Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com NOV. 7, 2020 15 ami (Ohio) quarterback Brett Gabbert, Ohio State wide receiver Kam Babb, Tennessee Titans tight end MyCole Pruitt, and current Irish teammate Jor- dan Johnson, a freshman receiver. "There were times when he would have already done two workouts," Stanfield said. "He would come to me and say, 'Coach, can we get a session in now?' There were times I would have to tell him, 'Not today. You need to let your body recover and rest.'" Or, partake in the other part of his makeover. 'I CAN MOVE MUCH BETTER' Larry Williams said his son was never a carefree junk food eater, but his culinary habits would not have been confused with a fad diet either. And going into college, Williams was set on gaining weight so he could take hits. What he plausibly packed on in padding, he lost in mobility. And apparently, figure. "One day walking to the football complex, one of his coaches men- tioned, 'Kyren, you're looking kind of thick there,'" Larry recalled. "He took that to heart." Williams and his mother, Taryn, came up with a new dietary plan when his spring semester ended pre- maturely. More chicken and fish — lean protein. Greens. And a lot of water. Most of all, fewer carbs, which meant fewer trips to his favorite fast- food joint, Chipotle. Stanfield thinks Williams was push- ing 210 pounds when he returned home. The weight dripped off and a leaner figure was sculpted with every Dirty Hole visit and chicken breast meal. At one point, Stanfield said, Wil- liams was down to 193 pounds. He returned to campus in June for sum- mer workouts, where Notre Dame strength coach Matt Balis handled the final stages of his development. "When he first came back to camp, he was like, 'I can move much better at this weight, I feel like I can absorb the hits at this weight,'" Stanfield said. The results back him up. Per Pro Football Focus, Williams has 24 avoided tackles through five games. For comparison, Adams had 44 in 13 games in 2017. Only once in nine rushes on third down with three or fewer yards to go has Williams been denied a first down. In a 45-3 win over Pitt Oct. 24, he was twice hit be- fore the line to gain on a third-and-one carry, but converted anyway. There's a V8 engine in that 5-foot-9 stature. "In some circles, you may say he's not very big," Kelly said. "But he plays big." Those around Williams say his leg strength, vision and even speed were there all long, though. In that sense, Williams' offseason was about retool- ing and refining a skill set more than it was creating one. He was off track. He figured out how to put himself back on it, to make college feel like high school. The solution was in the dirty work. ✦ Through five games, Williams was averaging 136.0 scrimmage yards per game and 6.8 yards per touch. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS