[LeeCoUKFan]

Williams having a huge senior year

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

Bethlehem (Ga.) George Walton Academy is 3-2 on the year and they have been competitive in their two losses. It's tough to imagine where they would be without Stanley Williams.

In just five games of action as a senior Williams has more than 1,000 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, meaning he's one of Georgia's most productive backs through half the year.

Those numbers are an improvement from what was a stellar junior campaign. Last year Williams had 130 carries for more than 1,900 yards and 24 scores.

"It's been a good year for me," Williams said. "The credit goes to everyone blocking for me and the coaches for getting the ball in my hands. It's been a fun year. I don't think many people expected me to put up those kinds of stats this year but the credit goes to everyone blocking and the coaches."

Don't expect Williams to put up those numbers in college. Getting on the field early is going to be the goal but it will also be a fierce competition. With Jojo Kemp, Braylon Heard and Mikel Horton all also vying for time in the backfield next year the Wildcats will have an embarrassment of riches at the running back position.

That's a competition Williams isn't afraid of.

"Coach (Chad) Scott is a great running backs coach and you look at the players he's coached before. You want to play for him," Williams said. "In Neal Brown's offense you can put as many play makers on the field as you want. You can line them up all over the field. Not just at running back. You can do a lot of things so if you're a play maker then you're going to play."

The four-star running back, also ranked the No. 2 all-purpose back in the nation according to Rivals.com, attended the Kentucky-Louisville game in Commonwealth Stadium last month. He has been following the team closely in its other games.

"I think the team is doing well even though it doesn't show in the record. That's kinda what everybody expected coming into this year with the new coaching staff and the new offense," he said. "Everybody expected this season to be a struggle. People weren't expecting us to have a ten-win season or anything like that.

"I've been watching the games I haven't been at and they're putting up great fights. There are some mistakes, some dropped passes or those kinds of things. That's part of the game. Overall I think they have answered the call against adversity. We'll keep improving every year and we'll be one of the top teams in the SEC once we come together and get used to the offense. With the way coach (Mark) Stoops coaches as a head coach, once everybody is in sync Kentucky will be one of the most dangerous teams in the country."

Williams said he hasn't been hearing from other schools lately and he reiterated that he's solidly committed to Kentucky. He noted that the UK coaching staff is primarily focused on the 2013 season, so his contact with the staff is a little less frequent than it otherwise might be. Of course, he's busy at high school as well.

He also noted that he's trying to help the coaches recruit other players as best as he can.

"There are a couple more guys (the recruits) are after. We're still trying to get Matt Elam. We're still trying Braxton Berrios. I'm still trying D.J. Smith, the big-time defensive back out of Walton. There are a couple more guys we're trying to influence and see if they can be a part of this big move," Williams said.

"(The coaches) are trying to get the team prepared every week and we're trying to do our job with the recruiting part. I'm just telling guys why I chose Kentucky. I don't want to rush anybody's decision and I'm not overdoing it because I want them to make the right decisions for their families but most importantly their futures.

"The last time I talked to D.J. he was down to five schools and we were in that top five. Obviously he's going to take those five official visits so hopefully UK is what he wants family-wise, on the field and helping him to get to that next level. I'm also trying to get Dante Sawyer out of North Gwinnett. I'm trying to get Nick Glass and a couple more guys down in Georgia."

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1558874