gables. That was job #1. But that was only part of the bargain. Willie spent the majority of his time at Miami in defensive coordinator Randy Shannon's doghouse. The work ethic, heart and determination have oft been questions.

Jon Beason has locked down the starting weakside linebacker spot. Williams was #2 on the depth chart behind Beason and was doing nothing to fight him for that top spot. Instead, he chose to sit out voluntary workouts and slipped to #3 on the depth chart, behind Spencer Adkins.

This is The U. There are no free rides. You want to start? Be ready for some heated battles on the practice field in spring and fall. End of story. There is no room for favoritism at Miami for highly touted, high school prima donnas. That's never been the case and never will be.

A five-star kid who expects things to be handed to him or a three-star kid with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove? At Miami, we want the latter.

I'll always take a kid with tons of heart and determination as opposed to tons of upside and potential. What the hell is potential if it's never reached? Nothing more than wasted talent.

If you ask me, Willie chose West Virginia because they're a young team in the hunt right now and he'll get a crack at that starting line up almost immeditately. (He'll have to sit out the 2006 season due to NCAA transfer rules.) Toss in the fact they are a young team, play in a weaker conference and should be a force for at least the next 2-3 seasons -- Williams appears to have cherry-picked a team which fits his needs and secures him a spot on the bandwagon.

Williams may have sported a helmet with a "U" on it the past two seasons - but he was never a Cane. As much as it pains me to say that, it's the truth. He milked the recruiting process, setted on Miami (for reasons we'll never know), never busted his ass to earn a starting job and when things weren't looking good entering the 2006 season - he turned tail and ran for the hills. Literally.

Does that sound like the Ed Reed or Michael Irvin way to you? Me neither.

We'll see where Willie Williams' career goes from here. I truly wish this misguided young man the best - but in my opinion, 'the best' would've been staying at Miami, getting serious with his game and earning a starting spot through competition. Not heading to West Virginia as a starter due to a lack of competition.