Hosey Williams adds depth to UC running game
Sep. 16, 2013 3:47 PM



Top UC rusher Hosey Williams: Bearcats RB making his mark as JUCO transfer (Sept. 16, 2013)

Written by
Tom Groeschen

Hosey Williams has overcome the shock of walking into stadiums and seeing more than 30,000 fans, jazzed up to see him and his University of Cincinnati teammates play football.

Williams, a running back who transferred to UC this season from ASA College in Brooklyn, N.Y., leads the Bearcats (2-1) with 230 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

“I was kind of nervous, making the transition,” Williams said. “In junior college, the stadiums don’t really get packed out. You might get 200 people at the most. Then you come to a stadium and you got 36,000 fans, I was kind of nervous. Once I stepped on the field, all that went away.”

While Williams remains No. 2 behind fellow junior Ralph David Abernathy IV on the depth chart at running back, he has made his mark with some electrifying runs.

UC drew a Nippert Stadium record 36,007 fans for the season opener against Purdue on Aug. 31, a 42-7 win. Williams led the Bearcats that day with 70 yards rushing, including a 30-yard touchdown run.

The following week, UC lost 45-17 at Illinois before 43,031 fans. Williams had only five carries but netted 43 yards. His long run was 25 yards.

Last Saturday, with 30,384 fans watching UC roll to a 66-9 win over Northwestern State (La.) at Nippert, Williams had 11 carries for 117 yards and two TDs. This week’s Hosey Special was a 77-yard run to the Northwestern State 1-yard line, and Williams then finished the job with a 1-yard TD run.

UC veteran Abernathy (181 yards rushing, two TDs) remains effective in short bursts, but at 5-foot-7 and 161 pounds he admittedly is not an every-down back. Williams (5-9, 199 pounds) and sophomore Tion Green (6-foot, 220) are also in the mix.

UC coach Tommy Tuberville said in preseason that UC would have a committee approach at running back, and he has kept his word.

“Hosey’s gonna have to play well for us down the stretch,” Tuberville said. “It’s kind of a battle between he and Tion right now for the No. 2 spot.”

Williams, whose first name is pronounced Ho-ZAY, again will spell Abernathy when the Bearcats visit rival Miami University (0-2) on Saturday in Oxford.

Williams, who is from Miami (Fla.), was offered by Western Michigan out of high school. Other suitors included Central Michigan and South Florida.

Williams said an academic issue prevented him from enrolling in college right away. Thus, he sat out a year and worked at a Miami restaurant.

“I worked at a little chicken spot for about a year,” Williams said, smiling. “I took a little time time off, and that was the best transition for me.”

A friend told Williams about the Brooklyn junior college. Williams sent some film, ASA coaches liked it, and Williams headed north.

Williams had his breakout year in 2012. He earned first team NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) honors, with 1,269 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns.

After the season, Williams visited Idaho. Then came an offer from UC’s new staff.

“It was something that was new to me,” Williams said. “I had never been to Cincinnati, and the bond with the coaches and players was a good fit. I knew over the years they had been a winning program. I just want to be an attribute to the team.”

KAY HONORED: UC quarterback Brendon Kay was named to the weekly American Athletic Conference honor roll. Kay was 12-of-14 passing for 277 yards and four touchdowns in the win over Northwestern State.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130...nning-game