Williams: Husker Receivers Sponges for Information

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Last winter, Keith Williams was the receiver coach at Tulane University in New Orleans. Stanley Morgan, Nebraska’s freshman wide receiver who caught a touchdown pass last weekend in the overtime loss at Miami, was committed to the Huskers. “I was trying to steal him for Tulane,” Williams said this week. “When Coach (Mike) Riley came in, I was still trying to steal him. Holy smoke, I’m so glad that I didn’t get Stanley. That would have been one of my greatest disappointments I ever had in recruiting. Now I get to coach him. No doubt about it…I would regret not having him every day.”

Fortunately, Williams has a sense of humor that matches his intensity and an appreciation for being in the right place at the right time. He patterns himself after Curtis Johnson, who was a “great head coach” when he played for him at San Diego State and his boss for the last three years as head coach at Tulane. “I try to set the climate of the room because it’s part of my philosophy as a coach,” Williams said. “That’s the way it was when we played for Coach Johnson. We lived for each other. We played for each other. We had a camaraderie that was unique, so when I got into coaching, I realized that kind of solidarity helps you become a better player. You feel obligated to perform for the man next to you."

They Can’t Get Enough Information and Relish Studying Film, Right or Wrong

“I try to set that same kind of mood in the room at Nebraska, and these guys have bought into it,” Williams said. “We have a good group of receivers. They’re hard workers. They’re sponges for information. They can’t get enough of it. They love technique talk. They love seeing themselves on film, whether they’re doing it right or doing it wrong, so they can correct it.”

The Huskers’ deep fleet of wide receives “loves the kind of offense we have, knowing what it is and what you’re supposed to do,” Williams said. “They’re all very willing to be coached, and after you get the coaching in, the opportunity is there, and it’s up to them to seize it.” Williams’ turbo-charged demands connect with his receivers, who are riveted when they study, inspired when they recognize coverage and elated when they can put together something like they produced in the electrifying fourth quarter last week at Miami.  

When Williams talks, Huskers listen, especially when they know that seven of the receivers he’s coached in college are playing in the NFL right now, including James Jones (ninth year, San Jose State) and Davante Adams (second year, Fresno State), both of whom are playing together with the Green Bay Packers. Speaking of pros, Husker fans will be interested hearing Williams discuss Jordan Westerkamp’s future. He also shares his comments on the eight wide receivers who have positioned themselves as important contributors to Nebraska’s pro-style offense. Here are Williams’ quick-hitting quotes about all eight:

Jordan Westerkamp: He Prepares like a Pro, Lives Life like a Pro

“He’s a pro. One of the reasons that he’ll be a pro, aside from his abilities, is he acts like a pro now. He prepares like a pro. He lives his life like you want a pro to live. He loves football like a pro. He’s a student of the game. He’s kind of like a professional college pro now. He’s obsessed with perfection, almost to a fault because he forgets that he’s human. He’s exactly what people think he is. Everyone saw him catch a ball behind his back when he couldn’t see it. He has exceptional hand-eye coordination. For a young guy, and I call all players in college young guys, Westy is one of those rare guys who can focus and seize the moment. He’s proven he can. Some guys have a lot of ability, but when you really need them, they can’t come through. He can. He likes pressure because he knows he can respond to it.”

Brandon Reilly: He’s a Stud...Fast, Big, Strong and Really Smart

“Reilly’s a stud. He’s fast. He’s big. He’s strong. He’s quick, and he’s really smart. He knows all three of the wide receiver positions. I like him. He’s discovered his toughness, and I just think that comes from training. The best way to get better at playing football is to play football. He’s discovering what kind of player he can be because he’s out there doing it. I mean, he’s a big-time guy…definitely a big-time guy.”

Alonzo Moore: He Kept Working Hard and the Light Came On

“Zo has an abundance of talent and it’s starting to come together for him. We get impatient with guys because you see the talent in them and you want them to manifest that talent before it will naturally. I’ve heard some things about Zo in the past…the mistakes he’s made, underachieve, or whatever the case may be. Sometimes, though, different guys click at different times. If you keep working hard, eventually, when you hit the switch, the light will come on.”

Stanley Morgan Jr.: He’s an Animal...Studious, Intense and Focused

“Stanley is an animal, an absolute animal. He’s about as tough as you’re going to see in a freshman anywhere. He’s studious. He’s intense. He’s focused… period. Then you add in the fact that he’s a freshman. He’s going to be fun to watch.”

Lane Hovey: He's Intelligent, Bright, Conscientious and Tough

"Hovey is a 4.0 student who’s intelligent, bright and conscientious. He’s focused. You know all these guys love football and what they want to accomplish as an individual and as a group, and he’s no different. On top of that, he’s 6-4 and 210 and faster and quicker than you think. He has strong hands. He’s tough. He has the characteristics of a good wideout. Now he has a chance to show it, and it’s working out for him.”

Taariq Allen: He Enjoys the Grease and Grime of a Wideout

"Taariq’s mature. He’s already graduated from college. He’s smart and tough and knows all the positions. He can catch and he can block. He can do all the dirty things that receivers need to do, and he likes it. He enjoys the grease and the grime of the wideout position. You have to talk so many guys into that kind of appreciation. For Taariq, it all comes naturally.”

Jamal Turner: He Impressed His Coach Without His Cleats

“Jamal’s another big-time talent. He’ll be contributor like some of these guys already are. He’s about as an impressive young guy as you’ll find, and it goes beyond his college diploma. He has a three-year-old son who lives with him here in Lincoln. He’s always smiling. He’s such a hard worker. He comes to work every day with a willingness. I told him I was impressed with him before he even put on his cleats. I’m even jealous of him because when I was 22 years old, there’s no way I could have been doing the things he’s doing every day. He’s a man, no doubt about it, and he has a heart of gold.”

De'Mornay Pierson-El: Everyone is Hoping He's Still a Beast

“I don’t know when DP will be back, whether it’s two weeks, three weeks, whatever. I just know when he does hit the field, if it’s anything like he was before he got injured, it’ll be good. DP has been running around. He’s been telling me he feels good, and the trainers are giving me positive reports. People’s bodies heal at different rates, so we’ll see. If he’s what he was last year or what he was in the spring game, he will continue to be a beast like he’s been.”

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