'Weird' return not fruitful for Williams

Arkansas’ David Williams, who spent his first three seasons at South Carolina, rushed for 32 yards and 1 touchdown on 7 carries against the Gamecocks on Saturday.
Arkansas’ David Williams, who spent his first three seasons at South Carolina, rushed for 32 yards and 1 touchdown on 7 carries against the Gamecocks on Saturday.

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- It wasn't a happy homecoming game for Arkansas Razorbacks senior running back David Williams.

The graduate transfer who played at South Carolina the previous three seasons started well with a 23-yard gain on his first touch of the game, but that was one of the few highlights for the Razorbacks as the Gamecocks pulled away to win 48-22 at Williams-Brice Stadium.

"It was quite weird at first, but I got used to it," Williams said of playing against his old teammates. "I adjusted to it. I couldn't let it affect my game."

Williams finished with 7 carries for 32 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown run. His lone catch for 16 yards initially was ruled a 23-yard touchdown play, but the score was overruled after video replay determined Williams stepped out of bounds at the South Carolina 7.

"I think I made the most of the opportunities I had," Williams said. "I could have played better."

Williams talked with several Gamecocks after the game.

"It was tough knowing that we lost how we did," he said. "To see my friends and try not to be negative towards them because we lost."

Razorbacks Coach Bret Bielema said he felt bad the game didn't go better for Williams.

"The kid has just been tremendous class," Bielema said. "We'd love to have given him a win out here today because I know he was very excited to play here.

"Not for negative reasons, either. For positive reasons. I think he had a lot of great memories here, he's got a degree from here, he's got a lot of great friends on the team, and he was always very positive about the coaching staff and vice versa."

Williams did not speak to the media in the week leading up to the South Carolina game. Bielema said he approached Williams with the option of doing all of the interview requests he gets, some of them or none of them.

"Not out of negativity or anything," Bielema said Monday. "Just no need for it to dialogue more than it already is."

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As a freshman at South Carolina, Williams rushed 45 times for 256 yards and 2 touchdowns. He ran 86 times for 299 yards without a touchdown as a sophomore, then gained 239 yards on 56 rushes for 3 touchdowns as a junior.

Sports on 10/08/2017

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