He was quiet as a church mouse that first year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. About the only time you knew Cadillac Williams was around came Sunday when he ran himself into the NFL's rookie of the year award. Now? "We can't shut him up," Bucs running backs coach Art Valero said. The third-year running back is quite the gabber around his teammates, especially when it comes to those relaxing moments when Williams is competing against them in pool or dominoes. "He's got to win everything, and if he doesn't win everything, he's going to talk enough (smack) to make you think he won everything," Valero said. Which brings us to preseason football games. Williams wants to compete just as hard, and for him, that means getting the ball more. Williams has expressed his frustration after Saturday's game at Miami, where he carried the ball four times for 25 yards, saying the lack of work is frustrating and prevents him from developing the rhythm needed to be the dominating back he was as a rookie. "One thing about Cadillac, he doesn't know the difference between a preseason game, a regular season game or a playoff game," Valero said. "When he puts the helmet and shoulder pads on, he just wants to go and play. He really could care less what kind of game it is. He's going to play to win every time." The plan is to limit Williams' workload in August so he's fresher for the long-haul of a 16-game season, which is why through three games he's touched the ball just 10 times - eight carries and two catches. But, Valero said, there's more to being Cadillac Williams than running with the football. While he's only been on the field for 36 snaps in those three games, Valero said Williams has been busy doing other things like pass blocking, run blocking and running pass routes. "There's more than just carrying the ball in this offense," Valero said. "We know he can carry the ball." But just as a reminder, coach Jon Gruden made an effort against the Miami Dolphins to get Williams carries so, well, he would get hit. "Just so at Seattle it's not a surprise," Valero said of the Bucs season-opener Sept. 9. Williams' first carry resulted in a 5-yard loss. "After the first run, which was a negative five, you saw in his eyes, give him the ball," Valero said. The next series saw Williams break off runs of 12 and 14 yards. "I haven't got the chance to get into the open field and make guys miss, just show a little elusiveness," Williams said after the game. "So it was just good to get there and do a little something." Valero said the feeling among the coaching staff after those runs were, "OK. We're good." Williams still wanted more. "I need one good look, and I can get going," he said. "But to be honest with you, as the game goes on, I'm a much better runner vision-wise and my willpower. I just get better." He'll have to wait until the Bucs get to Seattle before he can impose his willpower on a defense. Williams will have another short night Thursday when the Bucs host Houston Texas in their preseason finale. While the numbers after Williams' name on the stat sheet may not look impressive, Valero said that's not to say he's had an unproductive preseason. The same could be said of 2006, according to Valero, when Williams' rushing yards dropped from 1,178 to 798 and his touchdowns fell from six to one. "People say Cadillac had a bad year. Well we call had a bad year," Valero said. "But the year he had protecting the passer was phenomenal. That was his goal coming in, and he accomplished his goal. Does he want to be a 1,500-yard rusher? They all do. There's only one ball. But there are other things he did that go unnoticed, that are not on the stat sheet. They're on my stat sheet but not his." Source: Bradenton
gonna be hard year to gain 1500 yards with Garcia as your qb....they'll bunch the line with 8 in the box on that team with Garcia's inability to throw the deep ball...
No joke, Williams will be lucky to get just over 1000. He's really never seemed all that spectacular to me, even in his rookie season. Just got a lot of holes and good blocks.
did you not see philly last year after garthia took over? their offense was flourishing with him at the helm.
