Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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irish in the pros Ian Williams Suffers Season-Ending Injury By Andrew Owens A fter surging through the San Francisco 49ers' depth chart since signing as an undrafted rookie in 2011, nose tackle Ian Williams had finally earned the starting spot on one of the league's best defenses. But in the middle of a disappointing 29-3 loss to division rival Seattle Sept. 15, Williams suffered a devastating setback when he broke his left ankle. The organization placed him on injured reserve, effectively ending his 2013 season, a few days later. In the play that ended Williams' season, Seahawks right guard J.R. Sweezy rolled into Williams' left leg, immediately knocking the 6-1, 305-pound defensive lineman to the ground. Williams did not return to the game. 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh would only call it an "unfortunate play," but would not say whether or not he considered it a dirty play. Although Harbaugh did not offer a position, 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis did not pull any proverbial punches with his remarks. "I feel like as a linebacker or a [defensive] lineman, any cut, it's a man sport — be a man, hit me up high," Willis said. "Hit like rams. You don't see a ram going and cutting another ram's legs. They hit head to head, pad to pad. "I feel like that's something the Williams earned the 49ers' starting nose tackle job during fall camp, but he suffered a broken ankle in the team's second game and was placed on injured reserve. photo courtesy san francisco 49ers league should look into more. You see some of that stuff, and it's uncalled for. You have a guy who's 300 pounds cutting a guy who's 250 pounds. Do physics to that. Hit the man up high.