USF lands Central Florida OL
Orlando (Fla.) Evans offensive tackle Darrell Williams analyzed his options and even took an official visit to North Carolina State, but at the end of the day, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound offensive lineman knew where he wanted to go was close to home. He made the decision official last week.
"Last week I committed to USF," Williams said. "I sent Coach (Steve) Shankweiler, the offensive line coach, an e-mail that I wanted to commit and then I called Coach (Todd) Fitch the next day and then that night I talked to Coach (Skip) Holtz. I made it official then."
Advertisement
The three-star offensive lineman talked a bit about how his decision to choose Skip Holtz' program played out.
"I was talking with Coach Fitch a lot," Williams said. "They had been at the top of my list for a while and then I saw that everybody started to commit. So I talked to Coach Shankweiler, the offensive line coach, and he kept telling me that they only had one spot left and I was their number one guy."
"So I talked with my parents and my coaches and came to the conclusion that was the best decision for me to make," Williams added. "I really like that it is close to home. I think it is a good opportunity for me."
After informed the Bulls' coaching staff, Williams had an opportunity to speak one-on-one with his future head coach. He said the first-year skipper was excited by the news.
"Coach Holtz reaction, he sounded pretty excited that I committed," Williams said. "We spoke about me coming to USF and being part of something special. He told me to finish my high school career strong."
Coach Holtz is far from the only member of the staff that Williams has formed a bond with. He talked about the effort made by two assistants during his recruitment.
"I have talked Coach Fitch and Coach Shankweiler a lot," Williams said. "They usually check up on me and ask how I played and about my upcoming games. We talk about a lot of different things. I can talk to them about anything, school or life."
While Williams holds offers from Colorado State, Florida International, Florida State, Ole Miss, North Carolina State, South Carolina, and Central Florida, he knows that he is going to take just one official visit before signing with his school in February.
"I am visiting USF on the 20th. That is the only place I am visiting," Williams said. "I am definitely going to USF."
Williams senior season concludes on Friday when Evans faces Apopka (Fla.).