[LeeCoUKFan]

UK among standout schools for Ex-UGA commit

Justin Rowland
Special to CatsIllustrated.com

Stanley Williams is no longer committed to Georgia so the recruiting process has heated up more than ever before. It might heat up even more after his recent track showing.

The nation's No. 98 overall prospect won the Georgia state championship in the 100 meters over the weekend. Not bad considering this is only his first year running track.

"I was real confident in myself but of course going into those kind of moments, somewhere you've never been, you're nervous," Williams told Cats Illustrated. "Of course I was nervous but I was focused on what I had to do."

Williams said the race and the aftermath was emotional and a blur, so he doesn't even know what his exact time was.

"There were a lot of times going around," he said. "11.01, 11.02, 11.07. I don't know the exact time but it was around that. That was the best time I've ever had. Hand-timed I think coach clocked me at 10.3, but electronic (the best was) 11.1 or 11.2.

"I just wanted to come out and compete to get in shape for football. Once I started learning techniques and getting everything down I decided to actually go with it. I had that mindset that I could win a state championship."

Now the 5-foot-8, 186-pound all-purpose back is thinking he might try to run track in college. But football is his first priority.

No longer committed to Georgia, Williams said five schools are standing out.

"Clemson, South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia and Georgia. Those would be my top five right now," Williams said.

Williams said he speaks with UK assistant coach Bradley Dale Peveto on a regular basis.

"We're building that relationship so I make sure I stay in touch with him," Williams said. "He's a pretty cool guy. He's pretty laid back and he shoots you straightforward. He tells you the truth and lets you know what they expect and what's expecting out of you. He's telling me to make the best decision for me. Overall he's a good guy. He's a truthful guy."

Some schools are recruiting Williams primarily as a running back but Kentucky has a less defined idea of how he would fit in. The only thing that's clear is the Wildcats want to get him the ball.

"They're recruiting me as a running back and as a receiver. They're recruiting me for both. The last time I talked to coach Peveto he asked me if I would like to play receiver and I told him anything that helps the team out. I'm willing to play both. They would just move me around and put me in a lot of different spots so the defense can't get a feel for me," he said.

Williams said he will visit Kentucky this summer but the date for that trip is still up in the air. Peveto is planning to visit Bethlehem (Ga.) George Walton Academy and should be able to work out the details of a summer trip in the near future. Williams said he's anxious to tour the campus and get a sense for the atmosphere around the school.

Assistant coaches from Arizona, West Virginia, Georgia Tech and Middle Tennessee have already stopped by this spring. Alabama will visit as well.

Williams is good friends with four-star cornerback and Georgia commit Nick Glass, another prospect Kentucky is targeting. He and Glass have talked about the possibility of joining one another in Lexington and helping to turn the UK program around.

"It's definitely an option," he said. "I'm talking to Nick Glass and of course he's still committed to Georgia. I'm just talking to him, seeing what decision he's going to make. I'm not quite sure if he's going to go to Kentucky. He hasn't told me anything. But it's definitely an option. We have a little bit more time before anyone has to sign."

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1503061