Committed DE Returns From Official Trip

Richlands, N.C. defensive end Mario Williams is verbally committed to NC State, but he's still taking some official visits. Did his recent trip to South Carolina change his thinking at all?

"It made me think," said the 6-foot-6, 250-pound specimen. "It was a good visit because I got to meet Lou Holtz and found out that he's a really good person. They sell out all of their games as well and the stadium is big. I liked the atmosphere."

So what about his visit made him think?

"Well, I really like the way they use their defensive ends," he said. "George Gause lines up as an outside linebacker sometimes and gets in a three-point stance as well. He's listed as a linebacker, but they use him more like an end sometimes and that's what they have in mind for me as well. I've never played that way or seen any team use players like that so I watched that closely."

Will Williams consider South Carolina and others or is he just taking visits?

"I'm going to consider South Carolina for sure," he said. "Tennessee is the other one I really like because I grew up following them. I'm still committed to NC State and I like them a lot, so it will be a tough decision."

Williams visits Tennessee on Nov. 8, then trips to Clemson on Nov. 15, Ohio State on Nov. 22 and finishes with NC State on Dec. 6.