Monday, August 04, 2014

Solid NFL debut by Parkland graduate Williams caps a good weekend for locals in Canton

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/

FROM KEITH GROLLER

As I covered all of the festivities surrounding Andre Reed's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend in Canton, I thought about the fact that this was something that's unlikely to ever happen again -- a local guy making it to Canton.
At least it won't happen during my Morning Call career, and maybe not even while I am around, period.
But after what I saw tonight, you know what, I changed my mind. It could happen again one day.
Who knows? It might even happen to the guy who made his pro debut in the same stadium one night after Reed's big moment.
Ok, Ok. Yes, it may be a short walk across the parking lot from where Sunday night's Hall of Fame exhibition game was played to making the actual Hall of Fame itself.
But in terms of football success, it's hardly a walk in the parking lot to make the Hall of Fame. It takes  years, maybe decades, and hundreds of games of playing at a high level to even be considered for enshrinement in the HOF. A couple of Super Bowl victories would help, too.
That said, Parkland graduate Andre Williams impressed the crowd of 22,000 inside Fawcett Stadium and a national television audience by rushing for 48 yards on seven carries in his first game, including a 3-yard TD run that was the first touchdown of the 2014 NFL preseason.
Williams, who led the nation in rushing last fall at Boston College and was a fourth-round pick in the draft, ran hard between the tackles as expected and popped outside for a 21-yard run, all in the first half of what turned out to be a 17-13 Giants win over the Bills.

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