For Cedar Falls offensive lineman Spencer Williams, the scholarship offer from the Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday was a dream come true. Less than 24 hours later, the 6-foot-4, 275-pound Williams, a lifelong Hawkeye fan, accepted the opportunity and verbally committed to the Iowa coaching staff. We caught up with him on Monday night to talk about the decision, his future with the Hawkeyes, and much more.
Watch our video and read a complete transcript below.
Q: All right, I'm here with Cedar Falls offensive lineman Spencer Williams, who verbally committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes today. I guess first tell me about your decision. How did it kind of come about over the last 24 hours and how did you end up making it?
WILLIAMS: Well, Iowa has really been my dream school my whole life. I've just been really wanting that offer and have been working for it ever since I started playing football. It's always where I wanted to play football in college. Once I got the offer, I jumped at the opportunity. I've always kind of known Iowa is the place I wanted to be. I love the coaches, I love the way they coach, I love the way they recruited me, and I just knew it's where I wanted to be for the next however many years.
Q: Take me through the process. You get back from their camp yesterday and have the offer in hand. Where do you go from there as far as making the decision?
WILLIAMS: Just on the drive back I was thinking about it and just thinking, "Wow, this is really happening." It was awesome. All the hard work is paying off and I've just got to keep at it and keep going.
Q: Then you make the call. Who do you talk with?
WILLIAMS: I talked to Kirk Ferentz. I was talking to Brian Ferentz and then I got Kirk Ferentz's number, so I just called him and committed to him.
Q: What was his reaction?
WILLIAMS: He was pumped. Both Brian Ferentz and Kirk Ferentz were like, "You made my night," so it was pretty cool.
Q: What was that like for you?
WILLIAMS: It was just like, "I just had Kirk Ferentz tell me I made his night," you know. It was pretty awesome. It was a great feeling.
Q: Tell me about camp and how they see you coming in. Is it at center or guard or both?
WILLIAMS: They're telling me center. They're telling me just center right now. I'll play anywhere they need me, of course, but they're telling me center right now. I had a great time working with Brian Ferentz and Coach Morgan and Kirk Ferentz, just working on my technique and just doing one on ones and stuff like that. It was great. I learned a lot.
Q: Tell me about that camp, what did you show or what did you feel like you did well that made them offer?
WILLIAMS: Well, Coach Ferentz, he was just telling me basically like what he saw at camp was exactly what he thought he was going to see. He was like, "You know, I really like your aggressiveness, like how you don't stop, you keep going no matter, and then you're ready to get back in for another rep right after you're done." What I wanted to do was get as many reps as I could. I was in there about every time. I just wanted to show them what I could do as often as possible.
Q: Tell me about the other guys at that camp. Four of you ended up getting offers. Do you kind of turn into a recruiter now with some of those guys?
WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was actually speaking with [db]T.J. Hockenson[/db] already. I like all three of those guys. They're really cool guys. I got to talk to them at camp and met some of them before too actually. They're all really cool guys, so definitely I'll step in and try to recruit some guys that I know are targets.
Q: Where does the focus turn for you now? Is it kind of your senior year moving forward?
WILLIAMS: Yep, just senior year with my team and getting better in every aspect of the game that I can. Just keep working hard and keep at it.
Q: Tell me about just the last 24 hours for you and what it's been like.
WILLIAMS: Oh man, it's been awesome. It feels good. It feels really good. I couldn't have any better of a feeling. I just committed to my dream school. It's here, so I'm ready to keep at it and keep going.
With Williams on board, Iowa is up to five verbal commitments in the Class of 2016.
Watch our video and read a complete transcript below.
Q: All right, I'm here with Cedar Falls offensive lineman Spencer Williams, who verbally committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes today. I guess first tell me about your decision. How did it kind of come about over the last 24 hours and how did you end up making it?
WILLIAMS: Well, Iowa has really been my dream school my whole life. I've just been really wanting that offer and have been working for it ever since I started playing football. It's always where I wanted to play football in college. Once I got the offer, I jumped at the opportunity. I've always kind of known Iowa is the place I wanted to be. I love the coaches, I love the way they coach, I love the way they recruited me, and I just knew it's where I wanted to be for the next however many years.
Q: Take me through the process. You get back from their camp yesterday and have the offer in hand. Where do you go from there as far as making the decision?
WILLIAMS: Just on the drive back I was thinking about it and just thinking, "Wow, this is really happening." It was awesome. All the hard work is paying off and I've just got to keep at it and keep going.
Q: Then you make the call. Who do you talk with?
WILLIAMS: I talked to Kirk Ferentz. I was talking to Brian Ferentz and then I got Kirk Ferentz's number, so I just called him and committed to him.
Q: What was his reaction?
WILLIAMS: He was pumped. Both Brian Ferentz and Kirk Ferentz were like, "You made my night," so it was pretty cool.
Q: What was that like for you?
WILLIAMS: It was just like, "I just had Kirk Ferentz tell me I made his night," you know. It was pretty awesome. It was a great feeling.
Q: Tell me about camp and how they see you coming in. Is it at center or guard or both?
WILLIAMS: They're telling me center. They're telling me just center right now. I'll play anywhere they need me, of course, but they're telling me center right now. I had a great time working with Brian Ferentz and Coach Morgan and Kirk Ferentz, just working on my technique and just doing one on ones and stuff like that. It was great. I learned a lot.
Q: Tell me about that camp, what did you show or what did you feel like you did well that made them offer?
WILLIAMS: Well, Coach Ferentz, he was just telling me basically like what he saw at camp was exactly what he thought he was going to see. He was like, "You know, I really like your aggressiveness, like how you don't stop, you keep going no matter, and then you're ready to get back in for another rep right after you're done." What I wanted to do was get as many reps as I could. I was in there about every time. I just wanted to show them what I could do as often as possible.
Q: Tell me about the other guys at that camp. Four of you ended up getting offers. Do you kind of turn into a recruiter now with some of those guys?
WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was actually speaking with [db]T.J. Hockenson[/db] already. I like all three of those guys. They're really cool guys. I got to talk to them at camp and met some of them before too actually. They're all really cool guys, so definitely I'll step in and try to recruit some guys that I know are targets.
Q: Where does the focus turn for you now? Is it kind of your senior year moving forward?
WILLIAMS: Yep, just senior year with my team and getting better in every aspect of the game that I can. Just keep working hard and keep at it.
Q: Tell me about just the last 24 hours for you and what it's been like.
WILLIAMS: Oh man, it's been awesome. It feels good. It feels really good. I couldn't have any better of a feeling. I just committed to my dream school. It's here, so I'm ready to keep at it and keep going.
With Williams on board, Iowa is up to five verbal commitments in the Class of 2016.
