Tag: John L. Williams

Gator great running back to serve as Mr. Two Bits vs Kentucky

Legendary running back John L. Williams will serve as the honorary Mr. Two Bits this Saturday against the Kentucky Wildcats in the Swamp.

One of the best running backs in history for a program that was once known for consistently producing NFL talent will serve as the honorary Mr. Two Bits this Saturday against the Kentucky Wildcats in the Swamp.

[autotag]John L. Williams[/autotag], who played on the 1984 squad that earned the Florida Gators their first Southeastern Conference football title (which would be later revoked), spent four years in Gainesville from 1982 to 1985, amassing 2,409 yards on the ground on 468 attempts (5.1 average) over 39 games along with 14 touchdowns.

What makes those numbers more impressive is that he shared the workload with another future NFL player Neal Anderson the entire time he spent at UF (as well as Lorenzo Hampton for three years). It did not hurt that they had the “Great Wall of Florida” for their offensive line, making the Gators one of the most formidable opponents during the mid-80s.

Williams played 10 professional seasons — eight with the Seattle Seahawks, who selected him with the 15th overall pick in the 1985 NFL draft. He also played two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers before retiring.

For his NFL career, Williams finished with 5,006 yards on 1,245 carries for an average of an even four per rush, while finishing second in the Rookie of the Year race in 1986 as well as making two Pro Bowl appearances in 1990 and 1991.

Coming up for the Gators

The Gators host the Wildcats inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, for this year’s homecoming game. Kickoff is set for 7:45 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

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Did Emmitt Smith make CBS Sports’ list of top-10 NFL running back seasons?

It’s nice that CBS Sports gave Emmitt Smith a mention but he deserves better.

Before the University of Florida became a quarterback school under the guidance of Steve Spurrier, the football program was well-regarded for the quality of running backs produced back in the 1980s. Among the names that graced the artificial turf in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium are NFL veterans like [autotag]John L. Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Neal Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Lorenzo Hampton[/autotag] and Cedric Smith, but of course, there is one particular player that stands out from that era.

[autotag]Emmitt Smith[/autotag] is unquestionably the greatest running back to ever wear the beloved Orange and Blue, and arguably one of the greatest Gators of all time. While he was a standout in college, he took things to the next level in the professional ranks providing a pillar for the Dallas Cowboys dynasty of the 90s. For his efforts, he earned a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, among many other accolades.

While few will argue that Smith was among the greatest to ever carry the ball out of the backfield, the question remains as to whether he had one of the top dominant seasons in league history. CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo recently ranked his top 10 greatest running back seasons in NFL history, which was predictably led off with a Barry Sanders entry. However, the pride of Florida football just barely missed the list but did manage to earn himself the lone honorable mention for his 1995 campaign, as DeArdo explains below.

The league’s MVP in 1993, Smith had an even better campaign in 1995. He ran for a league-high 1,773 yards while rushing for a then-NFL record 25 touchdowns. Smith, who also caught 62 passes during the regular season, ran for nearly 300 yards and six touchdowns in the playoffs as the Cowboys won their third Super Bowl of the ’90s.

It feels wrong to omit Smith from the top 10 given his dominance from 1991 to 1995, but he does face some very tough competition on the list. Nonetheless, the Gator Nation knows how special he was both in Gainesville and in the NFL, and the author showed respect by ensuring his name was mentioned. That is what matters.

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