Where Did You Go Ricky Williams?

The Ricky Williams that I remember may never be seen again.

On September 5, 1998, I was in the student section of Darrell K. Royal Stadium with three of my cousins and someone else’s University of Texas student ID. Williams was in his senior year and gunning for the NCAA Division I rushing title. It was the first home game of the season and the stadium roared with his every step.

More than 75,000 people witnessed the merciless slashing of New Mexico State.  In three quarters, Williams was a Minotaur against the Aggies Jell-O Pudding defense, roughing them up for 215 yards and six touchdowns. He was smooth and powerful, picking his way through the line and then bulldozing anyone in his path.

I was swept up in the lights and the pageantry of a Texas football Valhalla. Standing shoulder to shoulder in the student section, the bleeding heart of the stadium, I saw Ricky Williams score six touchdowns before the end of the third quarter. It still stands as my greatest college football experience.    

Four years later at a rain-soaked Dolphin Stadium, I witnessed that same sleek and punishing running style.  Williams was slugging it out with the Chicago Bears on a Monday night. During half time, everyone celebrated the 1972 undefeated Miami Dolphins. In the third quarter, Ricky gift-wrapped a victory with his career long 63-yard touchdown run. 

“He’s hard to tackle, and he made us look bad,” Brain Urlacher said in an interview with the Associated Press.  “He makes two moves while he’s still in the backfield.  He hits the crease and he’s gone.”

Williams finished with 216 yards and two touchdowns. It felt like Austin, Texas all over again. Only, it was happening in my hometown. That night, I saw the same running back that destroyed New Mexico State.  I saw a juggernaut, a freight train, a diesel-fueled nightmare for any defender. 

He spent two seasons forcing his way through NFL defenses with little help from the passing game.  Wannstedt’s offense was as predictable as a monkey with a banana and Williams was his work horse.  Every opponent lined up expecting him to run at them and they were never wrong.

After 775 carries, Williams wanted a break. Everyone knows the rest of the story. 

Ricky failed three drug tests and found a loop-hole out of his contract. He left the Dolphins and the city of Miami. It was an ugly separation that continued even after Dave Wannstedt and his bushy mustache left town.

When he returned, the dreadlocks were gone and the Dolphins had moved on. Ronnie Brown was the new runner and, if not for a knee injury in 2007, Ricky would have been forgotten. Last year both saw plenty of action as a tandem and Williams still shows flashes of his younger days.

With the reduced workload, he will no longer be a feature running back. But he doesn’t seem to mind.