LINCOLN — The premier recruit in Nebraska's 2009 signing class, apparently, will never play a down for the Huskers.
Linebacker Chris Williams, a Parade All-American out of Abilene, Texas, has left the football team, the school confirmed Thursday. Williams, named the top high school player in Texas' 5A classification as a junior in 2007, returned home this week after a difficult first semester in Lincoln.
He could not be reached for comment, and his plans for football and school remain unclear.
Williams, 6-foot and 220 pounds, redshirted this season after failing to recover fully from knee surgery last winter. He suffered a torn ligament in November 2008 after he tripped over the first-down chain and landed awkwardly out of bounds in the 10th game of his senior year at Abilene High School.
“I don't know anything about not going back,” Abilene High School coach Steve Warren said Thursday. “I know he's been very, very frustrated with the rehab part of it. He said to me that he felt, a long time ago, that he was ready to practice, but he wasn't allowed.”
The Huskers left Williams off their 105-man roster for preseason camp in August to allow his knee more rehabilitation time.
He did not practice during the season as his progress continued to move slowly.
Linebackers coach Mike Ekeler said last month that Williams' recovery had not gone as planned.
“It's a lot slower process, obviously, than we hoped for,” Ekeler said.
According to Warren, Williams returned to Abilene on Wednesday night. The coach said he had not spoken to Williams about his decision to leave Nebraska.
He was a tackling machine in high school, totaling 77 tackles as a senior, including eight sacks. As a junior, Williams collected 32 tackles for losses among his 90 total, and he was credited with 142 tackles as a sophomore.
His absence leaves Nebraska with one fewer candidate to fill the linebacker positions next season after the departure of senior Phillip Dillard. But the Huskers, who regularly play just one or two linebackers, still have options, with freshmen Sean Fisher, Will Compton and Eric Martin atop the list of returning players.
Additionally, NU has a commitment from junior-college star Lavonte David.
Contact the writer:
402-444-1031, mitch.sherman@owh.com
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