Nebraska Football: It’s Business As Usual for Keith Williams This Spring
What do Nebraska football wide receivers coach Keith Williams and the Spring Equinox have in common? You can expect just about the same from them as you can the year before.
The Equinox brings longer days and Williams’ work means a combination of business, passion and developing both the minds and bodies of his wideout corps.
With the departure of three key components to last year’s offense in Jordan Westerkamp, Brandon Reilly and Alonzo Moore, Williams has to find a way to replace 1,313 yards worth of offense from 2016.
Stanley Morgan and De’Mornay Pierson-El are established veteran players, but they’re going to need to work to keep their place at the table according to Williams. To him, every player’s situation is different.
Take redshirt freshman JD Spielman, for example.
His coach points out that this is his very first spring working with the team. It’s new territory for a guy that rocked the scout team last season.
If you want to prep your notes for the Spring Game, the master of Savage Professionalism doesn’t have any specific names ready. That said, his corps is taking shape with the likes of Morgan, Pierson-El, Spielman, Bryan Reimers, Conor Young, Gabe Rahn and his son, Keyan.
When it comes to competition, Williams doesn’t exactly see his charges working against each other.
"“It’s like a golf course. That’s why guys on a golf course can all be friends because it’s not the other guy’s fault you hit it in the sand. They’re not competing against each other, they’re competing against themselves and against the defensive backs.”"
You might think that there comes some manner of an adjustment period now that Nebraska’s wideouts are working with quarterbacks who are primed for a pro-style role versus those who rely on their legs a bit more like Tommy Armstrong did.
Williams isn’t interested in that excuse.
"“There’s no difference. They’re just different guys. At wideout, you run the route, you look up, you find the ball, you catch it. The chemistry and who’s throwing it, those things are overrated, in my opinion. When they do drills with me, I’m throwing. They don’t need chemistry with me, just catch the ball.”"
Once Keyshawn Johnson Jr. returns from spring break, he’ll be working in pads right alongside the rest of his teammates.
Williams hasn’t set any specific goals for the true freshman. He simply wants him to be as comfortable in the system as possible and points out that only he can determine if he’s truly pushing himself.
That goes for fellow true freshman Jaevon McQuitty, too.
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He may be hindered due to a shoulder issue, but he’s been pushing himself in his own way. He’s been very attentive in practice, learning where he can, getting mental reps and listening in during the huddles while he heals.
It’s early, but seeing the type of show Williams’ corps has been putting on in practice and considering they should be a bit crisper come April 15, you’d better get your popcorn ready.