Williams Proves Youth Prevails

Follow the blockers or follow the signs. Easy directions, even for a freshman.

When tailback Ed Williams of St. Mary’s gets through banging heads on the field, he heads to the sidelines, where his place in the pecking order also is well-scripted.

Every offensive starter has a folding chair placed near the team bench, each with the player’s position taped to the back.

“It’s so we can go over our plays and mistakes,” Williams said. “So guys aren’t wandering over here and over there.”

Williams wandered plenty Saturday, setting a school single-game record with 38 carries as the Gaels hung on for a 20-10 nonconference victory over Cal State Northridge at St. Mary’s Stadium.

Williams, who graduated in June from Canyon High, finished with 116 hard-earned yards--a personal high--and carried on all but eight of the Gaels’ running plays. He also caught three passes for 43 yards.

He broke the mark of 31 carries set by Daryl Rogers against Santa Clara in 1990. St. Mary’s has played football, off and on, since 1892.

Heavy work indeed for Williams, a guy charitably listed at 5-foot-9, 160 pounds.

“I’m fine now,” Williams said, 15 minutes afterward. “I’m ready to go get something to eat.”

Like a side of beef.

Williams wasn’t sure how many times he carried. A week earlier, he set personal highs with 30 carries for 115 yards, so busting marks has become a mundane event. Told of the numbing number, he beamed broadly.

“That’s a lot,” he said.

In terms of running style, Williams doesn’t blow anybody away with pure speed or a blinding cutback. He picks his spots, slides around, and works all the angles to make tacklers miss.

“I try not to get too down on myself,” he said. “If guys see me getting after it, it starts a chain reaction and that’s when we make the big play.”

His longest gain on the ground was 17 yards. He had 15 carries that went for one yard or less--seven resulted in losses.

“They were the toughest-hitting team I’ve ever faced,” Williams said.

“I’m definitely bruised.”

Northridge (3-3) considered signing Williams last season and scouted a couple of his high school games. But the Matadors didn’t sign a freshman running back to a scholarship in 1994.

“He’s a good little back,” Northridge Coach Bob Burt said. “He’s quick and he plays hard.”

Williams broke loose for 17 yards around left end and scored on a seven-yard run on the next play to give St. Mary’s a 14-point early in the third quarter.

Northridge didn’t recover.