NORMAN, Okla. – Sooners’ head football coach Bob Stoops announced Monday senior running back Damien Williams has been dismissed from the Oklahoma football team.
Williams, a 5-11, 215 lb. starter was suspended prior to last weekend’s OU game at Kansas State for violating team policy, although at the time, Stoops wouldn’t confirm or deny the report.
Monday, Stoops said that Williams is no longer on the Sooners squad and the coach also said wide receiver LaColtan Bester, who was also suspended prior to the Kansas State game, has been re-instated and will play in the “Bedlam Series” battle at Oklahoma State Dec. 7 in Stillwater.
Stoops said, “Damien Williams has been removed from the football team. He is no longer with the team.”
Sources tell KFOR-TV Sports Director Bob Barry Jr. that Williams was kicked off the squad for alleged multiple failed drug tests.
A pair of former OU players took to Twitter to express their disapproval with the decision.
Kenny Stills, a former star wide receiver, began tweeting about the situation.
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Tony Jefferson, one of Williams’ friends, also took to Twitter to show his feelings about the dismissal.
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Radio Personality Al Eschbach also weighed in.
Eschbach said, “Just stupidity on his part. There you are, you have two games, bowl games. All you’re doing is hurting your pro career. I don’t understand what these athletes are thinking, it’s hurting him in the long run. Makes absolutely no sense at all.”
Williams thus ends his OU career as the team’s second leading rusher in 2013 with 553 yards and 7 touchdowns, including a 69 yard touchdown dash against Iowa State in what wound up being his final game as a Sooner two weeks ago in Norman.
The highlight of Williams’ OU career will go down as that 95-yard touchdown run against Texas in the 2012 game in Dallas.
Williams is considered the best of Oklahoma’s talented group of running backs, but in his absence last week, fellow senior Brennan Clay rushed for a career high 200 yards in the Sooners 41-31 win at Kansas State.
Eschbach explains that he has simply added more speed bumps on the way to the NFL.
He said, “He’s going to wait for the NFL draft. He’s hurt himself. He’s cost himself a lot of money.”