Jan. 9, 2002

NORMAN, Okla. - University of Oklahoma safety Roy Williams announced today that he will bypass his senior season of eligibility to enter the National Football League Draft. Williams and head coach Bob Stoops will meet with members of the media Thursday to discuss the decision.

Williams, the winner of the 2001 Bronko Nagurski (top defensive player) and Jim Thorpe (top defensive back) awards, said the decision to leave was difficult, but the desire for a new challenge ultimately convinced him to make the move.

Williams is the fifth Sooner football player to declare early for the professional draft. The others were De'Mond Parker (1998), Jerald Moore (1995), Brian Bosworth (1986) and Joe Golding (1946).

Here are the quotes Williams released Wednesday ...

On Leaving Now
"I really feel that it's time for me to accept a new challenge for myself and my family. I hope everyone understands that. This has been a very hard decision. I've put in a lot of time and hard work here. We dedicated ourselves to Coach (Bob) Stoops, Coach (Jerry Schmidt) Schmitty and this whole staff. Giving that up is tough. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions and this was one of those. It's the right thing for me to do and the time is right, but it's not easy. The part that excites me is playing at the professional level. That's a great challenge and I look forward to it."

On His Feelings About OU
"The first group of people that I want to thank are my teammates. They mean everything to me. I also want to thank the coaches. They've been a great influence on my life. And the fans, I have to thank the entire Sooner State. They have always treated me with the utmost respect. I consider our coaches, the players and all our fans to be one big family. I will come back here often. I also want to thank Coach (John) Blake and his staff who brought me here and still show me a lot of love."

On His OU Experience and Expectations
"I thought it would be great when I got here and it has been. I've learned more about the history of this program. I knew when I got here that it was about winning championships. We're doing that now and that feels good."

On Finishing His Degree
"I'll need to take the next few months to get ready for the NFL Combine and the draft, but I promised my parents that I would get my degree so I will be back in the off season to finish (the requirements for a degree). (Williams is majoring in Sociology with a minor in Child Psychology)

On Things He'll Miss
"I'll miss my teammates and the fans. One of the things I remember is our bus driving up to a stadium for a road game and all the fans for the other school would make gestures at us. Then we'd roll on a little bit farther and there would be all that crimson. I'll never forget that feeling and I'll never forget the 75,000 at Memorial Stadium. They probably don't know how important they are to us."

On His Final College Game (2002 SBC Cotton Bowl)
"That was a good last game. I felt proud of our defensive unit that day. Our team felt proud of walking up that tunnel. It was a good statement game for us."

On His Favorite Memories of College Football
"Every game has a memory. Ask me about any game and I'll tell you something that happened in the hotel, on the trip or out on the field. But my favorite memories are the things we did with the little kids. I liked finding a little kid in the stands to give my game gloves to after every game and I remember going to the hospitals giving the kids a little encouragement. They're the real heroes. It's like Coach (Stoops) says, 'they have to fight every day.'"

On The NFL
"I want to go to a team that recognizes me as a person for how I carry myself on the field and off. I would really like someone to pick me for the person I am. I've heard a lot of speculation about where I'll be picked and all of that. That's something that will work itself out. The opportunity is what excites me. I feel like I can be a contributor, but I know I have to earn the respect of others."

On OU Head Coach Bob Stoops
"I'll miss Coach Stoops. He was a father figure for me and always was there when I needed him. I feel like he trusts me and I trust him and respect him as I do my father. I just want to thank him for everything he's done."

On OU Associate Head Coach Mike Stoops and the OU Coaching Staff
"Mike Stoops is an inspiration to me, even though he called me 'bad bodied' and 'pear-shaped'. That was fuel for the fire and inspiration for the way I played on the field. The whole coaching staff deserves that kind of acknowledgment. I can't picture myself playing under a better group of coaches. The camaraderie we had was unbelievable."

OU head coach Bob Stoops made this statement: "Our whole coaching staff is excited and happy for Roy and we agree that he's prepared and ready for the NFL. He's played the last two years of college football at the highest level. He's a driving force behind our 24-2 record during that time and we believe he'll be a dominant player at the professional level. We look forward to watching him and cheering for him in the NFL. We have such good feelings for Roy. He's an exceptional person."

The Roy Williams File
Height: 6-0; Weight: 220; DOB: 8/14/80 (Redwood City, Calif.)
Hometown: Union City, Calif.; High School: James Logan

Williams' 2001 Season Honors

Season   G   UT   AT   Total  Loss   Sacks  INT  FC  FR  PBU
1999    12   57   18    75    6-21   1-5     2   1   0   11
2000    13   58   35    93    12-46  4-25    2   0   1   9
2001    12   73   28    101   11-40  2-16    5   0   3   22
Totals  37   188  81    269   29-107 7-46    9   1   4   42