Williams Earns First All-America Honor
June 21, 1999 | Football
May 3, 1999
CHICAGO, Ill. - Texas Tech tailback Ricky Williams earned his first preseason All-America honor of the season today when he was named to the Playboy Magazine All-America team according to Gary Cole, the magazine's sports editor.
Williams, a 5-9, 190-pound rising junior from Duncanville, Texas, enters the 1999 season as the nation's second-leading returning rusher. He finished fourth in the nation last season with an average of 143.8 yards per game and was a semifinalist for the Dr Pepper Doak Walker Award. Williams was named a second-team All-America by Football News and was a consensus second-team All-Big 12 selection.
"This is quite an honor," said Williams. "To be mentioned in the same breath as some of the great players in college football is truly humbling. I am looking forward to this season. I think we have a great chance to have a championship season. It's a team effort and any awards I receive will be because of my teammates and coaches."
One of five team captains for 1999, Williams rushed for the third-most single season yards in school history as a sophomore with 1,582 in 11 games. His 13 TDs last season ties for the third-best in school history and he is currently sixth on the Texas Tech career rushing charts in just two seasons. In 1997 he surpassed Byron Hanspard's freshman rushing record and was named a second-team All-America by The Sporting News.
"I am really proud for Ricky," said head coach Spike Dykes. "He is one of the hardest workers I have ever seen. He practices at such a quick pace; it is really not that much different for him when he enters a game. He has a great head on his shoulders and is a great representative for Texas Tech University."
Members of the 1999 Playboy All-America Team will assemble this weekend at the Hilton Pointe Resort at Tapatio Cliffs, Arizona near Phoenix. The players will participate in a photo shoot for the magazine as well as conduct interviews for a preseason football show that will air nationally in August.