Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2019 65 2019 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY DAVID MCKINNEY It isn't hard for Notre Dame run- ning back signee Kyren Williams to find motivation. The early enrollee said he gets a jolt of it whenever he makes eye con- tact with his mom or dad. After all, he wouldn't be where he is without them — on his way to South Bend af- ter finishing as the all-time leader in touchdowns (112), receptions (204), receiving yards (2,696) and intercep- tions (13) at St. John Vianney High School in St. Louis. "Wanting to be the best at anything I do is where the motivation comes from," Williams said. "I get that from my parents." It wasn't until the fall of his sopho- more year at Vianney, however, that Williams realized big-time college football could happen for him. "My sophomore year, I got my first offer from Nebraska," Williams ex- plained. "That's when I knew I could really do something and go some- where playing this sport. "It was big. All the hard work I had gone through before really paid off and showed me that if I keep up the hard work, it's going to keep paying off." Williams' recruitment took off af- ter that first offer, but it was never going to get to his head. His parents wouldn't let it. Taryn and Larry Wil- liams could see the talent and potential in their son, and they weren't about to let him squander it. "My parents always showed me how to stay on the right path," Williams said. "They told me, 'If you keep doing this, you're go- ing to be fine. You're going to have the life you want to live.'" That support, from his parents and the rest of his family, is cherished. "It's definitely the biggest part of my life, knowing that anything I do or any decision I make, my family is always going to be there to support me," he said. "It's the biggest solid piece I have in my life right now." When the time came for the star running back to make a decision, he held 21 scholarship offers. Deciding among Notre Dame, Michigan, Mis- souri and several others, Williams gave his pledge to the Irish during a ceremony with family members sur- rounding him and his parents flank- ing him at Vianney June 21. Signing his letter of intent with Notre Dame Dec. 19 served as both a cul- mination of years of hard work and another stepping-stone toward his ultimate goal of paying back the peo- ple who sacrificed so much to get him there. "I want to be able to buy my mom and dad a house," Williams said. "I want to be able to have my mom stop working. Knowing what I could do with my talents and know- ing who I could help is what motivates me to keep going." Williams once again credits his parents for developing the mental fortitude and wherewithal to give it his all every single play. "Who am I doing this for?" Wil- liams asked himself rhetorically. "Would they want me to do this? Knowing my family and how sup- portive they are, they wouldn't want me to skip a rep or take a play off. "I think about that, and I'll be able to do anything, for real." ✦ KYREN WILLIAMS RUNNING BACK 5-9 · 200 ST. JOHN VIANNEY H.S. ST. LOUIS RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ — 34 6 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ — 28 9 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 256 13 2 STATISTICS • Rushed for 2,035 yards, caught 55 passes for 725 yards and scored an area-best 40 touchdowns as a senior. He also completed both of his passing attempts for 114 yards with a touchdown. On de- fense, he notched 92 tackles, eight tackles for loss, five sacks and eight interceptions. • Carried the ball 119 times for 922 yards, reeled in 51 receptions for 774 yards, and scored 35 touchdowns as a junior. Also posted 37 stops, four interceptions and three sacks on defense. • Had 125 rushing attempts for 748 yards, hauled in 48 receptions for 591 yards, and scored 28 touchdowns as a sophomore. Also made 29 tackles on defense. • Caught 50 passes for 606 yards and four scores, and rushed for 242 yards and five touchdowns on 45 carries as a freshman. HONORS • 2018 Missouri Class 5A Offensive Player of the Year • 2018 Missouri Class 5A All-State • 2018 St. Louis Post Dispatch Offensive Player of the Year • 2018 USA Today All-State first team ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Participated in Rivals Three-Stripe Camp Chi- cago in the spring of 2018 and was named the running back MVP RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on June 21, 2018, and enrolled in January 2019. • Chose Notre Dame over Michigan and Mis- souri. • Primarily recruited to Notre Dame by former running backs coach Autry Denson. • Took an official visit to South Bend June 15 and returned for the Michigan game Sept. 1. NOTABLE • Born on Aug. 26, 2000. • Set the Missouri state championship game record for rushing yards with 289 in 2018. • Scored the most points in a season in school history (254) in 2018. • Is St. Louis St. John Vianney's all-time leader in touchdowns (112), receptions (204), receiving yards (2,696) and career interceptions (13). • Ranks second in school history in career rush- ing yards (3,947) and total yards (6,643). 2019 PROJECTION • Notre Dame is set to return five scholarship running backs who carried the ball in 2018, so earning playing time as a freshman will be difficult. THEY SAID IT Head coach Brian Kelly: "This state champion is a threat out of the backfield. Kyren Williams is a blur with the football and will be a special addition to the running back room." St. John Vianney head coach Paul Day: "Notre Dame is going to get a great player. I've been able to coach two or three high-level guys, and Kyren is pretty special." BGI football analyst Bryan Driskell: "Williams is physical for his size and shows a natural feel for playing running back, where he is a big-play threat. "He lines up a lot at wide receiver and his ball skills are first rate, although his size could make him tougher to target on vertical routes in college. Solid route runner, knows how to get open and has good hands." Kyren Williams Is Motivated To Succeed For His Parents Williams finished his prep career as St. Louis St. John Vianney's all-time leader in touchdowns (112), recep- tions (204), receiving yards (2,696) and interceptions (13). PHOTO BY COREY BODDEN