First off, where the heck did that 15 years go?
Kyle made some bad life choices. He recently wrote this to Mark Emmert of the Des Moines Register: “As much as I hold the (Iowa football) program in high regard, I equally rue the day I left it. In retrospect, I have come to realize that Iowa was the university best-suited for what I needed at that time in my life.”
Kyle was 6-foot-2, 220 pounds as a senior. Williams was timed running a 4.47-second 40-yard dash as a high schooler — a rare speed for even the best NFL linebackers.
Lester Erb was the lead recruiter. Iowa was the second school in on him when he was a sophomore and Iowa became the early front-runner. Erb had deep connections in the Chicago prep scene, and those paid off. Williams says they formed an instant connection. Erb, now on the staff at Rutgers, declined to be interviewed for this story.
“I always liked the Iowa uniforms. It reminded me of the (Pittsburgh) Steelers,” Williams says.
One problem: Williams scored only a 17 on his ACT test, one point shy of the mark needed to play college football. He arrived in Iowa City in June 2004, was assigned No. 57 and given one clear instruction: Spend the next two months studying to get a passing test result in August.
“That’s a pretty reasonable plan,” Williams acknowledges. “At the time, I had no desire to study. It was so foolish.
“I was still smoking and drinking and partying.”
When Williams took the exam again, he cheated from the man next to him and got a 25. The NCAA Clearinghouse flagged Williams’ result, since an eight-point jump in test results was irregular. Williams retook the test without the ability to crib answers — a 17 again.
Iowa was already into its August practice schedule. Williams had spoken at the team’s media day, telling reporters: “I just want to contribute to this team in any way that I can.”
Williams was one of the star attractions of the Hawkeyes’ Kids Day scrimmage. He was the five-star recruit everyone wanted to see.
And then he was gone.
Williams left the Iowa campus for the final time 15 years ago this week. He said then he was coming back that next January. He says now that was never his plan.
The Full Story: https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/s...ls-recruit-purdue-illinois-prison/1960637001/
Kyle made some bad life choices. He recently wrote this to Mark Emmert of the Des Moines Register: “As much as I hold the (Iowa football) program in high regard, I equally rue the day I left it. In retrospect, I have come to realize that Iowa was the university best-suited for what I needed at that time in my life.”
Kyle was 6-foot-2, 220 pounds as a senior. Williams was timed running a 4.47-second 40-yard dash as a high schooler — a rare speed for even the best NFL linebackers.
Lester Erb was the lead recruiter. Iowa was the second school in on him when he was a sophomore and Iowa became the early front-runner. Erb had deep connections in the Chicago prep scene, and those paid off. Williams says they formed an instant connection. Erb, now on the staff at Rutgers, declined to be interviewed for this story.
“I always liked the Iowa uniforms. It reminded me of the (Pittsburgh) Steelers,” Williams says.
One problem: Williams scored only a 17 on his ACT test, one point shy of the mark needed to play college football. He arrived in Iowa City in June 2004, was assigned No. 57 and given one clear instruction: Spend the next two months studying to get a passing test result in August.
“That’s a pretty reasonable plan,” Williams acknowledges. “At the time, I had no desire to study. It was so foolish.
“I was still smoking and drinking and partying.”
When Williams took the exam again, he cheated from the man next to him and got a 25. The NCAA Clearinghouse flagged Williams’ result, since an eight-point jump in test results was irregular. Williams retook the test without the ability to crib answers — a 17 again.
Iowa was already into its August practice schedule. Williams had spoken at the team’s media day, telling reporters: “I just want to contribute to this team in any way that I can.”
Williams was one of the star attractions of the Hawkeyes’ Kids Day scrimmage. He was the five-star recruit everyone wanted to see.
And then he was gone.
Williams left the Iowa campus for the final time 15 years ago this week. He said then he was coming back that next January. He says now that was never his plan.
The Full Story: https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/s...ls-recruit-purdue-illinois-prison/1960637001/
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