[Buckskin86]

2/7/2008
Williams signs with OSU

By CHRIS HOPPES
Sports Editor

It was the culmination of a life-long dream for Nathan Williams when he signed a national letter of intent Wednesday morning to attend The Ohio State University on a full scholarship.

Williams is just the third player from Miami Trace High School to receive a football scholarship from Ohio State and he will be the fourth Panther in school history to play for Ohio State.

Art Schlichter and Glenn Cobb received scholarships to play for Ohio State in the 1970s and David Andrews was a walk-on for the Buckeyes and was a member of the national championship team for the 2002 season.

Williams excelled at Miami Trace, at running back and linebacker, being named three times as First Team, All-Ohio by the Associated Press.

Williams will have to get bigger if he is to play defensive end for the Buckeyes. That raises the speculation that Williams may red-shirt his freshman year in order to grow and acclimate himself to the college game and to what Ohio State needs.

?He?s about 245 (pounds) right now,? Conroy said. ?They like to get those defensive ends up in that 260-270-pound range. I?m sure the first thing they?re going to do is look to put some weight on him. There will be an adjustment period. Some players come in and (contribute) right away, others it takes a little longer. We?ll just have to wait and see.

?Anytime you sign a national letter of intent with Ohio State, you?ve proven you belong,? Conroy said. ?Ohio State doesn?t give those out to just anyone. They give them out to the top kids in the country. He fits in that category. He?s one of the top football players and top athletes around. We?re awfully proud of him.?

Williams spoke about the possibility of a red-shirt.

?I really don?t mind,? Williams said. ?I?m just willing to do whatever the coaches feel is best for me. I think it will be a positive if I red-shirt or if I don?t red-shirt. I want to get in the mix as much as I can my freshman year. I feel I have the ability to. But, if they want to red-shirt me, I?m willing to red-shirt and just get bigger and faster and strong for the next year.?

Williams signs with OSU