Possible 2008 Basketball-football Recruit

Buford_Julep · May 27, 2007

Many North Texas fans will remember 2006 football recruit Robert Williams (6-4, 205, 4.6 forty). Williams, a weakside DE from Dallas Kimball, was also interested in playing basketball. Williams had football scholarship offers from North Texas, Arizona, Arizona State,Iowa,Minnesota,and Washington State before signing with UTEP.

Williams did not qualify academically for an NCAA football scholarship. He considered attending San Antonio Cornerstone prep school but later decided on McLennan County CC.

Williams is playing only basketball at MCC. The school does not have a football team.

Texas Hoops quotes Williams: "I tried football, but I guess it really didn't work too good - it's been hard for me to gain weight. I don't know if I want to (totally) give it up," Williams said. "I might use basketball to get to football."

Edited May 27, 2007 by Buford_Julep

Zeke · May 27, 2007

I remember him very much and and wouldn't mind a try again at him. I suppose offering him for bball would depend on how he managed at the Juco level.

eulesseagle · May 27, 2007

In my memory, having a student compete in both BB and FB, at North Texas, has not been that sucessful. I believe the last time was Awasom. Great FB player but two left feet and hands of stone in BB. There was no transition time from the "smash mouth" FB tactics to the finess of BB.

If anyone can remember someone who excelled in both BB & FB in the last 40 years at North Texas please enlighten me.

NT80 · May 27, 2007

In my memory, having a student compete in both BB and FB, at North Texas, has not been that sucessful. I believe the last time was Awasom. Great FB player but two left feet and hands of stone in BB. There was no transition time from the "smash mouth" FB tactics to the finess of BB.
If anyone can remember someone who excelled in both BB & FB in the last 40 years at North Texas please enlighten me.

I also think if he plays both he has to count against football for a ship?

Buford_Julep · May 27, 2007

I remember him very much and and wouldn't mind a try again at him. I suppose offering him for bball would depend on how he managed at the Juco level.

Like many junior colleges, McLennan County updates their web site about once a year. All I can find on the site for 2006-2007 is a game-by game record of the final score and of individual points. Williams averaged roughly about 10 points per game. His high was 26 points against Ranger on January 20, 2007.

Click here, then click on results for point totals.

Cooley · May 28, 2007

One of Fritz Von Erick's sons played both sports at UNT (Atkinson). I don't know what happened to Seneca Collins but he would have been good at both sports.

Robert Williams is a better basketball player than football player. (and he was very good at Kimball in football) It probably made more sense to have signed him 2 years ago to play basketball rather than now. Though he can jump out of the gym, he is a tweener at 6-4 (small forward) and it appears JJ has elevated his recruiting a notch.

Williams was the 3 while Odufawa played the 5 at Kimball. I'm speechless how Kimball has more talent annually than anyone else yet don't do anything in the playoffs. District rival SOC won state this past year with a lesser team while Kimball lost to Spruce by 30. Texas Hoops has 4 returning Kimball kids ranked in their top 50; not counting a top 10 Jr and Soph.

foutsrouts · May 28, 2007

I'm speechless how Kimball has more talent annually than anyone else yet don't do anything in the playoffs.

Probably the curse of that old Arlington State TICKET kid. :lol:

May 28, 2007

Due to time constraints, risk of injury, and specialization I think that the two and three sport college athlete has vanished into the night.

There have been a few who have tried it at North Texas but none were truly successful. I believe that the last athlete to letter in both sports was Ray Toole back in the early to mid 60s. The only other person that I can recall that started in both sports was the late A.V. Collins and the year was 1949.

Even the great Crest Whittaker was not allowed to play both sports. He played only basketball at NT but he could've started at defensive back as well. He was a free agent who actually played a couple of years in the NFL without having played in college..

There have been several that combined two sports successfully but not basketball and football.

Buford_Julep · May 28, 2007

Due to time constraints, risk of injury, and specialization I think that the two and three sport college athlete has vanished into the night.

There are people capable of playing both sports if they can get past the valid reasons listed above. By the way, I would add money and perhaps the most important factor of all, the lack of co-operation among coaches, to the above list.

Here are a couple of exceptions to the rule. At Chattonooga, Terrell Owens played football, started five games for the NCAA Tournament-bound basketball team and anchored the 400 meter relay team during one academic year.

On the BCS level, Julius Peppers won the Chuck Bednarik Award for best defensive player and the Lombardi Award for best defensive lineman while playing football at North Carolina.

Peppers played as a freshman for the basketball team in the 2000 Final Four. He became a starter in his soph season and averaged 7.1 points and 4 rebounds per game. The next season he dropped basketball to prepare for the NFL draft.

buff64 · May 28, 2007

Didn't Andy Blount play both BB and FB at the same time Awasom did ?

Censored by Laurie · May 28, 2007

Also Matt Trannon at Michigan State and Justin Gage at Mizzou were 2 sport players...but not of the basketball caliber to take a scholarship. Nor was Julius Peppers. With so few basketball scholarships it would be a huge risk to rely on a guy who's getting physically abused 12 weeks a year to be a consistant contributor. Peppers, Trannon and Gage were all considered walk ons. Now, if he is a good enough football player to merit a ship and he wants to add depth and contribute to the basketball team as well...without a scholarship spot...I am all for it. Thats kind of what Blount and Awasom did...tho they never saw the floor at the pit.

Cooley · May 29, 2007

Charlie Ward won the Heisman Trophy as quarterback at Florida State and of course had a long productive NBA career.

Bo Jackson was great in football and baseball player at Auburn. Deon Sanders was a great baseball and football player at FSU as well.

ADLER · May 29, 2007

Didn't Andy Blount play both BB and FB at the same time Awasom did ?

Yes, and he was able to provide us with one of the most comical moments in North Texas basketball history.

A player from the other team misses his second free throw shot.

Blount gets the rebound and races the length of the court to the other basket.

Blount looks over his shoulder, notices that he is unopposed to score, jumps up and slams the ball through the hoop. Blount pumps his arms victoriously after the awesome display. Yeeaaahh!!!

Unable to refrain from laughing, the referee retrieves the ball for the player that is still waiting at the free throw line to take his third shot. :blink:

GrandGreen · May 29, 2007

You forget about Lucas, I can't remember his first name, who was brought here by Simon to be the next quarterback for the Green transferring in from some small California school. Lucas was a pure drop back passer and never got a chance from DD, although I think he was the best of the Qbs at the time. After being totally ignored by DD, He ended up starting for Trilli's last team and last I heard is still playing minor league pro basketball.

ADLER · May 30, 2007

You forget about Lucas, I can't remember his first name, who was brought here by Simon to be the next quarterback for the Green transferring in from some small California school. Lucas was a pure drop back passer and never got a chance from DD, although I think he was the best of the Qbs at the time. After being totally ignored by DD, He ended up starting for Trilli's last team and last I heard is still playing minor league pro basketball.

His name is Bryan Lucas and he transferred to North Texas after an outstanding freshman year at Azusa Pacific University in California. (He had also been a star baseball player in high school) The 6-6 Lucas had a strong arm, but as Grandgreen stated, wasn't the option type quarterback that Dickey preferred. Lucas soon learned that his only real opportunity at North Texas would be on the basketball court.

Bryan Lucas currently plays for Ulm(Germany) in a European league where he is listed as a 6-9 forward.

Bryan Lucas player profile