Stillwater NewsPress

High School Sports

October 26, 2012

Darian Williams trying to find his place for Pioneers

By Nick Snow nicksnow@stwnewspress.com

STILLWATER, Okla. — It hasn’t exactly been a dream season for Stillwater High School senior wide receiver Darian Williams.

Williams came into the season as the Pioneers’ most dangerous offensive weapon with expectations of putting up big numbers in Stillwater’s pass-happy offense. But injuries and triple coverage have turned what was supposed to be a breakout season into a sub-par campaign for the 6-foot-5 receiver.

“I know we have a young quarterback and it just takes some time,” Williams said. “I knew what to expect, so I can’t be real mad about it. … If I’m not open it just means that other people are going to be open and as long as we’re winning it doesn’t matter.”

As Stillwater prepares to take on Enid at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Williams has 18 catches for 162 yards and no touchdowns — well below the 34 catches for 518 yards and 10 touchdowns Williams put up last year.

“He hasn’t had the opportunity to put up those numbers he had last year,” Stillwater receivers coach Kyle Lucas said. “He’s a 6-foot-5 kid who is very athletic, so even though he hasn’t put up those numbers, teams still have to honor him. He’s a tough matchup for anybody, so they usually put two or three guys on him each play.”

Williams may not be the go-to guy this year, but Lucas said he’s seen a different side of Williams develop as teams try to isolate him.

“He actually spoke at our team meal and said he learned that his role has changed this year,” Lucas said. “Brandon (Prather) is having an excellent year and is putting up numbers Darian would love to have, but Darian has done the little things that help guys like Brandon put up those big numbers. He doesn’t have the numbers, but he has provided some key blocks on a lot of touchdowns. If it weren’t for him, those plays probably wouldn’t have been touchdowns. He kind of relates to an offensive lineman in the sense that he may not contribute a lot of stats, but we couldn’t do it without him.”

Lucas said it’s that kind of leadership and unselfishness that separates Williams from most of the other players he’s coached in his career.

“That’s the type of leadership he’s brought to the team,” Lucas said. “He takes the younger guys in and shows them how to prepare. Every day he comes ready to work in practice and it rubs off on all of our players — not just the younger kids, but also the other seniors. It really shows a lot about Darian and his maturity level. No matter what, he’s a guy that’s willing to give it his all on every play.”

With only two games left in the season for the Pioneers, Williams is finally healthy and daring any team to leave him in one-on-one coverage. His time as a Pioneer may be coming to an end, but the senior standout says he still feels like he has a couple more big games left in him.

“If the ball comes my way, I’m going to go get it,” Williams said. “I’ll definitely make the play.”

Text Only | Photo Reprints
High School Sports
Buy & Share Photos
NewsPress e-Edition
NewsPress Specials
AP Video
Texas Students Coach Teachers on Fitness New Forecasting Tool Eyed for Hurricane Season Meet MJ, the Bike Riding Tabby Cat Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam Raw: Kevin Durant Tours Moore After $1M Pledge Weiner Launches Bid to Become NYC Mayor Okla. Teens Get Video of Deadly Tornado Overhead Man Shot While Questioned in Boston Probe School Storm Protection Spotty in Tornado Zones 9-year-old Tornado Victim Loved Family, Singing Moore Native Toby Keith Tours Tornado Damage Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage Okla. City Mayor: Up to 13K Homes Hit by Tornado Raw: Aftermath of Deadly Attack in London Paperless Scanner, Vision of the Future Florida FBI Shooting Has Boston Bombing Links Garcetti Elected Los Angeles Mayor Over Greuel Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado IRS Official Pleads 5th Amendment Lawyer: Feds Investigating Susan Powell Case
Stocks
NDN Video
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage Trout's cycle a boost for Angels Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery Shakira's Shocking Talent Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill DWTS Crowns a Winner Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal The Hangover Baby All Grown Up